NLRB finalizes ruling that reduces joint employer liability for franchisers

Restaurants will now only be considered a joint employer of an operator's employees if they have direct control over workers' essential terms of employment, including wages, benefits and work hours.

By Emma Liem Beckett • Feb. 25, 2020

McDonald's faces more racial discrimination accusations

A group of current and former McDonald’s franchisees has retained a law firm to investigate the chain, just a month after a racial discrimination lawsuit was filed by two senior company execs. 

By Alicia Kelso • Feb. 24, 2020

Wendy's pays $400K to settle Massachusetts child labor charges

Several of the nation's biggest restaurant chains, including Chipotle and Qdoba, have been charged with violating Massachusetts' child labor laws. 

By Lisa Burden • Feb. 21, 2020

Burgerim drama mounts as WA, MD revoke franchise registration

Franchisees of the beleaguered burger chain, once considered one of the hottest and fastest growing brands, face additional challenges as states revoke the franchisor's right to sell licenses.

By Alicia Kelso • Feb. 13, 2020

Proposed CA bill would require food delivery apps to share customer data with restaurants

The bill will be amended to require delivery apps to gain agreement from restaurants before listing them on their platform, Lorena Gonzalez's office told Restaurant Dive, echoing proposed Rhode Island legislation.

By Julie Littman • Updated Feb. 20, 2020

Proposed RI bill would fine delivery providers for listing non-partnered restaurants

Companies would be penalized $1,000 each day a violation occurs, and any merchant could bring action in superior court to recover actual damages or up to $5,000. 

By Julie Littman • Updated Feb. 12, 2020

Chipotle to pay more than $1M to settle Massachusetts child labor violations

The news comes just months after a competitor faced child labor law violations in the same state.

By Ryan Golden • Jan. 28, 2020

New York City bans cashless stores

New York City is now the largest city in the U.S. to ban cash-free stores, joining Philadelphia, San Francisco and New Jersey.

By Julie Littman • Jan. 24, 2020

McDonald's app connects workers to education benefits, growth opportunities

The mobile application may touch on a few trends: employer branding, talent pathways and retention.

By Katie Clarey • Jan. 22, 2020

Indiana McDonald's workers can learn on the job via 'crosswalk credits'

Three hundred of the restaurants will partner with Ivy Tech Community College to help employees advance their education.

By Katie Clarey • Jan. 14, 2020

DOL narrows 'joint employer' definition in final rule

The new standard is effective March 16 and looks to reduce questions of responsibility that sparked recent lawsuits against restaurant chains for their franchisees' wage and scheduling violations.

By Emma Liem Beckett • Jan. 13, 2020

Only 34% of operators 'very confident' they can identify food safety concerns

Comparatively, in 2018, 50% of operators felt they could identify food safety risks before they became an issue, according to a study from Zenput and Technomic. 

By Alicia Kelso • Jan. 9, 2020

Judge denies Uber, Postmates injunction in AB-5 case

U.S. District Judge Dolly Gee said the law doesn't target app-based businesses, as the two companies argued, and doesn't violate the 14th Amendment's equal protection clause. 

By Jennifer Carsen , Emma Liem Beckett • Updated Feb. 11, 2020

Starbucks to pay NYC employees $176K over sick leave violations

The coffee chain also agreed to provide informational posters about its sick leave policy inside all city stores, provide plain language information on its policy and follow up with the city in six months.  

By Julie Littman • Dec. 20, 2019

McDonald's lands major labor win in 2-1 ruling

The National Labor Relations Board absolved McDonald's as a joint employer from responsibility for labor violations brought forward in 2012 by Fight for $15 and other labor groups. 

By Emma Liem Beckett • Dec. 12, 2019

Flynn Restaurant Group adopts instant pay across its 1,200 restaurants

The franchise operator has expanded its partnership with DailyPay to improve employee turnover. 

By Lauren Manning • Dec. 5, 2019

Chipotle agrees to $95K payout in sexual harassment suit

A former employee claims he was locked in a walk-in freezer for reporting a sexual harassment incident, adding to a slew of sexual harassment lawsuits hitting the QSR space. 

By Alicia Kelso • Dec. 4, 2019

On the Border settles race claim for $100K and a letter from its chief people officer

EEOC alleged the employer failed to act when employees at the restaurant repeatedly subjected a co-worker to racial slurs.

By Lisa Burden • Dec. 4, 2019

California McDonald's workers win $26M settlement over wage theft

The agreement ends seven years of litigation over pay and hour violations at corporate stores, but this isn't the only class action lawsuit involving the chain.

By Julie Littman • Nov. 25, 2019

ADA lawsuits target physical gift cards

Starbucks appears to be the only major restaurant retailer that provides gift cards with Braille, according to a growing number of ADA-based lawsuits.

By Lauren Manning • Nov. 22, 2019

Class action suit alleges McDonald's manager groped, shoved employee

At the heart of the allegations is McDonald's status as a franchisor, and the consequences that may hold for workers.

By Ryan Golden • Nov. 15, 2019

Grubhub threatened with legislative action if it doesn't fix phone order issues

In response, the delivery company is creating a third-party task force to address restaurant complaints about unfair charges for diner calls from Grubhub channels.

By Alicia Kelso • Nov. 14, 2019

DoorDash delivery workers earn 12.5% more on average under new pay model

Overall Dasher earnings including tips rose $1.30 in October, the platform's first full month under the payment system, according to a company blog post. 

By Emma Liem Beckett • Nov. 13, 2019

Subway enforcing 20-year lease agreements to stem store closures, NY Post reports

Franchisees told the publication those who don't renew their five-year leases must complete a corporate questionnaire to try and find replacement operators.

By Emma Liem Beckett • Nov. 11, 2019

Buffalo Wild Wings to conduct sensitivity training following alleged racist incident

The company's response appears to borrow from the playbook of employers that have faced similar incidents, like Starbucks.

By Ryan Golden • Nov. 8, 2019