Cross-posted from “Too Bad, So Sad, Too Late - McDonald’s tells U.S. restaurants it’s not a ‘political brand’ after Trump visit” by @JimmyBigSausage@lemm.ee in !news@beehaw.org
Excerpt:
Though President Donald Trump visited a Pennsylvania McDonald’s location on Sunday, the fast-food giant is trying to stay neutral in the presidential race.
“As we’ve seen, our brand has been a fixture of conversation in 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,” the company said in an internal message viewed by CNBC and confirmed by a source familiar with the matter.
I haven’t eaten at a McDonalds since before covid, and I don’t really miss it.
I think you’re confused.
Because I said they likely found out when everyone else did…
And you replied saying they found out…
When everyone else did?
Then there’s the part where I’d still need to explain how franchising works
McD’s might be unique in this regard, but they actually own the land the building is on for most franchises. So they’d have the authority to deny if they wanted to (at least in the standard agreement in the US).
This was well explained in the biopic, The Founder https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4276820/
Sadly, it makes sense that corporate would not deny it in this case - the store was going to be closed so there was no impact on business (as compared to the store being closed for a more typical reason), and they’d probably fear the public relations backlash after seeing “McD refuses to allow store to be borrowed by GOP/MAGA campaign”
Hah! I love how palpable you made your exasperation!