19 April 2021

For Ramadan, McDonald's reunites migrant workers in Singapore with family in Malaysia

It's been more than a year since the border between Singapore and Malaysia was closed to curb the spread of COVID-19. While they'd normally commute daily from their home country, many Malaysians working in Singapore haven't seen their families since March 2020. That separation hits especially hard during Ramadan, a time of community and connection, when relatives gather to break the fast together. 

To reunite employees with their loved ones back home, McDonald's and Leo Burnett created 'My Happy Table'. An ad campaign launched last week follows two Malaysian restaurant workers in Singapore who talk about their experience over the past year, and about the people they miss. At McDonald's restaurants in both Singapore and Malaysia, cameras and large screens are set up to create the semblance of a long table extended between the two countries, allowing Samsuri and Rozaini to share a meal with their families. 

McDonald's is opening up the experience to other families, too, inviting people to share their stories on social media, with 'the most heartwarming entries' getting access to My Happy Table plus a complimentary meal across borders. Yes, it's a heart-jerking ad campaign for fast food. But with migrant workers around the world separated from those they love, kudos to brands that highlight their plight and step in to create connections. And to our Muslim readers: Ramadan Mubarak!