HEADLINE: "Congressman Who Ran On A ‘Passion For Consumer Service’ Owns Bug-Infested Restaurants That Made 300 Sick" [Daily Mail, 11/22/25]
Edwards Ran For Congress In 2023 Touting His Record As A Successful Business Owners With A “Passion For Customer Service.” According to the Daily Mail, "A chain of McDonald's restaurants owned by a North Carolina congressman has been dogged by grim allegations and controversies – such as maggots in burgers, a norovirus outbreak, and even a deadly shooting at one location by one of his felon employees. Republican Chuck Edwards won his seat in 2023 after running on his record as a successful business owner with a 'passion for customer service', telling an inspiring tale of his rise from a teenage McDonalds employee to multi-franchise owner. But the Daily Mail can reveal Edwards's restaurants have a far-than-spotless track record." [Daily Mail, 11/22/25]
Edwards Owned Six McDonald’s Franchises In Western North Carolina. According to NC Assembly, "Candler resident Leslie Boyd had long wondered which McDonald’s franchises in Western North Carolina were owned by U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards. She knew a couple of locations in Hendersonville were his, but she couldn’t find addresses for others, even after checking his tax records. She ended up learning which six McDonald’s restaurants her congressman owns when she got banned from them." [NC Assembly, 4/17/26]
HEADLINE: "Ex-Employee Of Hendersonville McDonald's Owned By Chuck Edwards Pleads Guilty To Murder" [Hendersonville Times-News, 1/28/25]
October 2023: An Employee Of The McDonald’s On Four Seasons Boulevard In Hendersonville, NC Murdered A Woman Inside The Restaurant. According to WYFF, "A Hendersonville man is headed to prison for shooting and killing a woman inside McDonald's where he worked, according to R. Andrew Murray, District Attorney for Henderson, Polk, and Transylvania counties. Sam Antwan Ivey, 37, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, possession of a weapon of mass destruction, possession of a firearm by a felon, and possession of a weapon on educational property. According to the investigation and court trial records, Ivey was an employee of McDonald's on Four Seasons Boulevard in Hendersonville, North Carolina when the murder happened in October 2023." [WYFF, 1/28/25]
The Employee Was Sentenced To Prison After Pleading Guilty To Murder, Possession Of A Weapon Of Mass Destruction, Possession Of A Firearm By A Felon, And Possession Of A Weapon On Educational Property. According to WYFF, "A Hendersonville man is headed to prison for shooting and killing a woman inside McDonald's where he worked, according to R. Andrew Murray, District Attorney for Henderson, Polk, and Transylvania counties. Sam Antwan Ivey, 37, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, possession of a weapon of mass destruction, possession of a firearm by a felon, and possession of a weapon on educational property. […] Ivey was sentenced to a minimum term of 254 months and a maximum term of 317 months in the North Carolina Department of Adult Corrections." [WYFF, 1/28/25]
HEADLINE: "Norovirus Outbreak Among Patrons At One McDonald’s Likely Spread By Person, Not Food" [Food Safety News, 8/6/18]
HEADLINE: "Brevard McDonald’s Voluntarily Closes As Precaution Amid Mystery Illness" [7 News, 8/2/18]
August 2018: A McDonald’s Edwards Owned Was The Source Of A Major Norovirus Outbreak In Transylvania County. According to the Daily Mail, "In August 2018, another Edwards-owned McDonald's was named as the source of a major norovirus outbreak. Health officials in Transylvania County traced the outbreak that sickened an estimated 300 people to 'human contamination' at his outlet in Brevard. Edwards's wife Teresa said that 'out of an abundance of caution' the restaurant was closed for a 'deep clean' – but reopened after 'a couple of days' according to site Food Safety News." [Daily Mail, 11/22/25]
Edwards’ Wife Temporarily Closed The McDonald’s After Dozens Of People Went To The Emergency Room With Complaints Of Nausea, Diarrhea, And Vomiting. According to 7 News, "The owner and operator of a McDonald’s in Brevard temporarily and voluntarily closed as a precaution as an investigation into a mystery illness in Transylvania County is underway. Over the last several days, dozens of people went to the emergency room with nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. We were told many of them ate at different restaurants and live in different communities. […] The following is statement on behalf of the McDonald’s in Brevard: ‘Due to reports of an illness outbreak in our community, and out of an abundance of caution, we voluntarily closed this restaurant. We expect to reopen on Friday. McDonald’s is deeply committed to the health and well-being of our employees and customers. We are taking proactive measures and supporting the health department as they look into this issue. – Teresa Edwards, McDonald’s Owner-Operator, Brevard, NC.’” [7 News, 8/2/18]
2010: One Of Edwards’ McDonald’s Was The Subject Of A Complaint After A Customer Found Fly Larvae In Her Burger. According to the Daily Mail, "But his restaurants have had a history of toe-curling claims related to unsanitary conditions. One in Henderson County was the subject of a 2010 complaint in which Priscilla Moss claimed in a lawsuit that she began to eat her McDonald's burger, noticed it 'had a peculiar taste', then found an apparent 'jelly-like substance'. 'Upon closer inspection the jelly-like substance was insect eggs,' the lawsuit said, adding that she then found live worms in the burger. She claimed the restaurant manager offered to refund her money, but denied the burger was bought at Edwards's restaurant. The offending sandwich was sent to North Carolina health authorities for testing, which found it was full of fly larvae. The case was dismissed in 2012 after an apparent out-of-court settlement." [Daily Mail, 11/22/25]
2019: A Woman Sued Edwards Claiming That She Slipped On Used Cooking Oil That Had Been Improperly Dumped In The Parking Lot Outside Of One Of Edwards’ Restaurants. According to the Daily Mail, "Edwards was hit with another lawsuit in 2022, this time for personal injury. Cynthia James claimed she slipped on used cooking oil that had been improperly dumped in the parking lot of one of the congressman's restaurants in 2019. She claimed staff had been pouring used grease down a storm drain. When James got out of her car she slipped on it, her complaint said, injuring her arm and requiring multiple surgeries. The case went to a court-appointed mediator in 2023 and was voluntarily dismissed by the parties in October that year." [Daily Mail, 11/22/25]
2026: Edwards Banned On Of His Constituents From All Of His McDonald’s Franchises After She Protested His Vote To Cut SNAP And Health Care At One Of His Restaurants. According to NC Assembly, "For the past six months, Boyd was among a group of four to 10 protesters who stood outside the McDonald’s on Four Seasons Boulevard in Hendersonville on most Sundays to protest Edwards’ positions on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and on health care issues. The Sunday protests were fairly low-key, she said. Sometimes someone would wear a Grinch or Ronald McDonald costume. Someone else might dress like Grimace, McDonald’s blob-shaped purple mascot. Boyd often held a homemade sign reading ‘Don’t Feed the Congressman! Boycott this McDonald’s’ with a picture of Edwards standing next to President Donald Trump. (Edwards gave Trump a ‘french fries certification pin’ in October 2024 after the president appeared at a McDonald’s drive-thru in Pennsylvania for a photo opportunity.) […] Three weeks later, Boyd received a certified letter from Edwards’ business office in Hendersonville. ‘This letter is to notify you that you are banned from visiting all properties owned by C. Edwards Group, d.b.a. McDonald’s,’ it reads. The letter listed the addresses of six McDonald’s franchises in Hendersonville, Canton, Flat Rock, and Brevard, as well as Edwards’ office on Hendersonville’s Main Street." [NC Assembly, 4/17/26]