Following former President Donald Trump’s visit to a suburban McDonald’s in Feasterville, Pennsylvania, the owner of the establishment has taken swift action to safeguard his business. In the wake of Trump’s high-profile appearance, where he interacted with employees, fried food, and handed out meals to supporters, the McDonald’s location faced a wave of politically charged online reviews. To address potential threats, the owner, Derek Giacomantonio, has hired armed guards to protect the restaurant and its staff.

Listen to this Indian dude that pulls up

All Americans love Trump pic.twitter.com/x0RHCP6OtI

— Hodgetwins (@hodgetwins) October 20, 2024

The event, held on Sunday, attracted a significant crowd of Trump supporters, lining the streets to see the former president in action. Alongside Secret Service members and local law enforcement, the event showcased an extensive security detail, ensuring safety throughout the day. Trump’s visit was more than just a meet-and-greet—it became a politically charged spectacle, with the former president fielding questions on controversial topics like minimum wage policies, election integrity, and even debunking Vice President Kamala Harris’s claim that she once worked for the fast-food chain.

However, the fallout from Trump’s visit did not end with the conclusion of the event. Negative reviews on the online platform Yelp began flooding the restaurant’s page both before and after the visit, triggering what Yelp describes as “unusual activity.” Many of the reviews were overtly political, with users expressing views either in support of or opposition to Trump, rather than commenting on their experiences at the establishment itself.

Yelp quickly implemented an “unusual activity alert” on the restaurant’s page, a protective measure intended to pause user-generated content until the situation can be assessed. Yelp’s official statement emphasized their neutrality, saying: “This business recently received increased public attention, which often means people come to this page to post their views on the news… We’ve temporarily disabled the posting of content to this page as we work to investigate whether the content you see here reflects actual consumer experiences rather than the recent events.”

Yelp further clarified that this policy is applied regardless of the business or the issue at hand, aiming to maintain the integrity of its platform by limiting politically motivated reviews that do not reflect actual customer experiences.

As the reviews piled up, so did the security concerns. Businessman Jim Worthington, who has been a vocal Trump supporter and was present at the event, revealed that the McDonald’s had received a barrage of threatening phone calls and social media posts. In response, Giacomantonio decided to hire a private security detail, with armed guards donning bulletproof vests patrolling the restaurant starting the very next day.

While Giacomantonio sought to distance the restaurant from any overt political affiliations, he acknowledged that hosting such a high-profile guest naturally attracted attention, both positive and negative. A sign posted at the McDonald’s on the day of Trump’s visit read, “While we are not a political organization, we proudly open our doors to everyone.” Giacomantonio added that the event provided an opportunity to highlight “the positive impact of small businesses.”

The security team, present to mitigate any possible threats stemming from the political controversy, highlights the potential volatility surrounding politically charged events. Even though the restaurant has taken a neutral stance on political matters, Giacomantonio has found himself in the center of an ideological crossfire, where business meets politics.

The restaurant has received both praise and criticism, depending on the political leanings of those commenting. This incident underscores how even a simple fast-food visit from a political figure can become a focal point for larger cultural and political tensions in America. The swift measures taken by the McDonald’s owner reflect the precarious position businesses can find themselves in when inadvertently caught in the crosshairs of polarizing political discourse.

While the long-term impact of Trump’s visit on this McDonald’s location remains to be seen, the incident sheds light on the increasing challenges businesses face when hosting high-profile political figures, especially in today’s climate of intense division.

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