McDonald’s Workers Said They Faced a Toxic Environment of Bullying and Abuse. It’s Bad News for a Business Model That Keeps Fast Food Profitable.

Over 100 McDonald’s workers in the U.K. have reported facing a toxic work environment with incidents of harassment, bullying, assault, and abuse. The majority of McDonald’s restaurants in the UK and elsewhere operate as franchises, which complicates the issue, as the company doesn’t directly employ these workers, leading to questions about its responsibility for what happens inside its franchises. The franchise model, which is profitable for fast-food chains, is facing greater scrutiny, and calls for McDonald’s to take more responsibility for protecting its workers.