German McDonald's removes food from adverts until sunset over Ramadan

McDonald's advertisement in Germany. Photo: x.com/VickyRichterUSA

In Germany, the McDonald's fast food restaurant chain has now launched a Ramadan-special campaign where its digital billboards hide food during daylight hours — because Muslims are fasting — and only reveal the fries after sunset. This was reported on social media X by investigative journalist Vicky Richter.

The published photos show that during the day, the usual images of burgers and French fries are absent from advertising screens, and after evening falls, the advertisements return. Thus, the marketing campaign is synchronized with the time when Muslims end their daily fast.

Richter subjected the initiative to sharp criticism, calling what was happening a manifestation of "corporate moralizing."

"For the entire month of Ramadan, Germans get the privilege of walking past blank, food-free McDonald’s billboards until the magic hour of 22:00, when suddenly — poof — fries appear like a divine revelation. Because nothing says national identity quite like tailoring your advertising to the rules of a religion that now dictates public space," the journalist commented on the fast food chain's marketing strategy.

Vicky Richter questions why similar steps are not taken regarding Christian fasts or Good Friday.

"You won’t see McDonald’s Germany blacking out its ads on Good Friday, hiding burgers for Lent, or syncing its billboards to Mass schedules. No — Christianity is treated like an outdated software update, while Ramadan gets a full corporate festival," she added.

As the UOJ reported, German authorities congratulated Muslims on Ramadan.

Read also