McDonald’s CEO Urges Chicago to Fight Crime: ‘Our City Is in Crisis’

McDonald’s plans to move its innovation center into central Chicago, but CEO Chris Kempczinski voiced concern Wednesday about plaguing crime.

“We are betting on Chicago in the long term because we think it makes good business sense,” Kempczinski stated during an event hosted by the Economic Club of Chicago, Bloomberg reported.

However, it was becoming more difficult to do business from the area and the state of Illinois, he noted. It was also hard to find executives willing to move into the city.

“There is a general sense out there that our city is in crisis,” Kempczinski continued.

In addition, crime and lack of police presence were factors in why multiple small business owners in Chicago were getting ready to leave, CBS Chicago reported August 29:

Meanwhile, nearly 30 people were shot and five of them died last weekend in Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s (D) Chicago, according to Breitbart News.

The city experienced 797 homicides last year, per the Bloomberg article.

“That’s the most since 1995, and a 60% jump from before the pandemic. Overall, crime has risen 38% this year. While murders so far in 2022 are down 15% from a year ago, overall crime in the district that includes the Loop jumped 89% this year,” the outlet said.

In May, at least eight people were shot and two of them died outside a Chicago McDonald’s when two groups began fighting at the restaurant on North State Street and someone pulled out a gun and opened fire.

“The gunman fled down steps to a subway platform after firing the shots and the group that was with him ran down the steps as well,” according to the Breitbart News report which added that “Two adult men were killed when the bullets began to fly.”

In August, a man was accused of sexually abusing a six-year-old boy at the former Rock ‘n’ Roll McDonald’s in Chicago, according to Breitbart News.

Sixty-two-year-old Bryan Sutton allegedly molested the child inside a bathroom stall and was also accused of attacking a security guard who tried to hold him inside the building.