McDonald's, Other Chains Pull Onions That Likely Caused E.coli Outbreak
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The Facts
The promotion aims to boost McDonald's nationwide rewards program and encourages customers to customize their Egg McMuffins with additional menu items, such as the "Sweet Chicken Sammie".The E.coli outbreak at McDonald’s restaurants that has, in the past few days, left one person dead and around 50 ill in the US has been traced to onions sourced from California-based Taylor Farms. The slivered onions were used in the chain's Quarter Pounder hamburgers.
The Egg McMuffin, introduced in 1971 in Santa Barbara, California, was the first quick service restaurant breakfast sandwich and has since inspired customer creativity.McDonald’s has reportedly removed the Quarter Pounder hamburger from its menu in many US states, while Taylor Farms recalled several batches of yellow onions produced in Colorado. The Food and Drug Administration is probing the supplier as the possible source of the outbreak.
The Spin
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McDonald's demonstrated notable crisis management skills during the E. coli outbreak by swiftly identifying the likely source. Unlike previous industry crises, the company took immediate action by removing Quarter Pounders from its restaurants. Over the years, it has built a foundation of trust that helps it frame this as an anomaly rather than a systemic issue. Proactive communication also helped.
