1. Only a handful of states prohibit hiring representation for small claims court. 2. McDonalds could make it so to get inside you have to agree to arbitration

1. Only a handful of states prohibit hiring representation for small claims court. 2. McDonalds could make it so to get inside you have to agree to arbitration of any disputes. That's usually just used by companies to make you use arbitration instead of the courts when you have a complaint, but offhand I can't think of any reason they couldn't require arbitration in the other direction.