A Massachusetts McDonald’s restaurant has been accused of serving pork to a Muslim child in an act of discrimination, according to a recent ruling by a state agency. The incident occurred in 2021 when Ghadir Alahmar, a Muslim woman who wears a hijab and an abaya, visited a McDonald’s outlet in Chicopee, a city within the Springfield metropolitan area. She ordered a plain Filet-O-Fish sandwich for her 7-year-old son, but instead received a fish sandwich topped with bacon.
The Massachusetts chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations filed a lawsuit in June 2022 on behalf of Alahmar. The suit alleges that McDonald’s employees deliberately discriminated against Alahmar and her family by adding bacon to the sandwich, charging her for the unwanted addition, and then adding three to four times the usual amount of bacon.
The Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination issued a finding of probable cause in favor of Alahmar last month. The decision stated that a fact-finder could reasonably conclude that McDonald’s staff identified Alahmar and her family as Muslim based on her attire and accent. The decision also noted that one of the employees was aware of the Islamic prohibition against consuming pork products, suggesting that the bacon was not added by mistake.
The lawsuit further argues that an accidental addition of bacon is unlikely given the design of the McDonald’s cash register. The register features a touch screen with separate buttons for different food items and add-ons. The manager conceded that it was highly improbable for an employee to mistakenly press the “add bacon” button instead of the “plain” button due to their respective locations on the screen.
The agency has directed both parties to attend a closed-door conciliation session in February to discuss a potential settlement. If either party fails to attend, the case could proceed to a public hearing and sanctions could be imposed.
Barbara J. Dougan, CAIR-MA Legal Director and attorney, expressed optimism about the finding in a recent press release. She stated that while a final resolution has not yet been reached, the agency’s finding brings them closer to achieving justice for the family.
Under Massachusetts law, public accommodations cannot discriminate against protected classes. The agency found that McDonald’s employees likely discriminated against Alahmar based on her religion and national origin. Alahmar and her family are originally from Yemen.
Alahmar expressed satisfaction with the agency’s decision, stating that her son still remembers the incident every time he sees a McDonald’s. She hopes that McDonald’s will make changes to its hiring and training processes to ensure that its employees are respectful and welcoming.