McDonald’s CEO says boycotts in support of Gaza affecting Mid East, global markets

McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski on Thursday said that several markets, including the fast food chain, in the Middle East and around the world have been affected by the calls for a boycott in support of Gaza.

Boycott campaigns have hit several Western brands, such as Starbucks and KFC, who reportedly have pro-Israeli stances or are alleged to have financial ties to Israel and investments there.

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Since October 7, following Israel’s relentless airstrikes and ground invasion of the Gaza Strip in retaliation for Hamas’ cross-border incursion, boycott calls have circulated widely on social media. Pro-Palestinian activists called on the public to buy from local alternatives instead.

McDonald’s, in particular, has received the brunt of the heat after the chain’s Israel branch posted on its social media accounts saying it gave thousands of free meals to personnel in the Israeli army less than two weeks after the war began.

“I recognize that several markets in the Middle East and some outside the region are experiencing a meaningful business impact due to the war and associated misinformation that is affecting brands like McDonald’s,” the CEO said in a LinkedIn post.

“This is disheartening and ill-founded. In every country where we operate, including in Muslim countries, McDonald’s is proudly represented by local owner-operators who work tirelessly to serve and support their communities while employing thousands of their fellow citizens,” he added.

The Middle East reacts

In the aftermath of the posts, McDonald’s franchises in the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Jordan, Egypt, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon issued statements denying their association with the Israeli franchise, with some pledging donations to Gaza.

“In regard to the news that McDonald’s in Israel was donating meals. We affirm that it was an individual decision on their part,” McDonald’s franchise in Saudi Arabia said in a statement.

“Neither global McDonald’s nor us nor any other country had a role or relationship with that decision, neither directly nor indirectly.”

For Shahed Helmy, a Kuwaiti resident, the CEO’s statement is proof that boycotts can have an impact and is motivation to keep raising awareness on Israel’s war in Gaza.

“People are at a point right now where they have seen an insane amount of atrocities in Gaza that it is unforgivable. They will remember whether or not you stood with genocide. If you stood with genocide, they will make sure that you don’t forget it, and that’s my goal,” she told Al Arabiya English.

“The only way to get our message across is to speak their language, which is through money, and we’re making sure that they are losing a lot of it. The only way that they will change their ways is if it keeps getting worse. Their existence completely relies on our support,” she added.

For Saudi national Jawaher Abdulrahman, the decision to boycott the burger chain was an easy one to make.

“We will boycott because Palestinians are being starved by Israel and McDonald’s is sending [Israeli soldiers] free meals. The local markets can do what Russia did when everything was pulled from them. They can rebrand and everyone would support them,” she told Al Arabiya English.

“These brands are publicly standing with Israel so we will continue to do so unless they all of the sudden decide to cut ties with Israel.”

Read more:

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‘Did you kill a Palestinian?’: Anti-West boycott sweeps the Middle East

Free meals for Israeli soldiers divide McDonald’s franchises over Israel-Hamas war