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January 1998 Companies' Policies on Slaughterhouses

This month, Satya gave a few of the major steakhouses and fast food chains an opportunity to voice their official position on both slaughterhouses and how they feel animals should be raised and killed for their products. This is what they said.

Smith & Wollensky

A representative named Beverly explained that she had no position on slaughterhouses. She worked for the meat industry 15 years ago, had the opportunity to tour a number of them, and was personally convinced that slaughtering was humanely done. Satya asked her if the company had a position and she explained that no employee has time to do anything. Neither she nor anyone in the company have a position on slaughtering; they are too busy opening up restaurants. She said the company was inundated with work and that she was sorry but she really couldn't help.

Burger King

Mitchell Holden, with the media relations department, explained that Burger King doesn't necessarily work directly with the slaughterhouses; they work directly with suppliers and distributors but they do have certain requirements and compliances that must be met in order for the chain to buy products from them. Burger King Corporation's animal-based products are sourced only from U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspected plants which are in full compliance with all regulations governing the meat and poultry industries. These regulations include requirements for the humane treatment of animals prior to and during slaughter.

Representatives from Wendy's Old-Fashioned Burgers, McDonald's and Morton's Steak House of Chicago refused to answer phone calls. After the fourth call, Satya was led to believe that none of these establishments has an official statement on slaughterhouses or the way in which animals are raised and killed for food.

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