MCDONALD’S is buying its restaurants in Israel from a longtime franchisee, hoping to reset sales that have slumped due to boycotts in the region.
The Chicago-based burger giant said Friday it will buy Alonyal Ltd., which owns and operates 225 restaurants in Israel.
The deal is expected to close in the next few months. McDonald’s said it would retain more than 5,000 employees.
Alonyal has operated McDonald’s in Israel for more than 30 years.
But Alonyal sparked controversy in October when it announced on social media that McDonald’s was providing free meals for Israeli soldiers.
This sparked boycotts in the Middle East and in Muslim-majority countries like Malaysia and Indonesia. Sales also were impacted in countries with large Muslim populations, like France. / AP