Yelp has taken a significant step by disabling new reviews for the McDonald’s in Feasterville, Pennsylvania, following a politically charged visit by former President Donald Trump. After Trump briefly worked at the restaurant on Sunday as part of a campaign event, the Yelp page was inundated with reviews, many of which were less about the restaurant and more about Trump’s political controversies. Most of these reviews were one-star ratings that criticized Trump’s demeanor and his legal issues.
A Flood of Politically Motivated Reviews
The McDonald’s location became a battleground for political opinions as reviews flooded in that had little to do with actual dining experiences. One user humorously wrote, “The fries were too salty as if someone who lost a major election had been crying over them for an hour,” referencing Trump’s previous election loss. During his visit, Trump donned a McDonald’s apron, interacted with a select group of customers in the drive-through, and spoke to reporters, but this publicity quickly turned the restaurant’s Yelp page into a platform for political commentary.
Mixed Reactions: Criticism and Support
The Yelp reviews predominantly targeted Trump rather than the fast-food establishment itself. One reviewer commented sharply, “Don’t let convicted felons who tried to overturn an election stage campaign stunts,” while another lamented McDonald’s decision to host Trump, declaring, “This was an awful thing that was done, and McDonald’s will get zero of my money.”
However, not all reviews were negative. Some customers expressed support for Trump, with one five-star review claiming, “The best McDonald’s I’ve ever been to in 47 years. The older employee was extremely nice. Make McDonald’s Great Again! Bring back the Dollar Menu!” This illustrates the deep political divide that influenced customer feedback on this particular day.
Yelp Responds to Unusual Activity
By Monday afternoon, over 145 reviews had been posted, prompting Yelp to act by suspending new comments and implementing an “unusual activity alert.” This alert is designed to filter out reviews that are politically motivated rather than based on genuine customer experiences. Noorie Malik, Yelp’s vice president of user operations, stated, “For Yelp to remain a useful resource, reviews must be based on firsthand experience. When we see a spike in activity, our moderators will clean up the page to reflect actual consumer experiences.”
Visitors to the McDonald’s Yelp page now see a notice explaining that the business has received heightened public attention, which has led to the temporary suspension of new reviews while Yelp investigates the situation. The company reassured users that this approach is standard for all businesses experiencing similar surges in public interest.
Franchise Owner’s Perspective
Derek Giacomantonio, the owner of the Feasterville McDonald’s, spoke out about the controversy. He defended the decision to allow Trump to visit, emphasizing the significance of entry-level jobs at McDonald’s. “As a small, independent business owner, it is fundamental to my organization that we proudly open our doors to everyone,” he explained, adding that he saw the visit as an opportunity to showcase the transformative experience of working at McDonald’s.
Yelp’s History with Review Alerts
Yelp’s actions are not entirely new; the platform reported in its 2023 Trust & Safety Report that it had placed alerts on nearly 1,000 business pages due to sudden public attention. These measures have led to the removal of over 49,000 reviews that did not conform to its guidelines for genuine experiences.
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