McDonald's has removed an employee from its roster following an incident where the worker chanted "Free Palestine" at Jewish customers in Cannon Hill, Brisbane. The confrontation occurred last Tuesday evening when two customers, identified as Asaf and Matan, approached the drive-thru window to report a missing Quarter Pounder burger from their order.
Footage of the interaction shows the McDonald's worker questioning the customers about their origin after they stated the burger was missing. When one of the men identified himself as being from Israel, the employee then began chanting "Free Palestine." Asaf told the Courier Mail that he and Matan were "shaken" by the encounter and that the employee had also allegedly called them "baby killers" and accused them of lying about the missing item, though these allegations remain unproven.
A spokesperson for McDonald's Australia confirmed the company was aware of the incident and had taken immediate action. The employee was initially suspended pending an investigation. "McDonald's has a zero-tolerance policy for acts of hate and antisemitism in our restaurants and communities," the spokesperson stated, adding that the company is committed to fostering "safe, respectful and inclusive environments for our customers and crew."
Asaf expressed satisfaction with the company's response, stating, "I think it's good that they are taking care of that." However, he also indicated a lingering discomfort with returning to the location.
The Queensland Jewish Board of Deputies reported this incident as the 100th report of antisemitism they had received in 2026. Asaf has spoken with Queensland Police regarding the interaction, and was referred to the Australian Human Rights Commission. It is not yet clear if a formal report has been filed.