The pandemic may have receded as a public health crisis in the U.S., but it has left in its wake a number of labor and economic challenges that franchisees of quick-service restaurants will be dealing with for months and even years to come. From union agitation to higher food prices to employee wage and benefit…
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For two years, Dunkin’ franchisees have had to operate under unprecedented regulatory conditions due to the pandemic – from mandatory store shutdowns to proof-of-vaccination orders. But could the regulatory nightmare finally be coming to an end? It sure looks like it, based on political and coronavirus-immunity trends of late. Still, there will be no shortage…
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At one time, omicron was known by most people as a Greek letter. The word literally means “little O.” But today, the word has followed the virus it is named for as a phenomenon that swept the planet. In many ways, governments and business have responded the way they did nearly two years ago, when…
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Every day, every week, every month seems to pose new challenges for Dunkin’ franchisees, thanks largely to the pandemic and economic turmoil of late. The latest challenge: increased union-organizing activity within the food-service industry. In this edition of “What’s Brewing,” we explain why Dunkin’ franchisees should be concerned, though not alarmed, about the unionization trend,…
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The Coalition of Franchisee Associations (CFA) recently held its annual Legal Symposium in Las Vegas. Even with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 Legal Symposium enjoyed its highest attendance since the CFA began the annual program in 2015, featuring franchisees from 33 national brands. A featured speaker was Nevada Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, who is…
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Entering the summer, there was so much hope life would return to some semblance of normal after more than a year of emergency COVID-19 lockdowns and restrictions. Vaccination programs were fully under way. Government officials were lifting pandemic business restrictions. One could finally meet up with old friends without masks. But that was then and…
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Summer 2021 is being billed as a return to “normal,” as vaccinations against COVID-19 continue and businesses resume regular operations. But, behind some of the rosy projections for the resumption of life as we knew it, there are some hard realities facing business owners in every sector, particularly quick-service restaurants. In this edition of “What’s…
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Dunkin’ and other quick-service franchise owners face some big challenges as we head into the summer. The good news is that the economy is picking up steam, with rising demand for everything from coffee and snacks to cars as people return to work. But as the economy comes back to life, the quick-service restaurant sector…
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Dunkin’ franchise owners were standout performers in the challenging times that followed the arrival of the coronavirus pandemic last spring. While the rest of the restaurant industry has struggled to stay above water, Dunkin’ and other quick-service restaurants have done a remarkable job adapting to difficult circumstances, quickly shifting their focus to app-based delivery and…
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As franchisees address the many employment issues related to the pandemic, the question now is what to do about vaccines. When considering how best to proceed, franchisees must be familiar with the employment law issues that are implicated. We’ve chosen several to highlight here. Vaccination Relaxes Quarantine Mandate Stopping short of eliminating quarantine requirements for…
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