McDonald’s Corp. has confirmed it will remain neutral in the upcoming presidential election after former President Donald Trump visited one of its restaurants in Pennsylvania on Sunday. In an internal message as reported by Bloomberg News, the company stated, “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 report said that local franchisee Derek Giacomantonio had received a request from law enforcement regarding Trump’s intent to visit the restaurant, and that McDonald’s emphasized, “Upon learning of the former president’s request, we approached it through the lens of our core values: we open our doors to everyone.”
In addition to addressing Trump’s visit, the publication stated that McDonald’s franchisees, who independently operate over 95 per cent of U.S. locations, have also invited Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Tim Walz, to visit.
During his visit to the McDonald's, the 78-year-old former president wore a black-and-yellow apron over a white shirt and red tie while serving french fries.
Trump observed as an employee showed how to dunk a basket of fries in oil, season them with salt, and pack them into boxes for customers. He even attempted the process himself, as captured in videos shared by his campaign. “It actually requires great expertise to do it right and quickly,” Trump remarked.
The Republican presidential nominee's campaign stop at Pennsylvania comes as he competes in a closely contested race for the White House against Democrat Kamala Harris.
Trump was seen handing out fries to enthusiastic supporters through the drive-thru window. “Hello everybody, I am having a lot of fun here,” he stated. “I've always wanted to work at McDonald's,” he added in a video posted on his official X (formerly Twitter) account.
He quipped from the drive-thru window, “I've now worked for 15 minutes more than Kamala at McDonald's.”
This lighthearted campaign stop served as a playful jab at Vice President Harris, who has reportedly mentioned her past employment at McDonald's in the 1980s.
