Labor and Policy
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DoorDash to require 150K workers to verify IDs weekly
The delivery platform framed the more stringent verification policies as a way to improve consumer and merchant peace of mind.
By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Dec. 13, 2024 -
Base pay has grown for restaurant workers: report
A steady rise in base wages has shrunk tips as a proportion of compensation, but the median tipped worker still gets $14.48 an hour in tips, per ADP.
By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Dec. 10, 2024 -
Starbucks scheduling tools crippled by Blue Yonder outage
A ransomware attack against the software vendor has pushed the coffee chain to temporarily rely on manual scheduling to ensure workers are paid for hours.
By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Nov. 26, 2024 -
Waffle House claims NLRB process is unconstitutional
The casual chain has faced union organizing activity for over a year, and now wants the court to weaken the agency tasked with regulating labor law.
By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Nov. 22, 2024 -
$35K overtime salary threshold back in effect
A federal judge ruled that the Department of Labor’s 2024 rule exceeded the agency’s authority and is unlawful.
By Ginger Christ • Nov. 18, 2024 -
Chipotle defrauded investors with inconsistent meal sizes, says plaintiff seeking class action
The case is an example of securities lawsuits run amok, a directors and officers liability law specialist says.
By Robert Freedman • Nov. 14, 2024 -
Captive audience meetings are unlawful, NLRB says
The meetings, a common strategy for employers during union drives, “have a reasonable tendency to interfere with and coerce employees” in the exercise of their rights, the Board decided.
By Emilie Shumway • Nov. 13, 2024 -
KFC sues Church’s Texas Chicken over ‘original recipe’ ads
KFC claims Church’s use of the marketing phrase will deceive customers into thinking they are buying items from KFC.
By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Nov. 13, 2024 -
DoorDash to pay $11.3M in Illinois tip settlement
The settlement will fund payments to as many as 79,000 workers who completed deliveries on the app from 2017 to 2019.
By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Nov. 12, 2024 -
Serve Robotics buys Autocado maker Vebu
The acquisition of the Chipotle-backed equipment developer signals Serve’s interests are growing from the sidewalk to the kitchen.
By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Nov. 7, 2024 -
EEOC alleges Culver’s operators fired a transgender worker who complained about deadnaming
Four workers, including the transgender worker who was the subject of the harassment, were fired a day after reporting the behavior to the general manager, EEOC alleged.
By Ginger Christ • Nov. 4, 2024 -
How Starbucks plans to get back to being a coffeehouse
The coffee giant thinks ceramic mugs, a coffee condiments bar and comfy chairs are a good start toward improving its in-store vibe.
By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Nov. 1, 2024 -
Hooters’ alleged colorism costs $250,000 in EEOC case
Following the layoff of about 43 employees in the Greensboro, North Carolina area in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Hooters allegedly rehired workers who were predominantly White or had lighter skin.
By Caroline Colvin • Oct. 25, 2024 -
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 -
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 Julie Littman • Oct. 23, 2024 -
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 Julie Littman • Oct. 22, 2024 -
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 Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Oct. 22, 2024 -
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 -
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 Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Oct. 4, 2024 -
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 Julie Littman • Oct. 2, 2024 -
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 Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Oct. 1, 2024 -
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 Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Sept. 25, 2024 -
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 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 Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Sept. 24, 2024 -
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 Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Updated Sept. 23, 2024