Note: we are republishing this story, which originally made the news in August 2017.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has come forward with serious allegations against a McDonald’s restaurant, accusing it of deliberately adding bacon to a Muslim family’s meal—a clear violation of their religious dietary laws.
The family, visiting from New York, stopped at a McDonald’s in Decatur and placed an order for 14 sandwiches, according to AL.com. But as they began eating, they were shocked to discover bacon hidden in their food—an ingredient strictly forbidden in Islam.
“They started noticing the taste was off,” explained Khaula Hadeed, head of CAIR’s Alabama chapter. “They regularly eat McChicken sandwiches at McDonald’s and knew exactly what they ordered. They know what’s supposed to be in those sandwiches.”
For Hadeed, this incident wasn’t a simple mistake—it was a deliberate and hurtful attack on the family’s faith and trust.
“This doesn’t sound like a simple mistake—especially when it happened on 14 sandwiches,” Hadeed asserted, condemning the incident as “an intentional act of religious and ethnic bigotry.”
She’s now calling for a full investigation after learning that one adult in the family even vomited twice following the meal.
“The family is understandably shaken and deeply disturbed,” Hadeed shared.
She urged McDonald’s to take immediate action: “They must investigate this thoroughly, identify and fire those responsible, and take meaningful steps to restore this American family’s trust—starting with a sincere apology.”
The incident has ignited a fierce debate across social media, sparking outrage and calls for accountability.
The story sparked a wide range of reactions online, with some expressing empathy for the family and believing their claims.
“I’ve definitely seen so-called ‘good Christians’ do cruel things to those who are different,” one AL.com reader commented. “I don’t know all the details here, but I believe someone deliberately put bacon in those sandwiches to humiliate and hurt people they see as ‘other.’ That’s downright un-American, in my book.”
Another chimed in, “Decatur is known as a hotbed of alt-right, religious fanatics who aren’t tolerant of anyone who doesn’t look like a Baptist.”
On the flip side, others were skeptical—or even outright dismissive.
“It’s a scam,” wrote one user, reflecting a sentiment shared by several who accused the family of manufacturing the controversy for money or attention. “They probably chose an Alabama McDonald’s because it would get more buzz than one in NYC.”
Another added, “I don’t believe a McDonald’s employee would do this. Most of the time, the people in the kitchen don’t even pay attention to who their customers are.”