In Hong Kong, more than 250 people who are without homes spend the night in McDonald's restaurants. This is due to the fact that McDonald's is one of the few establishments in Hong Kong that is open at all hours of the day and night. People who are without homes and sleep in McDonald's restaurants are referred to as McRefugees.
The majority of those who have sought asylum through McRescue are male, and a significant number of them are either elderly or struggle with mental illness. They frequently sleep in the chairs or on the floor, and some of them have been sleeping in McDonald's for years. Some of them have been sleeping there for years.
The McRefugees are not permitted to use the restrooms, and the personnel will frequently ask them to leave the facility if they are found doing so. They try to find another place to sleep, but they are not always successful, and as a result, they frequently find themselves back at McDonald's.The problem of homelessness in Hong Kong is brought into stark relief by the presence of the McRefugees.
The government has come under fire for not doing enough to assist people who are without homes and for not providing enough housing that is affordable.As a result of the continued growth in housing costs in Hong Kong, the city's homeless population is becoming an even greater concern. It is estimated that there are now more than 5,000 persons living on the streets of Hong Kong, which is a forty percent rise from the previous year's total population of homeless individuals in the city.
The McRefugees serve as a reminder that the issue of homelessness in Hong Kong is getting worse, and that the government needs to do more to assist the most vulnerable individuals in the city.