McDonald's closes its 26-year-old outlet in Karachi amid boycott calls due to Gaza genocide

Popular fast-food chain McDonald's has closed its 26-year-old outlet at Najeeb Centre, Tariq Road in Karachi, following calls to boycott global brands supporting Israel.

Many social media users shared the news of McDonald's closure of one of its oldest branches at a prime location in Karachi that had attracted a large customer base.

McDonald's official Facebook page also confirmed the closure of their Tariq Road outlet. However, they mentioned relocating to a new location, without specifying the new address.

Netizens have linked the closure of McDonald's Karachi outlet to recent boycotts targeting the brand over its support for Israel, whose army continues to launch ruthless military assaults on innocent civilians in the Gaza Strip.

Following the attack on Israel by Hamas on October 7, and the relentless atrocities of Israel Defense Forces (IDF), McDonald's franchise said on social media that it had "donated and continues to donate tens of thousands of meals to IDF units, the police, hospitals, residents around the strip and all rescue forces".

Videos showing IDF troops eating McDonald's after bombing Palestinians also went viral on social media, which further fueled calls for a boycott of the brand.

Earlier this year, McDonald's CEO, Chris Kempczinski, expressed disappointment and questioned the justification for the boycott, causing them to miss their first quarterly sales target in almost four years. 

However, Israel’s war on Gaza had “meaningfully impacted” its sales, particularly in the Middle East and Muslim-majority countries like Pakistan, Indonesia and Malaysia.