This week’s episode of Restaurant Business Podcast, A Deeper Dive, hosted by Restaurant Business Editor-in-Chief Jonathan Maze featured DDIFO restaurant analyst John Gordon of Pacific Management Consulting Group speaking to the question of “Why are there so many big franchise disputes right now?” and addressing specifically current disputes within the McDonald’s, Subway and 7-Eleven systems. You can listen to the discussion here. We also took note last week when both Starbucks and Chipotle announced that they have decided to lift mask mandates for their customers across the country – unless they are still required by local regulations. Employees will still be required to wear facemasks however, continuing the mandate that was first imposed last July. And finally, new data from the University of Michigan Survey of Consumers reveals that consumer sentiment took a hit in early May as news of high inflation went public. Initial consumer sentiment readings dropped 5.5 points to 82.8 compared to April—erasing gains made last month.