McDonald’s cries foul over Riks Grill at Mt Barker Gather Round clash

A Mount Barker trader says he’s been left out of pocket after he was kicked out of a Gather Round gig at the last minute due to a corporate giant’s distaste.

Popular food truck Riks Grill was kicked out of bounds at Saturday’s Gather Round match in Mount Barker when AFL major sponsor McDonald’s ruled that no other company could sell burgers at the grounds.

RG – The Home of Low’n’Slow business owner Rik Carr said an AFL representative originally contacted him to bring his Seaford-based food truck to the Mt Barker game.

“I had the contracts signed and dealt with for about six-to-eight weeks,” Mr Carr said.

10/9/2019 Rik Carr at his new diner, bar and butcher The home of low and slow in Brompton.

“Then I got a phone call two weeks ago explaining that, because McDonald’s was a sponsor of the AFL, I could go in there but I was not allowed to sell burgers.

“They basically said you can’t sell burgers, or don’t come in.”

Mr Carr said about 80 to 90 per cent of his sales come from burgers.

“As anyone can understand, when you go to the football, you want something you can put in your hand and eat.”

Instead, he parked the food truck off Secker Rd, outside the Quarter Mile Cafe, near Summit Sports Park where the AFL match was held.

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“We have pulled up at Mt Barker, around the corner, and are doing quite a decent trade here at the moment,” Mr Carr said.

“I cared because I’d said no to at least eight or 10 other major events this weekend, and lost trade at all of those, and now I’m on the side of the road in the rain.”

There was also no sign of Coopers beer at Norwood Oval for Friday’s match, despite its stadium being named after the local brewer. Instead, AFL sponsor Asahi’s beverages were sold to patrons.