The boycotts facing McDonald’s restaurants across the country are poised to expand, with the latest calls led by a group of former franchise owners.
On Monday, over 40 former franchisees from more than a dozen states voiced their support for a “nationwide boycott of the fast-food chain.” The group is currently suing the company over alleged discriminatory practices going back to the 1980s. Monday’s announcement came from law firm Loevy & Loevy, which is representing the plaintiffs in the case.
Newsweek reached out to McDonald’s for comment.
Why It Matters
McDonald’s, the world’s largest restaurant chain with an estimated 68 million daily customers, has been facing criticism since early 2025 due to the company’s decision to scale back its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
This is in addition to the newest boycotts led by The People’s Union USA, which has included the company among its targets in the “economic blackout” campaign over alleged tax avoidance and issues related to worker pay.
What To Know
In Monday’s announcement, the group of former franchisees said that they would be supporting The People’s Union USA “and other organizations and community leaders in calling for a boycott.”
The group cited McDonald’s decision to roll back certain diversity initiatives in January, and linked to a January 6 post on the company’s website. The post announced that McDonald’s would be retiring “aspirational representation goals” and the “Supply Chain’s Mutual Commitment to DEI pledge in favor of a more integrated discussion with suppliers about inclusion as it relates to business performance.”
“The McDonald’s corporation’s recent abandonment of its diversity initiatives came as no surprise to us,” Monday’s announcement read, before going on to recount details of alleged “unfair policies, unequal treatment, and illegal discrimination” contained in the 2023 federal civil rights lawsuit.
The group cited The People’s Union USA’s ongoing boycott of the company in their announcement, and said that they would continue calling for targeted action “until [McDonald’s] keep their promises, renew their commitment to the Black community, and finally do right by the Black owners and operators like us who deserved—but did not get—a fair shot at success.”
The People’s Union USA describes itself as a “grassroots movement focused on economic resistance, corporate accountability, and real justice for the working class.” It has previously orchestrated boycotts against Walmart, Amazon and Target.
Last week, its founder, John Schwarz, posted a list of grievances on Instagram, accusing McDonald’s of price gouging, exploiting both workers and tax loopholes, making “false DEI promises,” and engaging in “corporate greed.”
What People Are Saying
Former Black McDonald’s franchise owners, in a statement: “More than two years ago, over 40 of us, from more than a dozen states, filed a federal civil rights lawsuit, in which we shared our stories, laid out our evidence of discrimination, and charged McDonald’s with multiple counts of discrimination and breach of contract. We look forward to our day in court, where a jury of our peers can hear how McDonald’s destroyed our livelihoods, deprived us of valuable opportunities, and ruined our dreams.”
John Schwarz, founder of The People’s Union USA, on Instagram: “They exploit tax loopholes and do not pay their fair share. They engage in price gouging while wages stay low. They suppress workers’ rights and union efforts. They support political figures who threaten democracy. They practice performative DEI with no meaningful change. They prioritize profit over people, community, and truth. We are the economy.”
Kenneth Manning, lead plaintiff in the 2023 lawsuit and a former McDonald’s franchise owner, said in a recent video: “I invested everything I had—money, time, faith—in the McDonald’s system. But what I didn’t know when I started is that the rules aren’t the same for everyone. I was steered into underperforming locations and neighborhoods McDonald’s had already written off. I wasn’t given access to the kinds of support other white operators received.”
“When I finally was forced to exit the system, the game didn’t end there,” Manning added. “My stores were undervalued. McDonald’s made it very hard for me to sell. I walked away with less than what I had put in, and far less than I had earned.”
What Happens Next
The People’s Union USA boycott is set to run until June 30, after which the group intends to organize an Independence Day boycott, as well as a month-long boycott of Starbucks, Amazon, and Home Depot in July. This will be followed by an August boycott of McDonald’s, Walmart and Lowe’s.
The post Nationwide McDonald’s Boycott Expands: What to Know appeared first on Newsweek.
