‘This is outrageous and disgusting beyond words’

• McDonald’s India released an ad to promote its $2 McVeggie meals last Monday.

• The ad depicts a man gaining interest in a female cashier at McDonald’s while getting food.

• The internet is infuriated, calling the ad out for objectifying women and promoting harassment.

A recent ad by McDonald’s India has sparked outrage online — it’s been called out for objectifying female employees and promoting workplace harassment.

The ad was released on June 5 on YouTube and shows a man gaining interest in a female cashier while ordering a McVeggie.

In the video, the man heads to the end of the line after finishing his meal. A male employee then signals him to step up to the empty counter, although he turns down the offer, hoping to interact with the female cashier again.

“Sometimes, the greatest love stories start with the tiniest things – a glance, a smile, a meal.” read the $2 McVeggie meal ad description.

The ad, and its slogan: “Date sort of… @ Rs 179,” has the internet infuriated.

“This is outrageous and disgusting beyond words,” read a tweet, “(you’re) objectifying your female staff for profit by suggesting your customers can flirt and find a date here.”

“Apparently young female staffers are part of McDonald’s India’s product offering,” read another tweet.

Others also point out how it may worsen the harassment female employees face at work.

“Disgusting and against dignity of labour. Womenfolk who work in customer service roles already face such harassment,” read a tweet.

“This sends a wrong precedence to a society who already see gig workers as a low life individuals who could be exploited. I have seen guys flirting with servers to flight attendants and this ad will give affirmation to their actions,” read another tweet.

This is not the first ad in India that’s been called out for its misogynistic undertones.

Last year, a now-withdrawn campaign by perfume brand Layer’r Shot was under fire for promoting rape culture, per Hindustan Times. Another series of ads by liquor brand Imperial Blue has also received criticism for its “men will be men” slogan and sexist jokes, per The Print, an online media platform in India.

In his independence day speech last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called on Indians to fight misogyny: “For some reason, a distortion has crept into our conduct, our behaviour, our words so at times we insult women. Can we take a pledge to stop this behaviour?”

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