A blockbuster story dropped early this week when it was announced that McDonald’s had finally reached a settlement with franchisee Herb Washington is his lawsuit alleging racial discrimination against the Golden Arches. It was reported that in exchange for dropping his lawsuit against the company, McDonald’s would purchase Washington’s 13 stores for a total of $33.5 million, a figure that represents the full value of his holdings according to the company. A separate lawsuit filed in September 2020 by some 50 black franchisees who alleged the company misled them about the economic opportunities they would have as franchisees but then placed them in crime-ridden neighborhoods that are destined to fail with low-volume sales. While that suit is still pending in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, CEO Chris Kempczinski announced earlier this month that the company is planning to invest $250 million over the next five years to build a more diverse base of franchise owners by reducing upfront equity requirements and leveraging its network of banking partners to increase financing options.