Labor and Policy

  • An image of a Starbucks sign
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of Starbucks
    Image attribution tooltip

    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 • Nov. 26, 2024
  • Union members hold up a sign reading 'Wage Theft' with similar graphic design to a Waffle House sign behind them.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of Union of Southern Service Workers
    Image attribution tooltip

    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 • Nov. 22, 2024
  • A person walks toward the door of the U.S. Department of Labor building.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Kate Tornone/Restaurant Dive
    Image attribution tooltip

    $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, Stradmore, LaCroix, D&O law, portion size
    Image attribution tooltip
    Scott Olson via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    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
  • The National Labor Relations Board headquarters building on Half Street in Washington, D.C.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Ryan Golden/Restaurant Dive
    Image attribution tooltip

    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
  • An overhead view of fried chicken and sides.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of Church's Texas Chicken
    Image attribution tooltip

    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 • Nov. 13, 2024
  • A DoorDash delivery worker walks his bike along the road in the Mission neighborhood of San Francisco, California.
    Image attribution tooltip
    hapabapa via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    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 • Nov. 12, 2024
  • A worker takes a bowl of processed avocados from a prototype of Vebu's Autocado.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of Chipotle
    Image attribution tooltip

    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 • Nov. 7, 2024
  • Culver's restaurant exterior
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of Culver's
    Image attribution tooltip

    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
  • A man takes orders at a Starbucks counter.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Spencer Platt via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    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 • Nov. 1, 2024
  • 0: Hooters Girls train at the Hooters Restaurant inside the now-defunct Hooters Casino Hotel January 30, 2006 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Ethan Miller via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    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
  • The side view of a Pizza Hut restaurant can be seen, with promotional posters and banners on the windows and walls.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Brandon Bell via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    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
  • A McDonald's restaurant sign between trees. The sign reads, "McDonald's"
    Image attribution tooltip
    Brandon Bell via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    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 • Oct. 23, 2024
  • A young man wears a black hat and black apron smiles at the camera. There are three people blurred out in the background. They are standing behind a makeline.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of Chipotle
    Image attribution tooltip

    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 • Oct. 22, 2024
  • A photo illustration of Kamala Harris and Donald Trump shoulder to shoulder facing away from each other. The background is a purple wave with a grid gradient.
    Image attribution tooltip

    Photo illustration: Industry Dive; Joe Readle/Getty Images; Brandon Bell/Getty Images

    Image attribution tooltip

    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 • Oct. 22, 2024
  • Close up of African American voter with national flag in waiting line during US elections.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Drazen Zigic via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip
    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
  • Two autonomous vehicles with Avride and Uber branding
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of Avride
    Image attribution tooltip

    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 • Oct. 4, 2024
  • A beige building with a green sign and white lettering that says "Panera Bread."
    Image attribution tooltip
    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    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 • Oct. 2, 2024
  • An image of a refreshed Subway.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of Subway
    Image attribution tooltip

    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 • Oct. 1, 2024
  • A red sticker on a restaurant window announcing the restaurant offers delivery with DoorDash.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Michael M. Santiago via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    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 • Sept. 25, 2024
  • People work at a restaurant at Chelsea Market in Manhattan on February 02, 2024 in New York City.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Spencer Platt via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip
    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 members hold up a sign reading 'Wage Theft' with similar graphic design to a Waffle House sign behind them.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of Union of Southern Service Workers
    Image attribution tooltip

    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 • Sept. 24, 2024
  • Olo founder Noah Glass on Olo's first day of trading
    Image attribution tooltip
    Permission granted by Olo
    Image attribution tooltip

    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 • Updated Sept. 23, 2024
  • A still from Chipotle's promotional automated makeline shows corn bouncing in a bowl.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Retrieved from Chipotle on October 03, 2023
    Image attribution tooltip

    Chipotle starts in-store testing for avocado, makeline robots

    The two pieces of equipment, including the Autocado, were developed in conjunction with firms backed by its venture fund.

    By • Sept. 16, 2024
  • A Chuck E. Cheese sign.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Chuck E. Cheese parent sued over workplace sexual harassment

    A 17-year-old employee alleges she was inappropriately touched by a manager over a period of months while working at a West Virginia Chuck E. Cheese.

    By • Updated Sept. 13, 2024