Texas boy's 31 cheeseburger order demonstrates why you should secure your iPhone

Posted:
in iPhone
A Texas mother ended up with 31 McDonald's cheeseburgers after her two-year-old son got a hold of her iPhone and ordered the food via DoorDash.

Credit: Marques Thomas
Credit: Marques Thomas


Kelsey Burkhalter Golden recounted the incident on Facebook Monday, posting an image of her son next to the small mountain of burgers. She joked that she has "31 free cheeseburgers from McDonald's if anyone is interested"

"Apparently my 2 yr old knows how to order DoorDash," the woman added.



Other Facebook users in the comments also shared their own stories about random purchases made by their young children. One commenter said their child ordered three iPhones, while another said they know a kid who once ordered the entire NBA league pass.

But, all these sagas could have been avoided had the users configured the parental controls on their devices. For years, Apple has provided a host of mechanisms to prevent an unauthorized user from ordering 31 cheeseburgers, racking up thousands of dollars in in-app purchases, and more.

For instance, Apple users who want to avoid their kids making random purchases can set parent controls on their iPhone and iPad devices. Users can also set the default payment method on DoorDash to Apple Pay, which requires a Face ID scan before purchases can be made.

Read on AppleInsider
«1

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 34
    JinTechJinTech Posts: 1,020member
    Hopefully, most of those cheeseburgers went to the homeless.
    Alex1N
  • Reply 2 of 34
    Eric_in_CTEric_in_CT Posts: 105member
    They story I saw said she was able to give them to families & neighbors.  They weren't wasted.

    I would've done the same after eating the first 27 or so..

    :)

    Cheers!
    scstrrfviclauyycronnjas99JinTechgregoriusmwilliamlondonAlex1NMBearfred1
  • Reply 3 of 34
    dewmedewme Posts: 5,328member
    Smart kid? Yes. Stupid parent? Absolutely.

    Another case where a 2-year-old teaches his parent an important life lesson. Paying for adult stupidity with 31 cheeseburgers may be something to joke about. But the reason behind why it was allowed to occur is not a joke. I hope this parent does a much better job securing power tools, weapons, vehicles, chemicals, appliances, access to swimming pool, etc.
    scstrrfviclauyycjas99Alex1NCluntBaby92jose8964twokatmewAnilu_777
  • Reply 4 of 34
    AppleishAppleish Posts: 687member
    This is why Apple should be broken up and vigorously regulated! /s
    scstrrfJaiOh81qwerty52Anilu_777
  • Reply 5 of 34
    chadbagchadbag Posts: 1,999member
    I am interested in how the iOS parental controls would have prevented this. My understanding is that the kid had the mom's phone, not his own, and I don't think parents are meant to put parental controls on their own phones.  

    Now, faceID with Apple Pay for payment makes sense in this case.  And generally locking the phone when not in use 
    bonobobgatorguywilliamlondonAlex1NCluntBaby92JaiOh81
  • Reply 6 of 34
    Or, more importantly, why the iPhone and iPad need to support multiple logins. Then your child can have a protected account.
    appleinsideruserwilliamlondonzeus423TheObannonFileCluntBaby92
  • Reply 7 of 34
    macxpressmacxpress Posts: 5,801member
    LOL!  :D Thats awesome! 
  • Reply 8 of 34
    pichaelpichael Posts: 50member
    chadbag said:
    I am interested in how the iOS parental controls would have prevented this. My understanding is that the kid had the mom's phone, not his own, and I don't think parents are meant to put parental controls on their own phones.  

    Now, faceID with Apple Pay for payment makes sense in this case.  And generally locking the phone when not in use 
    I’d never give my son my iPhone with locking it to whichever app he’s using with guided access. A very handy tool for many different applications, including temporary “child lock” mechanics. 
    gregoriusm
  • Reply 9 of 34
    NYC362NYC362 Posts: 77member
    Okay, I'm an Apple Specialist and you'd be surprised how many people have no passcode on their phones. Then you have the people who use "codes" like 0000 or 1234 to open their phone.  Even more people keep every password under the sun in an unlocked Note file.  

    The majority of people do keep their phone and passwords secure (as evidenced but the roughly half of customers who cannot remember their Apple ID password!), but there's a large number who do not.  This person is lucky that all that got ordered were a couple dozen hamburgers.  It really could've been a lot worse. 

    People- use a six digit passcode with non-repeating numbers; don't keep your passwords on your phone; and don't use the same password for everything.


    dewmegregoriusmAlex1NronnCluntBaby92twokatmewAnilu_777
  • Reply 10 of 34
    slow n easyslow n easy Posts: 316member
    NYC362 said:
    Okay, I'm an Apple Specialist and you'd be surprised how many people have no passcode on their phones. Then you have the people who use "codes" like 0000 or 1234 to open their phone.  Even more people keep every password under the sun in an unlocked Note file.  

    The majority of people do keep their phone and passwords secure (as evidenced but the roughly half of customers who cannot remember their Apple ID password!), but there's a large number who do not.  This person is lucky that all that got ordered were a couple dozen hamburgers.  It really could've been a lot worse. 

    People- use a six digit passcode with non-repeating numbers; don't keep your passwords on your phone; and don't use the same password for everything.


    Well, I guess I’m stupid, because I’m not going to follow your advice. I need my passwords on my phone just in case of an emergency. I used to keep them on a sheet of paper but that idea started to not work out very well for me. I also don’t lock the note. If you lock the note, will it unlock with FaceID? I do lock my phone, so maybe I’m not completely stupid.
    williamlondonzeus423
  • Reply 11 of 34
    XedXed Posts: 2,519member
    NYC362 said:
    Okay, I'm an Apple Specialist and you'd be surprised how many people have no passcode on their phones. Then you have the people who use "codes" like 0000 or 1234 to open their phone.  Even more people keep every password under the sun in an unlocked Note file.  

    The majority of people do keep their phone and passwords secure (as evidenced but the roughly half of customers who cannot remember their Apple ID password!), but there's a large number who do not.  This person is lucky that all that got ordered were a couple dozen hamburgers.  It really could've been a lot worse. 

    People- use a six digit passcode with non-repeating numbers; don't keep your passwords on your phone; and don't use the same password for everything.
    Well, I guess I’m stupid, because I’m not going to follow your advice. I need my passwords on my phone just in case of an emergency. I used to keep them on a sheet of paper but that idea started to not work out very well for me. I also don’t lock the note. If you lock the note, will it unlock with FaceID? I do lock my phone, so maybe I’m not completely stupid.
    We all need our passwords on our devices—not just in an emergency—so we use actual password managers that are encrypted to keep them secure. Notes, while simple, isn't a bad option providing you keep it secure, but there are better options already available to help secure your digital life with ease.

    If you want to keep it behind a simple PIN in an unlocked note then you do you, but you aren't doing yourself any favors with your lack of basic precautions.
    edited May 2022 gregoriusmwilliamlondonAlex1Nronnfred1NYC362twokatmew
  • Reply 12 of 34
    crowleycrowley Posts: 10,453member
    NYC362 said:
    Okay, I'm an Apple Specialist and you'd be surprised how many people have no passcode on their phones. Then you have the people who use "codes" like 0000 or 1234 to open their phone.  Even more people keep every password under the sun in an unlocked Note file.  

    The majority of people do keep their phone and passwords secure (as evidenced but the roughly half of customers who cannot remember their Apple ID password!), but there's a large number who do not.  This person is lucky that all that got ordered were a couple dozen hamburgers.  It really could've been a lot worse. 

    People- use a six digit passcode with non-repeating numbers; don't keep your passwords on your phone; and don't use the same password for everything.


    Well, I guess I’m stupid, because I’m not going to follow your advice. I need my passwords on my phone just in case of an emergency. I used to keep them on a sheet of paper but that idea started to not work out very well for me. I also don’t lock the note. If you lock the note, will it unlock with FaceID? I do lock my phone, so maybe I’m not completely stupid.
    Why not put them in the obvious place, Settings > Passwords?   They're secured with FaceID and if you switch iCloud keychain on they'll be backed up in iCloud and available on your Mac too.
    gregoriusmAlex1NronnNYC362qwerty52bluefire1
  • Reply 13 of 34
    gregoriusmgregoriusm Posts: 513member
    NYC362 said:
    Okay, I'm an Apple Specialist and you'd be surprised how many people have no passcode on their phones. Then you have the people who use "codes" like 0000 or 1234 to open their phone.  Even more people keep every password under the sun in an unlocked Note file.  

    The majority of people do keep their phone and passwords secure (as evidenced but the roughly half of customers who cannot remember their Apple ID password!), but there's a large number who do not.  This person is lucky that all that got ordered were a couple dozen hamburgers.  It really could've been a lot worse. 

    People- use a six digit passcode with non-repeating numbers; don't keep your passwords on your phone; and don't use the same password for everything.


    Well, I guess I’m stupid, because I’m not going to follow your advice. I need my passwords on my phone just in case of an emergency. I used to keep them on a sheet of paper but that idea started to not work out very well for me. I also don’t lock the note. If you lock the note, will it unlock with FaceID? I do lock my phone, so maybe I’m not completely stupid.
    Yes, a locked Note is opened using FaceID. 
    Alex1N
  • Reply 14 of 34
    sflocalsflocal Posts: 6,092member
    NYC362 said:
    Okay, I'm an Apple Specialist and you'd be surprised how many people have no passcode on their phones. Then you have the people who use "codes" like 0000 or 1234 to open their phone.  Even more people keep every password under the sun in an unlocked Note file.  

    The majority of people do keep their phone and passwords secure (as evidenced but the roughly half of customers who cannot remember their Apple ID password!), but there's a large number who do not.  This person is lucky that all that got ordered were a couple dozen hamburgers.  It really could've been a lot worse. 

    People- use a six digit passcode with non-repeating numbers; don't keep your passwords on your phone; and don't use the same password for everything.


    Well, I guess I’m stupid, because I’m not going to follow your advice. I need my passwords on my phone just in case of an emergency. I used to keep them on a sheet of paper but that idea started to not work out very well for me. I also don’t lock the note. If you lock the note, will it unlock with FaceID? I do lock my phone, so maybe I’m not completely stupid.
    I haven't had to write down a password in ages.  What's your use case?  MacOS and iOS (for me) does a great job of managing passwords.
    williamlondonAlex1N
  • Reply 15 of 34
    jimh2jimh2 Posts: 611member
    I’ll spin it and speculate this was a setup by the parent to have her moment of internet fame. 
  • Reply 16 of 34
    M68000M68000 Posts: 719member
    NYC362 said:
    Okay, I'm an Apple Specialist and you'd be surprised how many people have no passcode on their phones. Then you have the people who use "codes" like 0000 or 1234 to open their phone.  Even more people keep every password under the sun in an unlocked Note file.  

    The majority of people do keep their phone and passwords secure (as evidenced but the roughly half of customers who cannot remember their Apple ID password!), but there's a large number who do not.  This person is lucky that all that got ordered were a couple dozen hamburgers.  It really could've been a lot worse. 

    People- use a six digit passcode with non-repeating numbers; don't keep your passwords on your phone; and don't use the same password for everything.


    And think about the option to enable the phone to wipe clean after 10 straight bad passcodes
    Alex1N
  • Reply 17 of 34
    M68000M68000 Posts: 719member
    I wonder how many of those burgers were warm LOL.    
  • Reply 18 of 34
    macguimacgui Posts: 2,350member
    I'd gladly pay you Tuesday for 31 cheeseburgers today.

    M68000 said:
    I wonder how many of those burgers were warm LOL.    
    If one then most if not all. Depending on the McDonald's an order of 31 burgers could be done all at once. 

    This was a relatively cheap lesson for Mom, not like the 6 year-old who  ordered all the game powerups to the tune of $16,000 and wanted Apple to forgive her negligence. How did that turn out, anyway?

    Even with the various auto-fill-in stuff that Apple does, it seems a lot for a 2-year-old to accomplish.

    I give Mom credit for making a mistake and not suing Apple. If I was a neighbor I'd happy pony up $1 a burger to help her out.

    JaiOh81
  • Reply 19 of 34
    alexjennalexjenn Posts: 15member
    I believe it could be easy for the majority of parents if Apple implements a direct function that blocks in-app purchases, or whatever has to do with money, when the iPhone or iPad is being gave to a child for play.

    All these accidents happen because, in the real life, parents don't have time to wonder, investigate and find out if their devices do have any set to avoid mishaps, or even if these mishaps exist as well.

    The way parent control has been designed in iOS is somehow useless, moreover because is under Settings and plus because it's called Screen Time :/
  • Reply 20 of 34
    tommikeletommikele Posts: 599member
    dewme said:
    Smart kid? Yes. Stupid parent? Absolutely.

    Another case where a 2-year-old teaches his parent an important life lesson. Paying for adult stupidity with 31 cheeseburgers may be something to joke about. But the reason behind why it was allowed to occur is not a joke. I hope this parent does a much better job securing power tools, weapons, vehicles, chemicals, appliances, access to swimming pool, etc.
    Just wondering if you have been or are a parent.

    Doubtful.
Sign In or Register to comment.