Labor and Policy

  • The side view of a Pizza Hut restaurant can be seen, with promotional posters and banners on the windows and walls.
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    Brandon Bell via Getty Images
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    Pizza Hut franchisee to settle delivery drivers’ FLSA dispute for $4.75M

    The drivers alleged their actual payment fell below minimum wage due to unreimbursed gas costs, vehicle upkeep and more.

    By Emilie Shumway • Oct. 23, 2024
  • A McDonald's restaurant sign between trees. The sign reads, "McDonald's"
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    Brandon Bell via Getty Images
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    McDonald’s takes Quarter Pounders off the menu at a fifth of restaurants after E. coli outbreak

    The CDC said that 49 people fell ill after eating the burgers, but an analyst said comparisons to Chipotle’s past outbreaks were premature.

    By • Oct. 23, 2024
  • A young man wears a black hat and black apron smiles at the camera. There are three people blurred out in the background. They are standing behind a makeline.
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    Courtesy of Chipotle
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    Chipotle’s latest automation tool to help with hiring, recruitment

    Paradox, a conversational AI system, will manage administrative tasks and is expected to reduce the time to hire by 75%.

    By • Oct. 22, 2024
  • A photo illustration of Kamala Harris and Donald Trump shoulder to shoulder facing away from each other. The background is a purple wave with a grid gradient.
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    Photo illustration: Industry Dive; Joe Readle/Getty Images; Brandon Bell/Getty Images

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    What could the 2024 election mean for restaurants?

    As the industry looks to bipartisan lobbying, organized labor hopes its electoral ground game will result in a labor-friendly Democratic administration.

    By • Oct. 22, 2024
  • Close up of African American voter with national flag in waiting line during US elections.
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    Drazen Zigic via Getty Images
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    Opinion

    Serving the electorate: Restaurants and voters share common ground this election

    Inflation, the job market, economy, taxes and immigration reform are key issues impacting operators ahead of the election, writes the National Restaurant Association’s Michelle Korsmo.

    By Michelle Korsmo • Oct. 18, 2024
  • Two autonomous vehicles with Avride and Uber branding
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    Courtesy of Avride
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    Uber Eats to deliver with Avride robots in Austin

    The deal is the latest in a string of partnerships between the delivery giant and robotics developers, and includes sidewalk robots and robotaxis.

    By • Oct. 4, 2024
  • A beige building with a green sign and white lettering that says "Panera Bread."
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    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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    Panera undertakes more corporate layoffs

    An unspecified number of employees have been cut from its St. Louis and Newton, Massachusetts support centers, marking its second layoff round in 11 months.

    By • Oct. 2, 2024
  • An image of a refreshed Subway.
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    Courtesy of Subway
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    Employee sues Subway, franchisee for wage theft

    A lawsuit filed by a California worker alleges that an operator routinely failed to pay her overtime and that she was denied sick leave for years.

    By • Oct. 1, 2024
  • A red sticker on a restaurant window announcing the restaurant offers delivery with DoorDash.
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    Michael M. Santiago via Getty Images
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    DoorDash, Uber Eats win NYC customer data court battle

    New York City’s rule requiring delivery apps to give restaurants consumer information violates the First Amendment, a judge found Tuesday.

    By • Sept. 25, 2024
  • People work at a restaurant at Chelsea Market in Manhattan on February 02, 2024 in New York City.
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    Spencer Platt via Getty Images
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    Opinion

    How to train your restaurant employees so they learn fast and enjoy their work

    Training is an excellent opportunity to share your restaurant’s culture and what makes it unique, writes D. J. Costantino, senior content marketing manager at 7shifts.  

    By D. J. Costantino • Sept. 24, 2024
  • Union members hold up a sign reading 'Wage Theft' with similar graphic design to a Waffle House sign behind them.
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    Courtesy of Union of Southern Service Workers
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    Union accuses Waffle House of chronic wage theft

    The Union of Southern Service Workers asked the Department of Labor to revoke Waffle House’s ability to take a tip credit, saying it often paid workers a subminimum wage for tasks that required the full minimum wage.

    By • Sept. 24, 2024
  • Olo founder Noah Glass on Olo's first day of trading
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    Permission granted by Olo
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    Olo cuts 9% of workforce despite profitability

    The restaurant tech company laid off more employees after reporting a 27% revenue surge last quarter to attain “balanced growth.”

    By • Updated Sept. 23, 2024
  • A still from Chipotle's promotional automated makeline shows corn bouncing in a bowl.
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    Retrieved from Chipotle on October 03, 2023
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    Chipotle starts in-store testing for avocado, makeline robots

    The two pieces of equipment, including the Autocado, were developed in conjunction with firms backed by its venture fund.

    By • Sept. 16, 2024
  • A Chuck E. Cheese sign.
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    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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    Chuck E. Cheese parent sued over workplace sexual harassment

    A 17-year-old employee alleges she was inappropriately touched by a manager over a period of months while working at a West Virginia Chuck E. Cheese.

    By • Updated Sept. 13, 2024
  • A smiling white man in a suit. He's wearing a jacket with peaked lapels and no tie, for what it's worth.
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    Permission granted by Starbucks
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    Starbucks CEO’s 4-part strategy hinges on coffeehouse roots

    In a letter to workers and consumers, Brian Niccol laid out a multipart strategy for revitalizing the chain’s core business in the U.S.

    By • Sept. 10, 2024
  • An image of a man standing in front of a gray background.
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    Courtesy of Chipotle
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    Deep Dive

    Brian Niccol was hired to transform Starbucks. Is that possible?

    Niccol must contend with the coffee chain’s growing brand identity and consumer perception problems, and balance its “third place” value proposition with efficient digital fulfillment.

    By • Sept. 9, 2024
  • An image of Pinstripes
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    Courtesy of Pinstripes
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    Pinstripes warns of corporate layoffs as losses mount

    This workforce reduction is part of the chain’s plan to save $4 million in corporate costs, and follows a series of venue-level cost cutting measures.

    By • Sept. 5, 2024
  • An exterior shot of the U.S. Department of Labor's headquarters.
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    Kate Tornone/Restaurant Dive
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    5th Circuit tosses DOL’s tip credit final rule

    The department’s “80/20” guidance for dual job workers is inconsistent with the Fair Labor Standards Act, the court held.

    By Ryan Golden , • Aug. 27, 2024
  • DOL's sign stands outside its headquarters.
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    Thinkstock via Getty Images
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    Pennsylvania restaurant must pay $1.3M in back wages, withheld tips

    The DOL found the operator of a La Tolteca Authentic Mexican Restaurant violated the Fair Labor Standards Act by creating an illegal tip pool. A federal judge agreed.

    By • Aug. 23, 2024
  • Earle Cabell Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in Dallas, Texas.
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    The image by Renegomezphotography is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
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    Judge strikes down FTC noncompete ban nationwide

    The ruling comes just 15 days prior to the ban’s Sept. 4 effective date.

    By Ryan Golden • Aug. 21, 2024
  • Starbucks-Labor Unions
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    (Photo by Scott Olson) via Getty Images
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    What Starbucks’ new CEO choice could mean for the company

    Analysts predicted new products and advertising would be immediate points of emphasis for incoming CEO Brian Niccol, with major changes looming on the horizon.

    By • Aug. 14, 2024
  • A photo of an IHOP sign
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    Bruce Bennett via Getty Images
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    IHOP owner agrees to pay $40K to settle claim it denied worker Sundays off for religious observance

    An IHOP general manager allegedly told staff the worker thought it was more important to go to church than to pay bills.

    By Ginger Christ • Aug. 12, 2024
  • Starbucks logo on building exterior
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    Bruce Bennett via Getty Images
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    Ex-Starbucks manager who alleged she was ‘wrongly accused of racism’ may amend discrimination claims

    A New Jersey judge sided with Starbucks, noting that some of the plaintiff’s claims were barred by statutes of limitations.

    By Ryan Golden • Aug. 6, 2024
  • The Michigan Hall of Justice, which houses the state's Supreme Court, on a cold day.
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    Steven_Kriemadis via Getty Images
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    Michigan Supreme Court moves to eliminate tipped subminimum wage

    The court rejected a legislative procedure used to weaken labor law reforms in 2018, but adopt-and-amend tactics held the tipped subminimum wage steady for six years.

    By • Aug. 1, 2024
  • A worker takes a bowl of processed avocados from a prototype of Vebu's Autocado.
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    Courtesy of Chipotle
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    Chipotle’s advanced equipment strategy takes a step forward

    The fast casual giant said its avocado processing machine and automated digital makeline are in the final steps before in-restaurant testing.

    By • July 26, 2024