McDonald’s, which is no stranger to controversy or litigation, is trying again on its plan to build a drive-thru on a former garden center next to the ancient Baths of Caracalla in Rome. The plan was blocked in 2019 by then-mayor Virginia Raggi, who was defeated in a recent election.
The burger chain’s new hearing is not a new suit, but an appeal to the Council of State of the previous ban, and will be heard on December 21. The company’s statement paints a pretty picture: “This project, near the Baths of Caracalla, is part of a wider plan of urban regeneration, including playgrounds and educational botanical gardens, to offer tourists and local families a place to enjoy quality food and services,” but critics say it is inappropriate in such a historic zone.
It’s not the first McDonald’s clash with Roman authorities, either: it succeeded in 2016 in opening a location just outside the Vatican and steps away from St Peter’s Basilica, angering both local restaurants and a testy Cardinal who complained that “It would be better to use those spaces to help the needy of the area, spaces for hospitality, shelter and help for those who suffer, as the Holy Father teaches.” But perhaps that criticism could be applied to the splendor of the Vatican itself…
