Burger King's Involvement with Israel: Boycott for Palestine

Summary

Burger King Israel provided complimentary food and drinks to Israeli militants and posted this on social media before editing all their posts and removing this information. However, Burger King operates a franchise model therefore, it is likely that Burger King Israel operates independently. Having said that, Burger King does profit from Burger King Israel and all franchises for that matter so boycotting would economically force the Burger King cooperation to take a stance against stopping the IDF which is currently conducting a genocide against the Palestinians.

Boycott rating:

★★★★★

Introduction

Burger King, an American multinational chain of hamburger fast-food restaurants, has been a topic of controversy and criticism due to its support for the Israeli government and its involvement in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The company first entered the Israeli market in 1993, briefly leaving it in 2010, with Israeli chain Burger Ranch taking over its restaurants. Burger King eateries returned to Israel in 2016.

Burger King’s Support for Israel

Reports have surfaced indicating Burger King Israel’s support for the IDF by providing complimentary food and beverages to Israeli militants. A post on the company’s Instagram account showcases this support, inviting scrutiny and raising questions about Burger King’s role in contributing to the military and geopolitical dynamics in the region.

Burger King’s Franchise Model

Burger King operates through a franchise model, where independent franchisees own and operate individual Burger King restaurants, ensuring a widespread presence across the globe. Most of the revenue generated by Burger King comes from franchising operations. Approximately 90% of Burger King restaurants in the UK are franchises. However, the percentage of Burger King stores that are franchises globally is not publicly available. This is a cause for concern as boycotting Burger King may not effect the company due to their divestments.

Support for the IDF

Burger King Israel initially publicized its provision of complimentary food and beverages to Israeli militants through social media posts, which have since been edited. Following the previously discussed franchise model, Burger King Israel likely operates independently from the broader Burger King entity. Nevertheless, the concerning aspect emerges from the support extended to a military engaged in ethically questionable actions, including the alleged cleansing of Palestinians and the perpetration of genocide.

Image: The post shared on social media by Burger King Israel which reads ‘We came out to strengthen the nation. Our teams are working diligently to continue donating thousands of meals to our heroes. Burger King sends its condolences to the families of the victims.’

Additionally, Burger King stands to benefit financially from its association with Burger King Israel, receiving 4.5% of sales as royalties and an extra 4% for advertising purposes. This economic tie raises ethical questions about the indirect contribution to the military activities in question.

Calls for Boycotts

Burger King’s support for Israel has led to calls for boycotts of the company and its services. The Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which aims to pressure Israel to end its occupation of Palestinian territories, has called for a boycott of Burger King. The movement argues that Burger King is complicit in the Israeli occupation of Palestine by operating in Israel and supporting the Israeli government.

Conclusion

Burger King’s involvement with Israel and its support for the Israeli government have been a source of controversy and criticism. While there is no evidence to suggest that Burger King has any affiliation with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), the company’s support for Israel has led to calls for boycotts by the BDS movement and others. While the effectiveness of such boycotts is a matter of debate, they are one way for people to express their opposition to the Israeli occupation and to support the Palestinian cause.

Source

(1) Burger King Business Model – How Burger King Makes Money?. https://businessmodelanalyst.com/burger-king-business-model/.
(2) Burger King’s Business Model – FourWeekMBA. https://fourweekmba.com/burger-kings-business-model/.
(3) Burger King Franchise Cost, Fee & Profit Information – UK Franchise. https://franchiseguidehq.co.uk/burger-king/.

(4) Burger King faces worldwide boycott – The Independent. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/burger-king-faces-worldwide-boycott-1110934.html.
(5) Burger King Israel – Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burger_King_Israel.
(6) Burger King – Israel Support: What You Need to Know – Depkes.org. https://www.depkes.org/blog/burger-king-israel-support-what-you-need-to-know/.
(7) Burger King Israel Slammed by Pro-Palestinian SocMed Users for … – HNGN. https://www.hngn.com/articles/253263/20231023/newsweek-burger-king-israel-slammed-donating-food-israeli-troops.htm.
(8) Instagram – Burger King Israel https://instagram.com/p/CyORRWHIqeH/?img_index=2

Burger King’s Involvement with Israel: Boycott for Palestine

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