Chipotle hires top HR execs as it continues to grow its workforce

Ilene Eskenazi has been hired as the chain’s chief human resources officer, and Lois Alexis-Collins is now chief people officer, field operations. 

By Julie Littman • Nov. 8, 2023

Las Vegas Culinary Union reaches tentative agreement with Caesars to prevent strike

The deal would cover approximately 10,000 hospitality workers across nine properties on the Strip.

By Noelle Mateer • Nov. 8, 2023

Starbucks’ new benefits, planned raises draw union criticism

Unionized stores are excluded from a new vacation accrual policy and a national barista championship, but will receive raises alongside other workers.

By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Nov. 7, 2023

Panera Bread chops 17% of corporate staff ahead of IPO

Roughly 306 supporting staff positions were reportedly cut to improve operations as the company gears up for Panera Brands’ public debut.

By Julie Littman • Nov. 2, 2023

IFA forms law center to fight joint employer rules

The center aims to dismantle legislation and rules that put franchisors on the hook for franchisee labor law violations.

By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Nov. 2, 2023

McDonald’s sees low-income diner traffic dip, braces for cash flow disruption in California

The Golden Arches reported 8% same-stores sales growth for Q3 thanks in part to strategic menu price increases, but CEO Chris Kempczinski said it will closely watch how these changes impact lower-income diners. 

By Emma Liem Beckett • Oct. 30, 2023

NLRB delays effective date of joint employer rule to February

In a reprieve for franchisors, the National Labor Relations Board pushed back the date its joint employer rule would take effect to early next year.

By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Updated Nov. 20, 2023

Chipotle will raise wages in California, continue testing robots

The chain plans to hike prices by mid-to-high single digits in California next year to compensate for a 20% wage increase in that market.

By Aneurin Canham-Clyne , Julie Littman • Oct. 27, 2023

Starbucks’ threat to cut abortion travel benefits violated NLRA, agency judge says

Starbucks has been hit with a litany of labor-related complaints as its workers across the country have unionized.

By Ginger Christ • Oct. 20, 2023

Domino’s promotes EVP of human resources

The company has struggled with labor retention and recruitment, especially of delivery drivers, since the COVID-19 pandemic. 

By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Oct. 17, 2023

‘A low bar’: How California’s new workplace violence prevention plan aims to make workplaces safer

The new law is the first in the U.S. to establish an industrywide workplace violence prevention standard and could lead other states to follow, experts say.

By Ginger Christ • Oct. 16, 2023

How drive-thru-only units are shaping QSR operations

Smaller units can lower costs and optimize operations, experts said during Restaurant Dive’s off-premise trends virtual event in September.

By Julie Littman • Oct. 16, 2023

Dine Brand’s Chief People Officer on her first 100 days

Expanding parental leave and adopting a new human resources platform were two of the first orders of business for Sarah Cannon-Foster in her new role.

By Julie Littman • Oct. 12, 2023

Chicago to eliminate subminimum wage

The law sets the maximum tip credit at 40% of the city’s minimum wage on July 1, 2024, and decreases the allowable tip credit 8% every year until 2028.

By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Oct. 6, 2023

Starbucks asks Supreme Court to intervene in union fight

If the Supreme Court sided with Starbucks, the change would make it more difficult for the National Labor Relations Board to reinstate, in a timely fashion, workers fired for protected activity.

By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Oct. 5, 2023

The restaurant labor market in 6 key statistics

Turnover has fallen in H1 2024, while unemployment and total jobs in restaurants remained steady, indicating a return to pre-pandemic labor market dynamics.

By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Updated Oct. 7, 2024

Subway operators ordered to pay nearly $1M in back wages, shutter operations

The U.S. Department of Labor found the franchisees told children as young as 14 and 15 to use dangerous equipment, had minors work illegal hours and issued bad checks for payroll. 

By Julie Littman • Oct. 2, 2023

Starbucks to fight NLRB ruling that its benefits violated labor law

A National Labor Relations Board judge found the coffee chain implemented wage and benefits changes to discourage workers from backing Starbucks Workers United.

By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Oct. 2, 2023

New York Judge denies DoorDash, Uber Eats, Grubhub injunction against delivery minimum wage

DoorDash confirmed, barring other legal developments, that it will have to pay its New York City delivery workers $17.96 an hour starting on Monday.

By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Sept. 29, 2023

EEOC alleges Chipotle supervisor pulled on, removed Muslim worker’s hijab

The case may point to the need for anti-harassment training for managers.

By Emilie Shumway • Sept. 29, 2023

NLRB dings Starbucks for cracking down on union T-shirts

Employees also were illegally barred from writing customer-provided, pro-union monikers on cups, among other violations, the NLRB found. 

By Emilie Shumway • Sept. 28, 2023

California Gov. Gavin Newsom signs $20 fast food minimum wage into law

The deal, AB 1228, establishes a council with limited power to set the pace of wage increases until 2029, in what the SEIU calls a “historic” turn for labor.

By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Sept. 28, 2023

Judge denies NYC motion to dismiss delivery fee cap suit

A suit filed by DoorDash, Uber Eats and Grubhub to overturn the city’s 15% delivery fee cap can proceed after a judge ruled it is plausible the city interfered with the aggregators’ contracts. 

By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Sept. 20, 2023

Boston Market pays $630K in back wages in NJ, lifting stop-work order

The New Jersey Department of Labor gave the green light for Boston Market to reopen 27 locations, but it’s unclear how many have done so.

By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Sept. 19, 2023

Black Sweetgreen workers sue chain for racial discrimination and sexual harassment

Managers and coworkers called Black workers racial slurs and female workers faced sexual harassment and inappropriate touching, a lawsuit claims.

By Julie Littman • Sept. 15, 2023