Here's why some consumers are boycotting McDonald's this week

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LOS ANGELES - A new boycott targeting McDonald’s is set to kick off this week, part of a growing wave of consumer activism tied to the rollback of corporate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. 

The action is being led by The People’s Union USA, a grassroots advocacy group that has organized monthly "economic blackouts" in response to what it calls corporate backpedaling on social justice.

McDonald’s, which scaled back its DEI initiatives earlier this year, is now the latest company to face coordinated protest over those changes—at a time when the fast-food chain is already struggling with slumping sales and inflation-weary customers.

Why is McDonald’s being boycotted?

The backstory:

The boycott, scheduled to begin June 24, was announced by The People’s Union on Instagram. The group’s founder, John Schwarz, told USA TODAY that the decision to target McDonald’s stemmed from a combination of grievances: reduced DEI goals, labor concerns, pricing practices, and marketing strategies.

"We’re boycotting McDonald’s because they’ve shown time and time again that profit matters more than people," Schwarz told USA TODAY. "From price gouging to tax evasion, from inequality in pay to exploitation in advertising… their DEI efforts feel more like promotional stunts than real systemic change."

In January, McDonald’s stopped setting measurable goals for increasing diversity in senior leadership and ended a supplier diversity program. The company’s U.S. chief people officer, Jordann Nunn, said at a June conference that McDonald’s had updated its DEI language but insisted "none of our programming has changed."

The company did not respond to requests for comment on the boycott.

Dig deeper:

McDonald’s is one of several major corporations to scale back or reframe their DEI strategies since President Donald Trump returned to office in 2025 and began issuing executive orders to eliminate "illegal DEI" across federal agencies and influence private-sector policies.

A McDonald’s Quarter Pounder meal is pictured with fries and a soft drink. The fast-food giant is facing a consumer boycott this week over its rollback of diversity initiatives and other corporate practices. (Photo Illustration by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

While anti-DEI campaigns led by conservatives have successfully targeted companies like Bud Light and Target, pro-DEI advocates—including Black churches and civil rights groups—have now launched their own economic responses, aiming to pressure companies perceived as retreating from diversity commitments.

How are these boycotts affecting companies?

By the numbers:

The financial impact of the boycotts remains difficult to quantify, but companies have reported noticeable effects. Target said that ongoing boycotts linked to its diversity policies contributed to a decline in consumer spending in the first quarter. Foot traffic to Target stores dropped for four consecutive months, according to Placer.ai.

McDonald’s, meanwhile, reported the sharpest drop in U.S. sales since the pandemic-era slump of 2020. CEO Chris Kempczinski said in April that consumers were "grappling with uncertainty" and that value promotions would be key to winning back customers.

The timing of The People’s Union boycott could compound existing challenges for McDonald’s, even if the long-term impact remains unclear.

What's next:

Whether the boycott dents McDonald’s financial performance remains to be seen, but it signals a shift in how pro-DEI groups are responding to corporate reversals—moving from internal advocacy to public, consumer-facing pressure.

With political and legal opposition to DEI on the rise at the federal level, companies face increasing scrutiny from both sides of the cultural divide. For some brands, that may mean walking a finer line—or facing the consequences from consumers no matter which direction they lean.