“Why is Trump here?” Controversy erupts… The reason McDonald’s was surprised

McDonald’s States ‘We Do Not Support Any Candidate’ Through Internal Memo
Franchise Owners’ Actions Have Previously Led to Unintended Crises, Photo=REUTERS,
, On the 20th (local time), former President Donald Trump, a Republican presidential candidate, made headlines by visiting a McDonald’s store in Pennsylvania, a key battleground state, where he made fries and took orders. As this event showed potential to become a nationwide issue, McDonald’s headquarters shared a message internally stating that they do not support any election candidate, trying to prevent further spread.
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, CNN reported on the 22nd (local time) that in an internal memo shared with employees, McDonald’s stated, “We do not support any particular candidate, including in this presidential election,” and added, “We are not red or blue, but golden.” McDonald’s also emphasized, “Our brand has been at the center of attention in this election, which was not intentional but shows how much empathy McDonald’s evokes among Americans.” This memo was signed by the entire U.S. senior leadership team, including U.S. McDonald’s President Joe Erlinger.
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, On the 20th, President Trump visited a McDonald’s location in Bucks County, just north of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he worked behind the counter making fries and taking orders at the drive-thru. The hamburger chain is considered a symbol of American grassroots culture, with 1 in 8 Americans having worked at McDonald’s at some point in their lives. Trump reportedly wanted to visit the store because of this cultural significance, according to the company. President Trump has also previously claimed, without evidence, that the statement by Democratic candidate Vice President Kamala Harris about working at McDonald’s during college was false.
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, On the 20th (local time), former President Donald Trump, a Republican presidential candidate, is serving fries at a McDonald’s location in Pennsylvania. AP·Yonhap News,
, McDonald’s revealed in the internal memo that franchise owner Derek Giacomantonio accepted Trump’s visit request after being approached by local law enforcement. The company added, “He and his team were proud to serve their community and offer delicious food like McDonald’s famous fries,” and explained, “We approached this request in line with one of our core values, ‘Our doors are open for everyone.'”
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, Franchises are a fundamental aspect of McDonald’s business, with approximately 95% of its locations operating under this model instead of being company-owned. Franchise owners pay royalties for the use of the McDonald’s brand and also share costs for things like store remodeling.
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, Due to the nature of this franchise system, unintended difficulties can arise. For example, an operator in Israel offering discounts to soldiers and security personnel following a Hamas attack led to a boycott in predominantly Muslim countries after the news spread on social media. McDonald’s acknowledged that the boycott in the Middle East has negatively impacted its performance in recent quarters. Starbucks also faced a conflict with unions last year after rumors spread online about banning Pride decorations in stores.
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, ‘Reporter Song Jong-hyun’