The decision of McDonald's worldwide to purchase its restaurants from the Israeli franchisee Amri Padan is not an isolated strategic maneuver. Based on its past decisions, there is a reasonable chance that the next step will be the closure of restaurants in Russia.
A "consumer boycott" is a multi-dimensional tool of influence. It means a joint effort to avoid purchasing a product from a particular company. This action usually comes from a protest or a demonstration of dissatisfaction by consumers. This could significantly damage the brand/company. The chain's sales have indeed decreased by a few percent on a global scale, but when it comes to a company whose sales turnover crossed the $25 billion mark in 2023, a drop of a single percent is equivalent to approximately $250 million. In the Arab world, the scope of the decline in sales is double-digit and in some cases reached 50% and even more. The impact following a boycott initiated by Muslim and pro-Palestinian consumers was evident, which reflected the connection between business decisions and socio-political contexts.