system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
Establishments that donates $1 with every purchase of something. Why don't they just donate it themselves, or the consumers donate it directly to charity? 

I see that McDonalds at my country is now having a campaign, where they will donate $1 to your local charity for every purchase of a certain burger set. 

Why don't they just donate the money outright, or why don't the people who actually care about this sort of stuff donate their money to charity anyway? The campaign feels a little scummy to me.
gpt
Marketing.

It makes the company appear like they're being socially responsible to many consumers. It also skews consumer perception to justify in their minds a purchase that they otherwise wouldn't have made.

As for feeling scummy about the idea of it, you're not alone.