McDonald’s Lebanon Releases Sujuk Burger Amid Boycott Woes

In the wake of the ongoing boycott against McDonald’s in Lebanon, the fast-food giant is making a move to regain favor among its customer base. Since the outbreak of the war on Gaza, Lebanon has witnessed a surge in support for the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement, with many urging a boycott of McDonald’s as part of the action against companies historically associated with the occupying forces.

In what looks like an attempt to counter the negative sentiment, McDonald’s just recently launched a new menu item – the Sujuk Burger.

Sujuk, a popular Middle Eastern sausage, takes center stage in this new burger, offering a blend of traditional flavors with a McDonald’s twist. A sujok patty is topped with tomatoes, pickles, mayonnaise, and lettuce. Unfortunately for Ronald McDonald, the comments on the post only revealed and reinforced people’s commitment to the boycott.

The McDonald’s franchise in Lebanon has made various attempts to distance itself from the political situation, emphasizing its commitment to humanitarian causes. In December, the company donated $70,000 to medical relief efforts in Gaza and participated in a global strike on December 11, 2023, as a show of solidarity with Gaza and Palestine. However, it’s worth noting that a post detailing their participation in the strike was later deleted, raising eyebrows and fueling skepticism among the public.

In terms of how successful these boycotts have been, last week McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski revealed that boycott campaigns that were “harming operations” for the business in the MENA region, calling them fueled by “misinformation”.

Anyway, if you’re craving a sujok burger, check out this tasty OG burger from Mano, who specializes in sujok and basterma!

Sahtein!