McDonald's unveils 2024 election support plan after Trump puts the fryer to work

McDonald's says it has become a key “talking point” in the 2024 presidential election.

Ever since Donald Trump baselessly claimed that Kamala Harris' summer job at McDonald's while in college was “a lie,” the fast food chain has been constantly in the headlines.

The Trump campaign then kicked things up a notch by getting the former president to work the fryer at a franchise store in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, on Sunday.

Now, after this campaign stunt, the restaurant chain has made it clear where it stands in support of presidential candidates.

“McDonald's does not endorse candidates for elected office, including in this race for the next president,” the company told employees in a memo obtained by the company Associated Press.

“We are not red or blue – we are gold,” the note reads.

Employees were told that the owner of the Pennsylvania franchise, Derek Giacomantonio, had been informed by local law enforcement of Trump's request to visit a branch in the state and that he was happy to oblige.

“He was proud to highlight how he and his team serve the local community and prepare delicious foods like our world-famous French fries,” the company said. “When we learned of the former president’s request, we approached it from the perspective of one of our core values: We open our doors to everyone.”

The company's memo continued: “As we have seen, our brand has been an integral part of the conversation this election cycle. Although we didn't set out to do this, it's a testament to how much McDonald's resonates with so many Americans.”

Most McDonald's restaurants are independently owned and operated, giving franchise owners the freedom to invite political candidates to visit. However, they must adhere to certain guidelines from the parent company.

Harris and Vice President Tim Walz were also invited to visit other McDonald's franchises. AP reported.

The Independent the Harris campaign has reached out for comment.

The campaign stop was Trump's latest attempt to personally target Harris, who he has repeatedly claimed “never worked at the fast food chain.”

During the campaign, Harris said she worked at the restaurant at Howard University for a summer between her freshman and sophomore years. The Trump campaign clung to the story and went along with it.

“I’ve now worked 15 minutes more than Kamala,” Trump told reporters from the drive-thru window on Sunday.

In a statement, McDonald's issued a diplomatic response to stay out of the dispute. “While we are not a political brand, we were proud to hear former President Trump's love for McDonald's and Vice President Harris' fond memories of working under the Arches,” the statement said.

“Although we and our franchisees do not have records for every position dating back to the early 1980s, it is the shared experience shared by so many Americans that makes '1 in 8' so impactful.”