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McDonald’s this week carefully distanced itself from former President Donald Trump after his headline-grabbing stop at a Pennsylvania location, where he pretended to work during a closed event attended by pre-screened supporters.
The fast food giant clarified in a memo to employees that it did not facilitate Trump’s visit and “does not endorse candidates for elected office.”
“As we’ve seen, our brand has been a fixture of conversation this election cycle,” the company wrote. “While we’ve not sought this, it’s a testament to how much McDonald’s resonates with so many Americans.”
Read the full memo below.
McDonald’s USA:
Earlier today, former President Trump visited a McDonald’s restaurant in Pennsylvania following a request made to our local franchisee.
As we’ve seen, our brand has been a fixture of conversation this election cycle. While we’ve not sought this, it’s a testament to how much McDonald’s resonates with so many Americans.
McDonald’s does not endorse candidates for elected office and that remains true in this race for the next President. We are not red or blue – we are golden.
Though we are not a political brand, we’ve been proud to hear former President Trump’s love for McDonald’s and Vice President Harris’s fond memories working under the Arches. While we and our franchisees don’t have records for all positions dating back to the early ’80s, what makes “1 in 8" so powerful is the shared experience so many Americans have had.
When Owner/Operator Derek Giacomantonio was approached by local law enforcement regarding former President Trump’s desire to visit a Pennsylvania restaurant, he was proud to highlight how he and his team serve their local community and make delicious food, like our World-Famous French Fries.
Upon learning of the former President’s request, we approached it through the lens of one of our core values: we open our doors to everyone.
It’s with that same approach that franchisees have invited Vice President Harris and Governor Walz to their restaurants, in order to share how McDonald’s provides meaningful pathways to economic opportunity and feeds and fosters local communities.
As this election season nears its completion, the resources we’ve shared in recent months will be especially important.
For franchisees and restaurant teams, and suppliers, please continue to reference the election toolkits previously shared and available in the links above. For company employees, be on the lookout for a reminder of the resources available to continue to support you.
The strength of our brand always comes down to our people. McDonald’s resonance and relevance is stronger than ever.
This has been hard earned by your efforts and our collective belief in the power of us—all three legs of the stool.
Thank you for everything you do for our brand, for serving our customers and communities with great pride, for upholding our core values and for opening our doors to all.
— Francisco Velasquez contributed to this article.