Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump works behind the counter during a visit to a McDonald’s in Feasterville-Trevers, Pennsylvania, U.S., on October 20, 2024.
Doug Mills | Reuters
although President Donald Trump’s visit pennsylvania McDonald’s Sunday, the fast-food giant tried to remain neutral in the presidential race.
“As we’ve seen, our brand has been a fixture during this election cycle. While we didn’t seek it out, it’s a testament to how much McDonald’s resonates with so many Americans. McDonald’s does not support Candidates for elected office, and that remains the case in the race for the next president.
trump card While working at a restaurant in Feasterville, Pa., he learned how to operate a fryer and work in a drive-thru. He used the stunt as an opportunity to take more shots at his rival, the Vice President Kamala Harris.
Trump has often accused Harris of lying about working at McDonald’s for a summer when she was in her 20s, but has offered no evidence to support the claim. Harris has denied the accusation. McDonald’s and its franchisees do not have employment records for all employees since the early 1980s, when Harris, 60, worked there, the company said in a memo on Sunday.
“While we are not a political brand, we are proud to hear about former President Trump’s love for McDonald’s and Vice President Harris’ fond memories of working under the Arch,” McDonald’s said.
McDonald’s and the franchisees who operate the stores have stressed that the chain is open to “everyone.”
“As a small independent business owner, we are proud to open our doors to all who visit the Feasterville community, which is a fundamental value of my organization,” franchisee Derek Giacomantonio said in a statement. That’s why I accepted former President Trump’s request to look at the transformative work experience that one in eight Americans has: working at McDonald’s.”
Although McDonald’s publicly supported the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020, it has tried to portray itself as an apolitical brand to avoid alienating customers. It follows a broader shift in corporate America away from politics or initiatives seen as ideological.
Many companies, including Ford, Lowe’s and Harley-Davidson, Diversity, equity and inclusion policies have been abandoned And this year’s practice.
This is a change that many Americans want; only 38% of U.S. adults think companies should take a public stance, according to one survey, down from 48% in 2022 Gallup-Bentley University Research Conducted this spring.
But McDonald’s has already been embroiled in another controversy this election cycle.
In late May, several social media posts criticized the burger giant’s affordability, citing items ranging from an $18 Big Mac meal at one Connecticut location to claims that the chain’s prices have more than doubled in the past five years. charts and other content. Republicans seized on the controversy and jumped on it McDonald’s menu prices align with Biden’s economic policies to win over inflation-weary voters.
In an effort to quell the controversy, McDonald’s U.S. President Joe Erlinger Wrote an open letter and released fact sheet About the company’s pricing.
—CNBC Kate Rogers Contributed reporting.
