McDonald's agreed to Trump event but says it isn't endorsing a presidential candidate

McDonald’s Corp. agreed to host former President Donald Trump at a Pennsylvania store over the weekend but said it isn’t endorsing a candidate in the U.S. presidential race.

Trump staffed the fry station at a McDonald’s in suburban Philadelphia on Sunday before answering questions through the drive-thru window. The restaurant was closed to the public for the Republican nominee's visit.

In a message to employees obtained Monday by The Associated Press, McDonald's said the owner-operator of the location, Derek Giacomantonio, reached out after he learned of Trump’s desire to visit a Pennsylvania restaurant. McDonald’s agreed to the event.

“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,” the company said. “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."

The Chicago burger giant said franchisees have also invited Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee, and her running mate, Gov. Tim Walz, to their restaurants. The Associated Press left a message seeking comment with the Harris campaign.

McDonald’s said it has “been a fixture of conversation this election cycle” even though it hasn’t sought that attention. At several campaign stops and during interviews, Harris has recalled working at McDonald’s for spending money during her college years. Trump has claimed – without evidence – that Harris is lying.

McDonald’s sidestepped that issue in its employee message. The company said it is proud of “Harris’s fond memories working under the arches” and noted the often-cited figure that 1 in 8 Americans works at McDonald’s at some point.

“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,” McDonald’s said.

Trump’s appearance led to some backlash on social media. Google searches for “boycott McDonald’s” briefly surged Monday morning, and some Twitter users vowed not to return to the chain after Trump’s event.

Chris Hydock, a marketing professor at Tulane University's Freeman School of Business, said that authorizing the visit was a risky move for McDonald's. Hydock said his research shows that when brands become associated with divisive candidates or positions, whether purposefully or not, customers who dislike those positions tend to react more strongly than those who don't dislike them.

Small companies can still benefit sometimes, Hydock said, since even a divisive position wins them attention and customers. But in the case of a big company like McDonald's, everyone is already aware of the company.

“Trump working at McDonald's can’t attract more customers,” he said. “All it can end up doing is pissing some people off.”

But Lori Rosen, president of the public relations firm Rosen Group, said McDonald’s won’t likely see long-term damage from the event.

“The coverage and publicity alone generated from McDonald’s agreeing to have former President Trump work at one of their franchises already surpasses the negative chatter on social media ,” Rosen said. “I am not sure if the American people will benefit from this publicity stunt. However, McDonald’s comes out ahead.”

Bruce Newman, a professor in business ethics and marketing at DePaul University’s Driehaus College of Business, agrees.

“They look like the company that’s getting the attention of the presidential candidates, and it heightens the awareness of the brand,” he said.

Newman added that Trump was likely trying to put a different, more casual face on his campaign, wearing a smile and an apron instead of a suit jacket.