4. Restoring Confidence Post E. Coli Crisis
In October 2024, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) traced an E. coli outbreak back to onions served on Quarter Pounders.
More than 100 people across 14 states got sick, with at least one death linked to the breakout. The incident prompted a proposed class action lawsuit against McDonald’s and caused its stock to fall by as much as 7% in the weeks immediately after.
In an internal memo published by CNN afterwards, outgoing CMO Hassan and Michael Gonda, the chain’s U.S. chief impact officer, said McDonald’s pledged $65 million to aid franchisees impacted by the incident. An additional $35 million was committed to marketing programs that can help drive people back into restaurants.
In December 2024, McDonald’s was given the all clear by the CDC. However, Buetikofer still faces a challenge in managing the long-term fallout, including restoring confidence among consumers.
