The Saudi representatives of the US fast food giant McDonald’s rushed to vehemently deny rumors, which have circulated amongst Saudi mobile telephones in past weeks. An electronic message which has been mysteriously distributed, claimed that the company allocates its Saturday sales revenues to support Israel, reported Al-Sharq Al-Awsat.
Sent in English and Arabic, the message read: "McDonald's restaurant will give its Saturday income to occupational authority Israel weekly to help them against Palestinians."
Although the corporation has been making a concerted effort to paint itself politically neutral since the latest cycle of Middle East violence roke out last September, this is not the first time it is unwillingly drawn to the center stage of the anti-Americananti-Arab boycotts.
In an bid to stave off a consumers’ boycott in November, the Saudi franchise holders for McDonald’s have announced thay will be donating 26 cents of each Value Meal bought to the Palestinian children's hospitals through the local Red Crescent Society during the month of Ramadan.
Stemming from the Saudi Ramadan campaign, another message circulated the globe via e-mail at November-end, claiming that McDonald's has erased Israel from its list of countries where McDonald's restaurants are located, and went further as to encourage a boycott of the food chain. These allegations have been refuted by Mc-Donald’s just as swiftly.
Riyadh International Catering Corporation is the franchisee holder of McDonald's International Company in the Central and Eastern Regions of Saudi Arabia since 1993. The company now owns 32 restaurants. Reza Food Services Co. holds the chain’s franchise in the western region of the Kingdom. It operates 13 restaurants with 370 employees. — (Mena Report)
© 2001 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
