Alright, folks, we need to talk about what’s going down at a McDonald’s in Franklin, Tennessee, because let’s just say—it’s “not” the PlayPlace you remember.
You know, the ones with the giant tube slides, the ball pits that may or may not have been a germ factory, and that unmistakable smell of plastic mixed with french fries? Yeah, well, that’s not what kids are getting here.
Instead, a viral post from X user @NancyAFrench put this particular McDonald’s on blast for what it’s calling a “PlayPlace.” And what does this modern-day wonderland look like? Two screens. Two chairs. That’s it. No slides. No tunnels. No climbing walls. Just a couple of screens stuck to a wall like a digital babysitter.
Now, listen—people have “thoughts” about this, and they are “not” happy. The post racked up over 16 million views, with comments ranging from ““Is this a joke?”” to ““Nothing says childhood fun like staring at a screen in a slightly different location than home.”” Another user went straight for the gut punch, calling it a “punishment place.” Ouch.
McDonald’s, for their part, responded, saying that this setup “does not represent the full PlayPlace design and experience.” Translation? “Not all locations are like this, we promise.” But still, it raises a bigger question: Are we just accepting that kids don’t *play* anymore?
One user suggested that businesses are just giving people what they ask for—if kids prefer screens, that’s what they’ll get.
And honestly? That might not be wrong. Studies show that kids between 8-12 years old are already spending “four to six hours” a day glued to screens, while teens rack up “nine hours” a day. If that’s the case, are jungle gyms just a relic of the past?
Of course, not everyone was up in arms about it. Some folks shrugged and said, “Hey, McDonald’s is a restaurant, not a daycare.”
But for a lot of parents, this felt like yet another sign that the old-school joys of childhood—climbing, running, sliding—are being swapped out for yet another screen.
So, is this the future of PlayPlaces? Time will tell. But if you were hoping to let your kid burn off some energy at McDonald’s while you sip your coffee, well…you might want to manage those expectations.
