McDonald’s buys all 225 of Israeli franchise restaurants after boycotts
Al Jazeera
McDonald’s subject to boycotts since franchisee Alonyal announced it would give free meals to the Israeli military.
McDonald’s has said it will buy its 30-year-old Israel franchise from Alonyal, taking back ownership of 225 outlets that employ more than 5,000 people.
The US fast-food chain has been subject to boycotts and protests since Alonyal announced shortly after the October 7 attack by Palestinian group Hamas that it would be donating free meals to the Israeli military.
McDonald’s is a global company, but its franchises are often owned locally and operate autonomously. Its CEO Chris Kempczinski said previously the company had seen “meaningful business impact” in several markets in the Middle East and some outside the region due to the Israel-Hamas conflict.
“For more than 30 years, Alonyal Limited has been proud to bring the Golden Arches to Israel and serve our communities,” Omri Padan, CEO and owner of Alonyal, said in a statement on Thursday.
McDonald’s added that it “remains committed to the Israeli market and to ensuring a positive employee and customer experience in the market going forward”.
