Signage on a McDonald’s restaurant states “Lake Street Strong” on June 21, 2020, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Stephen Maturen / Getty Images)
By Samuel Short January 9, 2026 at 7:42am
Wokeness isn’t being embraced by corporations despite individual franchises trying to ramp up their activism in Minnesota.
USA Today reported that Hilton Hotels canceled a franchise’s status in Minneapolis after refusing rooms to the Department of Homeland Security for Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers.
A separate incident occurred at a Marriot hotel when an employee doxed ICE agents and was subsequently fired, according to The Right Scoop.
As it turns out, McDonald’s isn’t putting up with rogue activism either.
Commentator Benny Johnson posted a screenshot of a letter at a McDonald’s franchise location saying ICE was not allowed inside.
McDonald’s swiftly commented in reaction to the incident, “We’re in touch with the owner/operator of this franchised restaurant and have confirmed that this flyer was posted without approval and has since been taken down.”
🚨BREAKING: McDonald’s has responded to The Benny Show’s request for comment on Anti-ICE fliers refusing entry to agents at one of their Minneapolis locations:
“We’re in touch with the owner/operator of this franchised restaurant and have confirmed that this flyer was posted… https://t.co/hXp097C8lF pic.twitter.com/addjyH9lNd
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) January 8, 2026
Johnson included a video from the location in question where a security guard was standing outside along with the notice on the window.
He commented, “At the end of the day, this is private property, so you can’t just break the law because you’re a federal agent.”
When asked about who posted the flyer, the guard stated, “I’m not sure, but it’s there.” When asked how the franchise planned on enforcing this decision, he said, “They read the sign.”
Well, it looks like McDonald’s read the sign and was not happy about it.
Woke capitalism doesn’t play like it used to. Brands are understanding how detrimental it can be to their business model to jump on the leftist bandwagon.
Consider the decisions by Hilton, Marriot, and McDonald’s with some context.
These companies took swift action to stomp out the ideological plague.
They know what would happen next if they delayed.
The April 2023 boycott of Bud Light for collaborating with “transgender” influencer Dylan Mulvey likely sent a shiver down the spines of corporate heads seeing billions lost over a marketing decision.
Consider how the return of President Donald Trump led to billionaires like Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg following his lead rather than working against him, and you see the full picture.
This is the beauty of the free market.
Businesses want to make money. They listen to the people who pay them.
If woke ideology isn’t going to make McDonald’s money, then it’s off the menu.
This is a victory, but we must keep fighting, remain humble, and pray for this division to end.
Sam Short is an Instructor of History with Motlow State Community College in Smyrna, Tennessee. He holds a BA in History from Middle Tennessee State University and an MA in History from University College London. The views expressed in his articles are his own and do not reflect the views or opinions of Motlow State Community College.
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