McDonald’s Company stated on Monday (October 21) that despite supporting former US President and Republican presidential candidate for 2024, Donald Trump, who visited one of its stores in Pennsylvania to participate in a work event, the company will not endorse any candidate in the presidential election.
In a statement released on Monday, the fast-food giant said, “As we have seen, our brand has become a recurring topic in this election cycle. Although we did not seek this, it demonstrates the resonance McDonald’s has in the hearts of so many Americans.”
However, the company quickly shifted the focus, stating, “McDonald’s does not endorse candidates for public office, and this applies to the next presidential election. We are not red or blue – we are golden.”
Trump was spotted working behind the counter at a McDonald’s restaurant in the Philadelphia suburbs on Sunday, serving french fries through the drive-thru window, engaging in conversations with customers, and answering questions from reporters. The restaurant was not open to the public during the former president’s visit, and McDonald’s agreed to accommodate the event through its franchisee.
The company said, “Upon learning of the former president’s request, we handled the matter through the lens of one of our core values, which is: We welcome everyone.”
McDonald’s also mentioned that following the same processing principle, their franchisees also invited Democratic presidential nominee and Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, to their restaurants.
Harris’s campaign team launched an advertisement in August emphasizing her background, including working at McDonald’s while in college, to appeal to middle-class voters.
Despite Trump questioning this claim, McDonald’s apparently does not want to get involved in political controversies and stated on Monday, “Although we are not a political brand, we are proud to hear former President Trump’s affection for McDonald’s and Vice President Harris’s fond memories of working under the golden arches.”