McDonald's isn't feeling the love in Italy these days. Last month, cardinals protested a branch opening in a Vatican building they call home, and last June, a plan to open a store opposite Florence's cathedral was blocked after big protests.
But the big burger bully's not taking that defeat lying down... Denied the right to open in the UNESCO World Heritage site, it's suing the city for €17.8 million in damages; papers were filed Monday in the administrative court, which arbitrates cases filed against government agencies.
Florence's mayor turned down the McDonald's in June and the decision was upheld by the panel responsible for preserving Florence's historic center. There are several McDonald's elsewhere in the city.
Some Italian news sources have reported that McDonald's is especially angry over the refusal because it had proposed changes in its business model to fit in better. The mayor, Dario Nardella, has said "McDonald's has the right to submit an application, because this is permitted under the law, but we also have the right to say no," adding that he felt the area was better suited for "traditional business."
Image above from last summer's campaign against the McDonald's
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