Kelly Rissman
Mon, October 21, 2024 at 10:52 PM MDT·4 min read
Donald Trump’s obsession with questioning Kamala Harris’ work experience at McDonald’s peaked over the weekend when he worked the fry cooker at a Pennsylvania branch — without a hairnet or gloves.
McDonald’s workers have now given their verdict on the former president’s performance - and came away less than impressed.
Trump has baselessly called his Democratic opponent’s summer stint at a McDonald’s “a lie,” so he decided to try his hand at the fast-food chain himself, shutting down a Bucks County restaurant to do so.
While serving food through the drive-thru window and working the fry cooker, some have pointed out that he wasn’t taking proper precautions — at a location that has previously been cited for health code violations.
NO PPE: HAIRNET, MASK, NITRILE GLOVES
Donald Trump works behind the counter during a visit to McDonalds in Feasterville-Trevose, Pennsylvania (via REUTERS)
Earlier this year, this location didn’t meet the compliance requirements of the Bucks County Health Department. A health inspection in March at the Feasterville-Trevose location resulted in four violations, including citing employees not having their “hands clean & properly washed.”
“Food employees are not washing their hands as required before putting on gloves, after handling soiled tableware, after handling raw meat, before handling clean tableware, equipment, utensils. CFSM must review hand washing requirements with staff. Observed employees handling raw beef with gloves and then switching gloves without hand washing step in-between,” the health inspector wrote.
The report also noted a lack of hairnets: “Food workers are not wearing hair restraints as required, which includes management that assists in packaging and preparing food. Employees shall wear hair restraints such as hats, hair coverings or nets, that are effectively designed and worn to keep their hair from contacting exposed food; clean equipment, utensils and linens; and unwrapped single-service and single-use articles.”
Trump handed at food at the drive through window (REUTERS)
This Sunday’s photoshoot of the former president captured him in a white button-down shirt, ketchup-colored tie and a blue apron with yellow stripes — but without gloves or a hairnet while working at the McDonald’s stop in the swing state.
The Independent has reached out to the Bucks County Health Department and a representative for McDonald’s for comment.
Workers for the fast food chain shared their opinions in the Reddit thread r/McDonaldsEmployees and were quick to point out that Trump did not seem to meet the chain’s typical requirements.
DodgyRogue asked: “Where’s his approved uniform shirt? His hat?”
Adinnieken added: “As evidenced by other pictures, he’s not wearing non-slips shoes, and he wasn’t wearing a hairnet.”
And Rofflewafflelol wrote: “Great, so he passed out bags of food for 5 minutes for a photo op..... now let’s see him actually take on the responsibility of a full shift every day for a few years.
“This is cosplay and insulting to people who have actually worked any amount of time in their lives.”
Trump has baselessly accused Kamala Harris of lying about her own McDonald’s experience (AP)
The restaurant closed down for 30 minutes while Trump played dress up. It’s unclear if the branch’s workers were paid during that interim.
The average fast foodworker earns $13 to $15 per hour nationwide, federal data shows. While Harris has earned endorsements from several influential unions, including Service Employees International Union, which supported the nationwide Fight for $15 campaign, Trump dodged a question on Sunday about whether he supported increasing the minimum wage.
“Well, I think this. These people work hard,” Trump replied instead. “They’re great. And I just saw something - a process that’s beautiful.”
The unorthodox campaign stop was Trump’s latest attempt at a personal jab at Harris, who he has baselessly claimed never worked at the fast-food chain.
“I’ve now worked 15 minutes more than Kamala” at a McDonald’s, a blue apron-clad Trump told reporters out of a drive-thru window on Sunday.
Last week, the former president’s eldest son Donald Trump Jr also repeated this claim, saying he believed she was discussing her McDonald’s job “to seem relatable and likable.”
Don Jr then boasted: “I think my father knows the McDonald’s menu much better than Kamala Harris ever did.”
McDonald's distances itself from Donald Trump and his dubious claim about Kamala Harris
Earlier this year, this location didn’t meet the compliance requirements of the Bucks County Health Department. A health inspection in March at the Feasterville-Trevose location resulted in four violations, including citing employees not having their “hands clean & properly washed.”
“Food employees are not washing their hands as required before putting on gloves, after handling soiled tableware, after handling raw meat, before handling clean tableware, equipment, utensils. CFSM must review hand washing requirements with staff. Observed employees handling raw beef with gloves and then switching gloves without hand washing step in-between,” the health inspector wrote.
The report also noted a lack of hairnets: “Food workers are not wearing hair restraints as required, which includes management that assists in packaging and preparing food. Employees shall wear hair restraints such as hats, hair coverings or nets, that are effectively designed and worn to keep their hair from contacting exposed food; clean equipment, utensils and linens; and unwrapped single-service and single-use articles.”
Trump handed at food at the drive through window (REUTERS)
This Sunday’s photoshoot of the former president captured him in a white button-down shirt, ketchup-colored tie and a blue apron with yellow stripes — but without gloves or a hairnet while working at the McDonald’s stop in the swing state.
The Independent has reached out to the Bucks County Health Department and a representative for McDonald’s for comment.
Workers for the fast food chain shared their opinions in the Reddit thread r/McDonaldsEmployees and were quick to point out that Trump did not seem to meet the chain’s typical requirements.
DodgyRogue asked: “Where’s his approved uniform shirt? His hat?”
Adinnieken added: “As evidenced by other pictures, he’s not wearing non-slips shoes, and he wasn’t wearing a hairnet.”
And Rofflewafflelol wrote: “Great, so he passed out bags of food for 5 minutes for a photo op..... now let’s see him actually take on the responsibility of a full shift every day for a few years.
“This is cosplay and insulting to people who have actually worked any amount of time in their lives.”
Trump has baselessly accused Kamala Harris of lying about her own McDonald’s experience (AP)
The restaurant closed down for 30 minutes while Trump played dress up. It’s unclear if the branch’s workers were paid during that interim.
The average fast foodworker earns $13 to $15 per hour nationwide, federal data shows. While Harris has earned endorsements from several influential unions, including Service Employees International Union, which supported the nationwide Fight for $15 campaign, Trump dodged a question on Sunday about whether he supported increasing the minimum wage.
“Well, I think this. These people work hard,” Trump replied instead. “They’re great. And I just saw something - a process that’s beautiful.”
The unorthodox campaign stop was Trump’s latest attempt at a personal jab at Harris, who he has baselessly claimed never worked at the fast-food chain.
“I’ve now worked 15 minutes more than Kamala” at a McDonald’s, a blue apron-clad Trump told reporters out of a drive-thru window on Sunday.
Last week, the former president’s eldest son Donald Trump Jr also repeated this claim, saying he believed she was discussing her McDonald’s job “to seem relatable and likable.”
Don Jr then boasted: “I think my father knows the McDonald’s menu much better than Kamala Harris ever did.”
McDonald's distances itself from Donald Trump and his dubious claim about Kamala Harris
Marin Scotten
Tue, October 22, 2024
The McDonald's logo is pictured in front of a store in Dearborn, Michigan on October 17, 2024. CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP via Getty Images
Despite hosting former President Donald Trump for a shift, McDonald's does not support his claims that Vice President Kamala Harris is lying about her stint working at a California McDonald's in the summer of 1983, The Washington Post reported.
Throughout her campaign, Harris has mentioned her time as a McDonald's employee, an experience shared by one in eight Americans.
Trump hasn’t let go of the mention of Harris’ teenage summer job, repeatedly telling Americans that she never worked at McDonald's and is making the whole thing up. As Harris’ employment was 41 years ago, in the pre-digital era, there are no official records of her employment at the Bay Area McDonald's.
“We have checked with McDonald’s, and they say, definitively, that there is no record of Lyin’ Kamala Harris ever having worked there,” he wrote Sunday afternoon. “In other words, she never worked there, and has lied about this ‘job’ for years.”
On Sunday, the Republican nominee took the attack a step further and pretended to work a shift at a Pennsylvania McDonald's. He stood in the drive-thru window and handed food to “customers,” who were in fact supporters pre-screened by the Secret Service.
“I’m looking for a job,” Trump said to the owner of McDonalds location. “And I’ve always wanted to work at McDonald’s, but I never did. I’m running against somebody that said she did, but it turned out to be a totally phony story.”
McDonalds has welcomed the attention, but its staying neutral in the debate about Harris’ employment, according to a statement obtained by The Washington Post.
“Though we are not a political brand, we've been proud to hear former President Trump’s love for McDonald’s and Vice President Harris’s fond memories working under the Arches,” the message to its employees reads. “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.”
The multi-billion dollar franchise also told the Associated Press it is an apolitical company and does not support either candidate.
“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.”
Here's What We Know About Trump's 'Shift' at a McDonald's in Pennsylvania and Claims It Was 'Staged'
Aleksandra Wrona
Tue, October 22, 2024
Reddit u/Lifegoesonforever, C-SPAN
Former U.S. President Donald Trump spent about 15 minutes scooping French fries into containers and handing them to drive-thru "customers" at a McDonald's restaurant in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, on Oct. 20, 2024, in a publicity stunt arranged by his presidential campaign.
"I worked 15 minutes longer than Kamala Harris ever did," Trump told reporters after the photo op, doubling down on his claims that the vice president lied when she said she worked at a McDonald's in her youth.
When video of Trump's 15-minute stint as a fast-food worker was released, social media platforms erupted with partisan posts claiming it was was "fake," "staged" and merely a "stunt."
It's crucial to note that photo ops and publicity stunts are always, by definition, staged. That said, here are examples of some of the online comments about Trump's McDonald's outing:
"You mean to tell me this was all staged, and that these 'customers' rehearsed in advance to make it seem like a genuine interaction and that the McDonald's was actually closed to the public!" one X post read. Another X post, with more than 1.7 million views, stated: "Who else was NOT surprised to learn that Trump's event at a closed McDonald's was totally staged and as fraudulent as he is?"
The News Media on Trump's 'Shift' At McDonald's
Multiple reliable news outlets, such as The Associated Press, Reuters and the BBC, reported on Trump's visit to the fast-food restaurant. The New York Times rightly called it a "campaign photo op," reporting that Trump handed food to preselected customers.
C-SPAN recorded the visit, stating Trump "worked a 30-minute shift. … He first met with the owner and received a uniform and name tag, and then learned how to make and package french fries before serving some drive-thru customers and answering questions from the press."
You can see the footage of Trump's visit below:
Trump's involvement was limited to a short interaction with staff and customers, learning how to make and package French fries, and serving a few drive-thru customers, rather than a normal employee's full workday involving numerous tasks.
Was the Location Closed?
The primary argument circulating on social media accusing the event of being staged was centered around a printed notice supposedly displayed at the restaurant, stating it was closed. A photograph of the notice was shared on platforms including X, Threads, Facebook and Reddit. "So the place wasn't even open. It was all staged and fake. He didn't work for real at a McDonalds. It was a staged fraud just like every other event," one X user captioned it.
The Washington Post and Philadelphia TV station WCAU also reported the restaurant was closed to the public during Trump's visit.
The text on the notice read:
Dear Feasterville Community,
We plan to be closed on Sunday, October 20 until 4 p.m., to accommodate a visit at the request of former President Trump and his campaign.
While we are not a political organization, we proudly open our doors to everyone and as a locally owned and operated location, this visit provides a unique opportunity to shine a light on the positive impact of small businesses here in Feasterville. We're equally honored to share the significance of what 1 in 8 Americans have experienced: that a job at McDonald's is more than just a job. It's a pathway to critical skills development and meaningful career opportunities. Having started my McDonald's joumey as a crew member in New York nearly 30 years ago. This path to economic opportunity is especially meaningful to me.
I apologize for the inconvenience of closing our restaurant and sincerely look forward to serving you very soon.
Derek Giacomantonio and my team at Feasterville McDonald's
Giacomantonio was shown in the C-SPAN video as an owner of the restaurant.
We have reached out to McDonald's and Giacomantonio to confirm the notice's authenticity.
Photos From the Event
Apart from the printed notice, social media users shared other photographs from the event along with their claims the event was fake. "It was all STAGED!! Trump did not work. McDonald's closed for the day & there was a car rehearsal," one Reddit user wrote. One X post claimed that customers were "handpicked," while another alleged the customers were "pre-selected supporters of his campaign who had practiced how to use the drive-through."
WCAU reported that "it was not immediately clear how the drive-through customers served by Trump were selected." According to The Washington Post, "the motorists whom Trump served were screened by the U.S. Secret Service and positioned before his arrival. No one ordered food. Instead, the attendees received whatever Trump gave them."
These photographs were initially shared by local journalist Tom Sofield, who captioned them with: "Cars rehearsing ahead of former Pres. Trump, who is expected to be serving supporters McDonald's food" and "The supporters who will be served food by Trump are in place and screened by USSS."
(X user @BuxMontNews)
"The fact that you present this like it's some big shock makes me wonder who ties your shoes for you. The USSS didn't let a bunch of random people in their personal vehicles drive up to a drive-thru window with a former President and Presidential candidate," one X user commented, pointing to the fact that screening people in high-security situations is a standard practice.
Sofield confirmed to Snopes that he took the pictures. He said the "rehearsals" involved staging the cars in line and brief conversations with campaign staff, adding that the people in the vehicles waited about an hour or an hour and a half before Trump arrived and handed out food.
We also reached out to Trump's campaign, which did not respond to questions about whether there were rehearsals, how customers were chosen and screened, or whether the notice about the store's closure was real, instead repeating the line that "President Trump has now worked at McDonald's longer than Kamala Harris ever did."
Additionally, we reached out to the Secret Service for comment about how the customers were selected and whether they were screened by the agency, and we will update this report if we receive a response.
Sources:
Contact. https://www.secretservice.gov/contact. Accessed 21 Oct. 2024.
Contact Information | McDonald's Corporation. https://www.mcdonalds.com/corpmcd/contact.html. Accessed 21 Oct. 2024.
Former President Trump Works at McDonald's in Bucks County, PA | C-SPAN.Org. https://www.c-span.org/video/?539376-1/president-trump-works-mcdonalds-bucks-county-pa. Accessed 21 Oct. 2024.
Gold, Michael. "Trump Slings McDonald's Fries as He Smears Harris in Pennsylvania." The New York Times, 20 Oct. 2024. NYTimes.com, https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/20/us/politics/trump-mcdonalds-fries.html.
Shalal, Andrea, and Steve Holland. "Trump Hands out French Fries, Harris Visits Georgia Churches." Reuters, 21 Oct. 2024. www.reuters.com, https://www.reuters.com/world/us/harris-mark-60th-birthday-with-atlanta-church-visits-trump-hits-mcdonalds-2024-10-20/.
"Tom Sofield, Author at LevittownNow.Com." LevittownNow.Com, 21 Oct. 2024, https://levittownnow.com/author/tomsofield/.
Trump Serves up McDonald's Fries and Harris Celebrates Birthday. https://www.bbc.com/news/videos/cgryevjjlx2o. Accessed 21 Oct. 2024.
"Trump Works the Fry Station and Holds a Drive-Thru News Conference at a Pennsylvania McDonald's." AP News, 20 Oct. 2024, https://apnews.com/article/trump-harris-mcdonalds-2024-presidential-election-pennsylvania-73e55c8c1db4adc2a547b62bd5142be3.
