Thousands gathered outside the McDonald’s in Feasterville on Oct. 20, but not because they were craving a quarter pounder with cheese. Rather, they were hoping to catch a glimpse of former president/current Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, who became an employee for a portion of the day.
Donning a McDonald’s apron over his white dress shirt and red tie, Trump learned the ropes of the fast food kitchen as he prepared french fries, bagged orders and distributed meals, paid for by him, to drive-thru customers. He also answered press questions through the drive-thru window and waved to the crowd on Street Road.
“I’m looking for a job and I’ve always wanted to work at McDonald’s. I never did,” he said. “I’m running against somebody that said she did, but it turned out to be a totally phony story.”
Trump was referring to vice president/Democrat presidential candidate Kamala Harris, who has discussed her middle-class upbringing and how she allegedly used to work at a McDonald’s during her college years in the ‘80s.
His visit to Bucks County came about after Derek Giacomantonio, the owner and operator of the Street Road McDonald’s location, got wind that Trump wished to stop by a restaurant in Pennsylvania, a major swing state. When Giacomantonio suggested to McDonald’s Corp. that his location host the former president, the company agreed, but stressed that it does not endorse any candidate.
It said in an official statement, “Upon learning of the former president’s request, we approached it through the lens of one of our core values: we open our doors for everyone. 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.”
The goal of welcoming Trump was, according to Giacomantonio, to showcase an employment experience — working at McDonald’s — that 1 in 8 Americans have at some point in their lives.
McDonald’s has also invited Harris and her running mate Gov. Tim Walz to make an appearance.
It seemed to be an enjoyable experience for Trump, who said, “This is fun. I could do this all day. I wouldn’t mind this job. I like this job! I think I might come back and do it again.” He also applauded McDonald’s staff members, saying of the job, “It requires great expertise.”
Following Trump’s time at McDonald’s, Yelp was forced to shut down reviews of the location, as critics and supporters alike flocked to the page to make their political opinions heard, despite never having been a customer.
A one-star review read, “The fries were too salty as if someone who lost a major election had been crying over them for an hour.” Another said, “The best McDonald’s I’ve ever been to in 47 years. The older employee was extremely nice. Make McDonald’s Great Again! Bring back the Dollar Menu!”
Samantha Bambino can be reached at sbambino@newspapermediagroup.com
