The Blackfeet Nation on Tuesday condemned the actions of a manager at a McDonald’s restaurant in Ronan, Montana, who turned away a group of young Native athletes last Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, calling the incident unacceptable and deeply concerning.
The restaurant is located on the Flathead Reservation, and the athletes were traveling through the area when they were denied service, according to a statement from the Blackfeet Nation.
“This action was unacceptable and deeply concerning, particularly given the long history of discrimination that Native people continue to face in towns across Montana, including Ronan,” the tribe said.
Tribal leaders said the athletes were representing their families, schools and the Blackfeet Nation and should have been treated with dignity and fairness.
“Our young athletes were representing their families, their schools, and the Blackfeet Nation with pride,” the statement said. “They deserved to be treated with dignity and fairness. Instead, they were met with conduct that contradicts the basic standards of respect that all people — especially Native youth — should receive.”
The Blackfeet Nation emphasized that its cultural values center on generosity, respect and inclusion, and said the incident violated those principles.
“Where we come from, we do not turn people away,” the statement said. “Our values demand better than what our youth experienced.”
Tribal leaders said the incident should not be attributed to the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, whose reservation includes Ronan.
“We want to be clear: our concern is not with the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, whose sovereignty and community we respect,” the statement said. “The issue lies solely with the actions of the McDonald’s management involved.”
The Blackfeet Nation called on McDonald’s corporate leadership to respond to the incident and take steps to prevent future discrimination at locations operating on tribal lands.
“Businesses operating on tribal lands have a responsibility to treat Native people with fairness, dignity, and cultural awareness,” the statement said.
The tribe said it remains committed to protecting Native youth and confronting discrimination.
“The Blackfeet Nation remains committed to protecting the wellbeing of our children and standing firmly against discrimination in all its forms,” the statement said. “We will continue to advocate for accountability, respect, and the safety of our people wherever they travel.”
Native News Online asked for a comment from McDonald’s headquarters in Chicago. On Wednesday afternoon, the McDonald’s public relations department sent the following statement:
“We’re aware of the incident that occurred at our Ronan restaurant, which was the result of an unfortunate misunderstanding – and not in any way a reflection of our values. We sincerely apologize for the frustration this has caused. We’ve addressed the situation with our team and personally reached out to Browning High School to make things right. Let me be clear: Everyone is welcome in our restaurant. We’re honored to serve the Ronan community and look forward to welcoming all students at any time.” – Chris and Melissa Crawshaw, local McDonald’s owner/operators
The Crawshaws own and operate seven McDonald’s in Montana.
