How is the boycott going today: What the Numbers Actually Say About Starbs, McD’s, and Others

Walk into a suburban shopping mall on a Tuesday afternoon and things look pretty normal. The lights are bright. People are carrying bags. But if you look closer at the foot traffic patterns—specifically who is not standing in line at the world’s biggest coffee and burger chains—you start to see the cracks. People keep asking, how is the boycott going today, and the answer isn't a simple "it's working" or "it's failing." It’s messy. It’s expensive. And for a few C-suite executives, it’s a total nightmare.

Money talks.

When we look at the actual fiscal data from late 2024 and heading into 2025, we aren't just seeing a "slump." We are seeing a fundamental shift in how people spend their lunch money. This isn't your parents' 1970s boycott where people stood on street corners with cardboard signs. This is a silent, digital-first erosion of brand loyalty.

The Big Mac Deficit: Why the Golden Arches are Sweating

Let’s get into the weeds with McDonald's. For a long time, the narrative was that price hikes were the only thing hurting the burger giant. But that’s only half the story. While the company blamed a "weary consumer" for its first global sales drop in years, analysts from firms like Citigroup and JPMorgan started noticing that the "weariness" was suspiciously concentrated in specific regions.

Specifically, the Middle East. But it didn't stay there.

The momentum spread to France, Indonesia, and parts of the UK. When you ask how is the boycott going today for McDonald's, you have to look at the "Value Menu" desperation. They launched the $5 meal deal specifically to lure back the people they lost. Did it work? Sorta. It brought back some bargain hunters, but it didn't fix the brand's image problem with Gen Z, who are more likely to track corporate political stances on TikTok than they are to look at a billboard.

The company’s CEO, Chris Kempczinski, admitted in a LinkedIn post that several markets were feeling a "meaningful business impact." That’s corporate-speak for "we are losing millions." It's not just about what people are eating; it's about what they feel when they hold that paper bag.

The Starbucks Slump is Real (And it's not just the $7 lattes)

If you want to see a company in a tailspin, look at Starbucks.

They’ve had a rough run. Between labor union fights and the massive geopolitical boycott movements, the "Third Place" is looking a little empty. Their stock has been on a rollercoaster, and they even swapped out their CEO, bringing in Brian Niccol from Chipotle to try and steady the ship.

But here is the thing people get wrong: they think a boycott is either 100% or 0%.

That’s not how it works. A boycott succeeds if it drops sales by even 3% to 5%. That sounds small. It’s not. In the world of high-volume retail, a 5% drop in "Same Store Sales" is a catastrophe that wipes out billions in market cap.

Why the Starbucks Boycott Persists

Social Media Echo Chambers: On platforms like Instagram and TikTok, "boycott-friendly" alternatives are trending. Local coffee shops are winning big.
The App Factor: People are deleting the app. Once you lose that digital real estate on a customer’s phone, getting it back is nearly impossible.
Consistency: Unlike previous movements, this one hasn't fizzled out after two weeks. We are months into this, and the hashtags are still pulling millions of views daily.

Honestly, the "vibe shift" is the biggest threat. Once it becomes "uncool" or socially risky to be seen with a specific cup in your hand at the office, the brand has lost its most valuable asset: cultural capital.

Consumer Behavior: It’s Not Just Activism, It’s Fatigue

We have to be real here. A lot of the reason people are sticking to these boycotts is that they were looking for an excuse to quit anyway. Inflation made a "Quick Service Restaurant" (QSR) meal cost almost as much as a sit-down bistro.

When you combine high prices with a political or social reason to stay away, you get a "sticky" boycott.

Think about it. If you’re already mad that your favorite wrap costs $12, and then you see a viral video about that company’s ties to something you hate, you’re gone. You’re not coming back next week. You’re finding a local deli. You’re meal prepping. You’re moving on.

The Ripple Effect on Other Brands

It’s not just the big two. PUMA, Disney, and even tech companies like HP have been caught in the crosshairs of various movements, specifically the BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) movement.

PUMA actually announced they would stop sponsoring the Israel national football team. They claimed it was a pre-planned move for "brand strategy" reasons, but the timing was... interesting. Activists claimed it as a massive victory. Whether or not the boycott caused it is debatable, but the fact that the company felt the need to distance itself speaks volumes about the pressure.

Understanding the "Lag" in Data

One reason people get confused about how is the boycott going today is the lag in financial reporting.

Public companies report every three months.
Social media moves every three seconds.

You might see a viral video of an empty Starbucks today, but you won't see that reflected in an SEC filing for another 90 days. This creates a gap where some people claim the boycott is "fake" because the company is still standing. But companies don't die overnight. They bleed. They lose "share of voice." They lose the next generation of customers.

The Math of the Boycott: Does it actually hurt?

Let’s look at the "Buycott" vs. "Boycott" dynamic.

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Historically, most boycotts fail because people are lazy. We like our routines. But 2024 and 2025 have been different because of "app culture." If I can find an alternative on my phone in five seconds, the "effort" of boycotting drops to zero.

A study from the Journal of Consumer Research suggests that boycotts are most effective not when they bankrupt a company, but when they damage the "brand equity."

Brand Equity: The intangible value of a name.
Market Share: Once a competitor like Dutch Bros or a local burger joint takes that customer, they usually keep them for at least 18 months.
Customer Acquisition Cost: It is 7x more expensive to win back an old customer than to keep a current one.

The "cost" of these boycotts isn't just the missed sales today. It's the billions of dollars these companies will have to spend on marketing and discounts over the next three years to try and convince you to come back.

What the Media Misses

Most news outlets focus on the big protests. They miss the quiet stuff.

They miss the university students who changed their meal plans. They miss the office managers who switched the catering order for the Friday lunch from a major chain to a local mom-and-pop shop. They miss the parents who are teaching their kids about "ethical spending" at the dinner table.

This is a "bottom-up" economic shift.

Real-World Impact: By the Numbers

While we don't have a "live" ticker for every lost dollar, we can look at the 2024 year-end reports that leaked into early 2025.

McDonald's Middle East: Sales in some regions reportedly plummeted by over 50% during peak boycott months.
Starbucks Stock: Lost over $11 billion in market value during one particularly bad 12-day streak of declining sales and labor tension.
Local Competitors: Independent coffee shops in major metro areas reported a 15-20% uptick in "new regulars" who explicitly mentioned "switching" from the big chains.

How to Track if a Boycott is Working

If you want to know how is the boycott going today without waiting for a CNN report, look for these three signs:

1. Unusual Discounting

Is the company suddenly offering "Buy One Get One Free" on a Tuesday? Is the app screaming at you with "We Miss You" notifications? That’s the smell of desperation. Big brands hate discounting because it devalues the product. If they are doing it, they are hurting for volume.

2. Leadership Changes

When a CEO "retires" suddenly or a "Chief Brand Officer" is replaced, it’s usually because the board of directors is panicking about the public's perception.

3. "Quiet" Rebranding

Keep an eye on social media ads. Are they suddenly focusing more on "community," "local farmers," or "neutrality"? That’s a pivot. They are trying to scrub the "corporate giant" image and replace it with something softer.

The Nuance: Why some people say it's NOT working

We have to be honest here. If you go to a McDonald's in a rural town in Mid-America, the drive-thru is probably still packed.

The boycott is highly "clumpy." It’s massive in cities, among Gen Z, and in international markets. It’s less visible in older demographics or areas with fewer food options. This creates a "dual reality" where half the country thinks the brand is dying and the other half doesn't even know there is a boycott happening.

Also, some companies are so big and diversified that they can "hide" the losses. A company like Unilever or Nestlé has thousands of brands. You might boycott one, but you’re probably still buying another one without realizing it.

Moving Forward: Actionable Insights for the Ethical Consumer

So, where do we go from here? If you’re participating or just watching from the sidelines, here is how the landscape has changed.

First, transparency is the new currency. You can't just look at a logo anymore. You have to look at holding companies. Using tools like "Buycott" apps or browser extensions that highlight parent companies is basically mandatory now if you want to be precise.

Second, support the "Alternative." A boycott only works if the money goes somewhere else. If you stop buying a $6 coffee at a chain but don't spend that $6 at a local shop, you aren't really building a new economy; you're just shrinking the old one. The most successful boycotters are the ones who "shop local" with intent.

Third, watch the "Greenwashing" and "Social-washing." As these boycotts continue, expect these companies to launch massive "charity" campaigns. Don't take them at face value. Look at where the core profits are going, not just the 1% they give to a flashy non-profit.

The bottom line? How is the boycott going today depends entirely on who you ask, but the balance sheet doesn't lie. For the first time in decades, the "unbeatable" giants of the food and beverage world are looking very, very beatable.

Your Next Steps

Audit your apps: Look at your most-used food and shopping apps. Check their parent companies against current boycott lists (like the BDS movement's official site) to see if your "automatic" spending aligns with your values.
Find your "Switch": Identify one major chain you use and find a local, independent alternative this week. Try it once. See if the quality difference makes the switch permanent.
Check the Quarterly Reports: If you really want the truth, go to the "Investor Relations" page of any major company. Look for the "Forward-Looking Statements" and "Risk Factors." If they mention "geopolitical tensions" or "consumer sentiment shifts" as a risk to their profits, the boycott is working.