McDonald's is trying to emphasize its political neutrality, saying it does not endorse political candidates after former President Donald Trump spent some time behind the counter at the fast-food giant's Pennsylvania location.
“As we've seen, our brand has been at the center of conversation this election cycle. We didn't ask for this, but this is a sign of how McDonald's resonates with so many Americans. ” the company said in a statement on Monday. “McDonald's does not endorse any elected presidential candidate, and that is no different in this campaign for the next president. We are not red or blue, we are gold.”
The statement added that requests to visit the Pennsylvania team were handled locally.
“When we learned of the former president's request, we approached it through the lens of one of our core values: opening our doors to everyone.”
“Franchisees meet Vice President Harris [Minnesota] governor [Tim] Visit a McDonald's restaurant to share how McDonald's provides meaningful pathways to economic opportunity and nourishes and nurtures local communities. ”
On Sunday in Bucks County, Mr. Trump briefly worked in a McDonald's drive-thru after weeks of mocking Ms. Harris' past experience working at the McDonald's chain as a young woman.
In August, the Harris campaign launched an ad highlighting Harris' background to appeal to middle-class voters, noting that she worked at McDonald's while earning a degree from Howard University. She drew on that experience in past campaigns.
“While we are not a political brand, we are proud to hear about former President Trump's love of McDonald's and Vice President Harris' fond memories of working under the Arch,” the company said Monday.
