HARRISBURG, Oct 22 — McDonald’s is doing its best to not be seen as favouring former US President Donald Trump’s campaign after a franchisee hosted the Republican presidential candidate.
According to Quartz, McDonald’s had sent the publication an email stating that it “does not endorse candidates for elected office” and that it did not facilitate the Trump visit directly.
“We are not red or blue — we are golden,” the franchise said.
Who facilitated the visit, which was a staged photo opportunity for Trump to pose as though he was personally handing out food at the location?
It was local franchisee Derek Giacomantonio who said that “that we proudly open our doors to everyone who visits.”
Giacomantonio’s Feastervile location in Pennsylvania, as are roughly 95 per cent of US McDonald’s franchisees, is independently owned.
During the photo opp, the store was closed to regular customers.
Instead, pre-selected individuals, chosen both by the local Trump campaign team as well as the franchise itself, went through the drive-thru where they would meet Trump at the drive-thru window.
Trump has said of the visit that he “might come back and do it again.”
McDonald’s has however also invited US vice-president and Democratic nominee Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota governor Tim Walz to visit a McDonald’s to see how the franchise creates opportunities as well as supports local communities.
One reason for Trump’s appearance at the chain was due to his accusing Harris of lying about working at McDonald’s as a college student and thus, McDonald’s became an unwilling part of US presidential campaign discourse.
