“I made it myself,” states former president Donald Trump to the McDonald’s drive thru customer.
On Sunday, October 20 2024, Trump, with the intention to reach and relate to his soon-to-be-voting audience, took the reins of the McDonald’s kitchen and served up customer’s favorite orders.
This action, of course, shocked the media. He made many headlines and trended across many social media platforms.
The location, Feasterville Pennsylvania, is an important factor of his strategy-ridden appearance.Without accident, he thoughtfully visited a McDonald’s in Pennsylvania as it is a key swing state in this election.
This move, however, was used as an attack on his competition, Kamala Harris, as she claimed she worked at McDonald’s while attending college. This statement has yet to be proven, and her lack of verification was exemplified by Trump’s tactical and clever plan. Painting himself as the better candidate to the swing state.
Furthermore, Trump decided to work on October 20, supposedly unaware it was Harris’s birthday.
He was of course questioned about his knowledge of the vice president’s birthday and in response explained how he thought he would “get her some flowers”.
With his new-found fry-cook experience, Trump states that the minimum wage workers “work hard. They’re great.”
But, as each layer of his plan was uncovered, it takes no detective to see the calculated jabs and thorough details of the time, place, and execution of this critical publicism.
Further, the former president and loyal McDonald’s customer, decided to make a batch of fries just how he likes them.
“Supposing we want some extra salt, can I do it like that?”
Following his statement, Trump decided to pour a few hefty shakes of salt across a fresh batch of french fries and then threw a pinch over his shoulder as he claims he is “superstitious”.
Even with his praise and recognition for the working class, many questions were raised. What was his true intention of this appearance? Did he consciously choose to carry this scheme out on Harris’s birthday? How was this taken by the employees whose shifts were canceled? The list can go on.
Some viewers of his actions already formulated their opinions about his public demonstration. Certain watchers’ outlooks on this believe he is showing what will come with his presidency- an expansion and exploitation of overworked and underpaid fast food employees.
On the other hand, some are seeing his “willingness to learn and walk in [an employee’s] shoes for a day” to be an admirable and compassionate demonstration on his part to connect with his potential voters. His probable aim to show appreciation for often undervalued minimum wage earners.
Whether his shift at the restaurant was for strategic purposes or not, his experience definitely showed him a piece of what it’s like to work in the fast food industry and can now better understand a typical American’s daily environment, workplace, and labor.
So, all in all, disregarding the political tactics, contexts, and opinions, his appearance not only connected with employees but customers of the infamous chain alike. And he seemed to have fun doing it.