McDonald's Is Flipping Its Arches for Women's Day and People Are Mad
Raisa Bruner
Time• March 7, 2018
No, you're not living in a very literal Upside Down: the iconic golden arches of some McDonald's franchises across the country will be flipped on March 8 as a nod to International Women's Day, that's all.
It's a "celebration of women everywhere," a McDonald's spokesperson told Business Insider, and it's a first in the brand's history "in honor of the extraordinary accomplishments of women everywhere and especially in our restaurants." The gesture will go beyond the outdoor signs, including all of the fast food brand's social media logos in the M-to-W changeup. And 100 restaurants are getting special "packaging, crew shirts and hats and bag stuffers" for the day, too.
But the internet is skeptical of the fast food chain's approach to recognizing women's contributions, calling out McDonald's for their treatment of workers and highlighting what some see as hypocrisy in paying lip service to a holiday without backing it up with corporate policy.
McDonald's is not the only brand to make a statement in honor of the holiday, of course: already, Barbie has released a line of commemorative dolls representing history-making women, and Google is making its own play for telling women's stories.
Today, we flip our Golden Arches to celebrate the women who have chosen McDonald's to be a part of their story, like the Williams family. In the U.S. we're proud to share that 6 out of 10 restaurant managers are women. https://t.co/6z88OhjXpO pic.twitter.com/hXfOi3wWQf
— McDonald's (@McDonalds) March 8, 2018
McDonalds: In celebration of women we are flipping the arches upside down.
Or you could give your employees better benefits.
McD: Look it's a W!
Maybe a living wage? Better family leave? A career path forward in the face of automation?
McD: The W stands for women.
— bogwolf (@truebe) March 7, 2018
If you want to honor women, @McDonalds, then start listening to the hundreds of thousands who work in your restaurants and pay them a living wage. #FightFor15 #InternationalWomensDay https://t.co/SVJh6yi9RQ
— Sarita Gupta (@saritasgupta) March 8, 2018
McDonald's could give a masterclass in the pseudo-change I've spent the last few years investigating. "Empower" women by flipping a letter upside-down. And use the goodwill and attention you reap to avoid actually empowering women by, you know, paying them enough not to be poor. https://t.co/5W6vZWTcKj
— Anand Giridharadas (@AnandWrites) March 8, 2018
If @McDonalds has flipped their arches upside down to make "W" for #internationalwomensday2018 , does that mean all of the other days when it's an "M" celebrate men?
— Mary Allen (@mrsmaryallen) March 8, 2018
Appreciate all the equal rights efforts, but between Lady Doritos, female Colonel Sanders and the McDonald's W, I think we're all set!!
— Jess Dweck (@TheDweck) March 8, 2018
The McDonald's stunt no-so-subtly implies that the M stands for "men," which is now canon. It's MencDonald's.
— willy ???? (@willystaley) March 8, 2018
I don't get why @McDonalds only turned their "M" upside down for #InternationalWomensDay instead of providing better benefits, better maternity leave, or I don't know.... better pay? ????
— Kevin Rodriguez (@trotbkevin) March 8, 2018
So glad that for one day every year I'm allowed to eat McDonald's
— Jaya Saxena (@jayasax) March 8, 2018
pic.twitter.com/ncL0Pqd4uz
— Milwaukee DSA???? (@MilwaukeeDSA) March 8, 2018
As a woman, thank you. Oh, and pay all your employees at least $15/hour too.
— laura (@wanderlustlaura) March 8, 2018