McDonald’s India Ad accused of ‘Objectifying Employees’

McDonald’s India released an advert to promote McSaver Meal, but many social media users have claimed it objectifies female employees and promotes workplace harassment.

The advert shows a female cashier handing a McVeggie meal to a man, who shyly gazes at her.

Meanwhile, the employee smiles at him.

The man then sits at a table and eats his meal, exchanging glances with the employee.

After finishing his meal, he returns to the queue to place another order so that he can talk to the female employee.

A male employee signals him to come to his counter, which is empty.

But the man refuses, remaining in the busy queue so that he can interact with the female cashier.

When it gets to his turn, the man speaks to the employee. Meanwhile, a narrator says:

“Because a lot can happen.”

The advert’s slogan was: “Date… sort of @Rs. 179.”

Posting the video on Twitter, McDonald’s India wrote:

“Sometimes, the greatest love stories start with the tiniest things – a glance, a smile, a meal.

“Watch this unusual date and find out how a meal can give you #MoreForLess at just Rs.179!

“We warn you, there’s gonna be a lot of blushing.

“Visit a McDonald’s near you and get McVeggie Meals @ Rs.179.”

However, the clip did not go down well, with many people highlighting the problematic nature of it.

Stating that the advert objectifies female staff and could lead to customers harassing them, the user wrote:

“This is outrageous and disgusting beyond words.

“1 – You are inviting your customers to hit on your employees.

“2 – Creating potentially unsafe workplace for your female employees.

“3 – Objectifying your female staff for profit by suggesting your customers can flirt and find a date here.”

Another user wrote: “Apparently young female staffers are part of McDonald’s India’s product offering.”

Others noted that it may worsen the harassment female employees face at work.

One tweet read: “Disgusting and against dignity of labour. Womenfolk who work in customer service roles already face such harassment.”

Another user said: “This sends a wrong precedence to a society who already see gig workers as low-life individuals who could be exploited.

“I have seen guys flirting with servers to flight attendants and this ad will give affirmation to their actions.”

One comment read:

“This will, of course, lead to your team members getting harassed. May want to think this campaign through a bit.”

While the McDonald’s India advert has led to controversy, this is not the first advert in India to be called out for its misogynistic undertones.

In 2022, fragrance brand Layer’r Shot faced backlash for two adverts that allegedly promoted sexual violence.

One advert showed a young couple about to get intimate when three of his friends barge in.

One asks the boyfriend: “Did you take the shot?”

When he says yes, his girlfriend appears shocked.

Another friend then rolls up his sleeves and approaches the bed, saying:

“Now it’s our turn.”

The young woman appears scared but is soon relieved when the man picks up the Layer’r Shot fragrance.

A second advert shows a group of men at a supermarket appearing to stalk a lone women.

They make suggestive comments before it was later revealed that they were looking at the fragrance.

The backlash led to both adverts being removed.