Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The Israeli aircraft targeted the port of Hodeidah, western Yemen, with 12 airstrikes
Yemeni Armed Forces Spokesman Brigadier General Yahya Saree: Our air defenses are currently engaging Israeli aircraft that are launching an aggression against our country
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Israeli raids target the port of Hodeidah
IOF issues evacuation order for neighborhoods in Hodeidah, Yemen.
Rubio: 'Very short window', maybe days, for Hamas to accept deal
Al Mayadeen correspondent to southern Lebanon: Israeli warplanes launched a raid on the Ksar Zaatar neighborhood in western Nabatieh.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Gaza: The tower destroyed by the Israeli occupation in Gaza includes media offices, including Al Mayadeen's bureau.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Gaza: Four fetuses and three premature babies died at Nasser Medical Complex due to malnutrition
Lebanese Ministry of Health: One person was killed in an Israeli airstrike on a car in the town of Burj Qalawieh, south Lebanon.
Al Mayadeen correspondent: The first ship of the Maghreb fleet delivering aid to break the siege on Gaza departs from the port of Gammarth in Tunisia.

McDonald's franchises clash amid contradictory statements on Palestine

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Vice
  • 21 Oct 2023 23:31
3 Min Read

Following one Israeli franchise's offer to feed IOF troops, franchises from across the Muslim world have pledged to provide supplies to Gaza.

  • x
  • McDonalds globally torn over
    A Mcdonalds in occupied Palestine (AFP)

Following the Israeli aggression on Gaza, McDonald's franchises in occupied Palestine and around other parts of the Middle East have hurried to release comments, give money, and clarify their beliefs and political stances to customers. McDonald's, once a poster child for globalization, is now a multi-tentacled entity that evolves to match current politics and the countries in which franchises operate.

Over the weekend, an Israeli McDonald's franchise issued an Instagram endorsement of the Israeli occupation forces, announcing it would provide meals to the IOF. 

McDonald's locations around the Middle East reacted quickly with Al-Akhbar in Lebanon posting  photos on X showing the Lebanese military stationed on a street outside McDonald's, Starbucks, and KFC "in anticipation of any attacks that might affect these establishments."

McDonald's branches around the Middle East then made their own statements, emphasizing their independence from McDonald's in "Israel" and their own policies. 

McDonald's Malaysia released a statement clarifying that the actions of the Israeli McDonald's were "those of an independent market and do not reflect the values or practices of McDonald's Malaysia."

Related News

Israeli airstrikes ravage Gaza City, killing dozens, razing buildings

Israeli forces raid al-Aqsa library, step up West Bank demolitions

The franchise explained that individual franchises may sometimes make decisions not part of company-wide policy and stressed McDonald’s Malaysia is a “100% Muslim-owned entity" that intends to pay for aid in Gaza.

Franchises in Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Kuwait, and Bahrain all voiced similar clarifications.

“Well, we're a long way from the ‘Golden Arches’ Theory that Tom Friedman made famous. Global brands are in a bind. On the one hand, their customers have diverse views; on the other hand, the whole point of a brand is consistent messaging. That's why brands usually shy away from conflict,” Paul Musgrave, an Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, told Motherboard.

Musgrave clarified how the Arab boycott of "Israel" led to the expulsion of Coca-Cola from numerous countries in the 1960s. 

Musgrave believes more brands will have trouble as more multipolar economic relationships surface.

"But I also do think that brands will have a difficult time ahead as the synthesis of capitalism and American power starts to break down."

  • Occupied Palestine
  • Israeli occupation forces
  • Israeli occupation
  • McDonald's
  • Israel
  • Palestine
  • Hamas
  • Operation Al-Aqsa Flood
  • Gaza
War on Gaza

War on Gaza

Most Read

The damaged building in the Katara neighborhood, Doha, Qatar, September 9, 2025 (Social media)

Hamas delegation survives Israeli assassination attempt in Qatar

  • Politics
  • 9 Sep 2025
Pro-"Israel" conservative Charlie Kirk shot during Utah speech

American far-right activist Charlie Kirk shot dead during Utah speech

  • US & Canada
  • 11 Sep 2025
Uprising against Volker Turk at the Human Rights Council over Gaza.

Uprising against Volker Turk at the Human Rights Council over Gaza

  • Politics
  • 12 Sep 2025
A screengrab from the ad played on Fox News. (X Screengrab)

Fox airs ad warning Trump not to let Netanyahu 'play' him on Gaza

  • US & Canada
  • 11 Sep 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
'Israel’s' Qatar strike backfires, fueling diplomatic fallout
Politics

'Israel’s' Qatar strike backfires, fueling diplomatic fallout

'Israel' committing genocide in Gaza, UN Commission declares
Politics

'Israel' committing genocide in Gaza, UN Commission declares

Rubio supports Gaza offensive, warns few days left for diplomacy
Palestine

Rubio supports Gaza occupation, warns of tight window for deal

US adds Colombia to drug list, drawing Petro’s rebuke
Politics

US adds Colombia to drug list, drawing Petro’s rebuke

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS