Donald Trump Did Not Actually Work at McDonald’s | Eater

"During a staged visit to a fast-food restaurant in Feasterville, Pennsylvania, the politician donned an apron, made a single batch of fries under an employee's guidance, and handed prepackaged bags to pre-screened drive-thru customers while the location was closed to normal business. Because no one actually ordered food, employees explained every step, and attendees were vetted, the event functioned as a photo op rather than a genuine attempt to experience or represent the realities of fast-food work — which involves repeated, fast-paced order tracking, safe packaging, and handling unpredictable customers. The stunt was explicitly framed as a rebuttal to a rival’s claim of having worked at a fast-food restaurant, even prompting a quip that he had “now worked for 15 minutes more” than her, and the visitor avoided answering whether he would support raising the minimum wage. Commenters pointed out the contrast between that avoidance and the economic context — Pennsylvania’s minimum wage is $7.25 while the average fast-food worker in the state makes about $13.22 an hour, still insufficient to afford a one-bedroom rental — arguing the episode revealed more about a lack of genuine empathy for service workers than about solidarity with them." - Jaya Saxena