Across the United States, food service workers are raising concerns about poor working conditions and low pay. Signs have been taped to the doors and drive-thru speakers and facades of fast-food restaurants describing long working hours, no lunch breaks, and poor pay. On 19 May 2021, the day before the company's annual shareholder meeting, McDonald's cashiers and cooks in at least 15 U.S. cities will strike to demand at least $15/hour. McDonald's workers have been organizing for $15 an hour minimum wage legislation since 2012, when they launched the Fight for $15 movement.

While McDonalds announced in May 2021 that it hourly wages at company-owned stores would increase to $13 over the next few months and $15 by 2024, this only applies to 5% of McDonald's 14,000 stores as the others are independently owned.