How Much Will McDonald’s Boycott Effort Impact Wenatchee?

The line of cars that can commonly be found snaking onto 3rd Street in East Wenatchee from the drive-thru of the McDonald's at 201 Valley Mall Parkway could be a lot shorter over the next week.

In fact, traffic on both foot and fender could be noticeably down at not only both McDonald's locations in the Wenatchee Valley, but all over Washington State and the nation until the 1st of July.

The reason for the possible slowdown in the usual pace of the fast food restaurant chain's "billions served" odometer is the latest overture from a grassroots economic blackout campaign which has decided to make McDonald's its next target.

The People's Union USA, which is led by Chicago resident and meditation instructor John Schwarz, is urging folks who usually frequent McDonald's to take a break from their Big Macs and Chicken McNuggets for at least one week as a way of protesting the chain's business practices.

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Specifically, Schwarz is demanding “fair taxes, an end to price gouging, real equality, and corporate accountability” from what is arguably the world's most recognized name in fast food.

Schwarz says the movement, should it prove successful, will sting the corporate hamburger giant enough financially that it will serve to show strength and solidarity among those who are seeking real change while holding those who are responsible for preventing it accountable.

In a written statement to CNN, McDonald's executives said the company welcomes “honest dialogue with the communities we serve, but we’re disappointed to see these misleading claims that distort our values and misrepresent our actions.”

The statement went on tout the company's commitment to inclusion, claiming it's provided 800,000 employees with "meaningful work opportunities" which it has spent millions to make happen, while also generating billions of dollars in federal, state, and local taxes annually.

Although boycotts like the one Schwarz is spearheading are well known for producing mixed results, his cause does come at a point in time when McDonald's is already feeling a rare pinch financially, having just released a second straight quarter of declining sales reports.

The fast food titan has also been facing consistent backlash from many customers about its prices, which have spiked by a whopping average cost of 40% per menu item over the past five years.

Although word of the boycott has been spreading like a grease fire on social media since it was announced early Tuesday, it doesn't appear to have yet impacted either McDonald's location in the Wenatchee Valley, as both featured the usual steady stream of patrons this afternoon.

McDonald's also has locations in Brewster, Ellensburg, Ephrata, Leavenworth, Moses Lake, Omak, and Quincy that could be affected.