Move that has sparked outrage online, Donald Trump’s legal team reportedly splurged nearly $700 on McDonald’s during jury selection for his hush money trial. The internet wasted no time reacting, with many expressing disbelief and criticizing the former president’s team for showing “0 respect for the average working man.”
According to reports, three male staffers from Trump’s legal team visited a McDonald’s near the Manhattan courthouse on Thursday around noon. They placed an extensive order, including 27 Quarter Pounders, 27 orders of fries, Filet-O-Fish sandwiches, and chicken nuggets. The sizable order took 45 minutes to prepare, and when ready, the aides left with four large bags of McDonald’s, allegedly without leaving a tip for the workers.
McDonald’s employees, who recognized Trump’s legal team from a previous visit last year, expressed their disappointment. “They came here yesterday and bought lots of food with nearly $700,” one employee told Daily Mail. “They ordered 27 quarter pounders, 27 fries, chicken nuggets, and filet-o-fishes. They didn’t even leave a tip, nothing!”
While tipping is not expected at counter-service fast-food restaurants, many found the $700 no-tip order to be disrespectful toward service workers. Some took to Twitter to express their outrage, with one person snarking, “I’m surprised they even paid the $700,” referring to Trump’s reputation for stiffing contractors.
Trump’s love for McDonald’s is well-documented, with his reported go-to order including two Big Macs, two Filet-O-Fish sandwiches, and a chocolate milkshake. He has often expressed his preference for the fast-food chain, even bringing a McDonald’s feast to the White House during a government shutdown to feed a visiting college football team.
Despite the backlash, Trump’s affinity for McDonald’s has become a defining quirk. Some theories speculate that his preference for pre-made food supports his “longtime fear of being poisoned.”
During a CNN town hall with Anderson Cooper in 2016, Trump, then a presidential candidate, referred to McDonald’s as “great stuff” but argued that the corporation had a responsibility to maintain clean and tidy restaurants. “One bad hamburger, you can destroy McDonald’s,” Trump declared. “One bad hamburger and you take Wendy’s and all these other places and they’re out of business.”
