New CEOs, Chicken Sandwiches, and Lawsuits: McDonald’s Drama Explained | Eater

"The world's largest fast-food chain is navigating a rough patch marked by strategic hesitance, product flops, and serious workplace and legal controversies. On the menu front, the company has been slow to embrace meatless options, though it has tested a P.L.T. (plant, lettuce, tomato) sandwich made with a Beyond Meat patty in Ontario while weighing a wider rollout; supply concerns (including past shortages of Impossible Burger) and timing constraints complicate any global introduction. Efforts to produce a viral chicken hit have repeatedly underperformed—examples include the spicy BBQ chicken sandwich and the Crispy Chicken Sandwich—leaving the brand reliant on nostalgia items like the McRib and forcing vegetarians to lean on fries and McFlurries for few plant-based choices. Leadership turbulence has drawn scrutiny: Don Thompson was replaced by Steve Easterbrook (later fired over a consensual relationship with an employee) and succeeded by Chris Kempczinski, who is said to be addressing an entrenched “guys club” culture. Multiple lawsuits and complaints allege pervasive workplace problems, including a class action spotlighting harassment experienced by former employee Jenna Reis, dozens of EEOC complaints, and a recent suit from former senior executives Victoria Guster-Hines and Domineca Neal alleging hostile treatment and demotions of Black officers. Labor unrest—strikes in the U.K. for guaranteed hours and a £15 wage and U.S. actions demanding $15/hour and union rights—highlights tensions complicated by a franchising model and shifting “joint employer” rules that affect corporate liability. While still hugely popular, the company now faces intensified scrutiny over workplace culture, diversity practices, labor relations, and environmental impacts, leaving it vulnerable to reputational damage unless it moves faster on product innovation and institutional reforms." - Jaya Saxena