Employees file law suit
Ten former employees of a restaurant located in a Virginia McDonald’s, have made claims that they were discriminated against while on the job. Nine of the plaintiffs are African-American, and one is Hispanic. The suit alleges that they were wrongfully terminated and replaced with white employees.Plaintiffs were subjected to rampant racial and sexual harassment, committed by the restaurants’ highest-ranking supervisors. Together, these supervisors demeaned African American workers; often complained that:
There are too many black people in the store. Called African-American workers bitch, ghetto, and ratchet; called Hispanic workers dirty Mexican; disciplined African-American employees for rule infractions that were forgiven when committed by white employees; inappropriately touched female employees on their legs and buttocks; sent female employees sexual pictures; and solicited sexual relations from female employees.
Labor board brings formal charges
0 CommentsThe National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) files a formal charge against McDonald’s, alleging that it violates workers’ rights and threatens retribution against employees who participate in strikes. The charges cover both franchises in 13 cities and the parent company. Labor and employment law expert at the UC Irvine School of Law, Catherine Fisk:
The federal government’s complaint makes clear that fast-food companies like McDonald’s can’t have it both ways — it can’t exercise such pervasive control over a workplace and effectively dictate wages and working conditions while still saying that it’s not the employer.
Menu trimmed
0 CommentsMcDonald’s announces that it will remove eight items from its menu. The number of extra value meals available will also be reduced, from 16 to 11. The company says the number of Quarter Pounders will be cut back from four to one, and only one premium chicken sandwich and wrap each will be sold, instead of the current three. The new menu is already available in six cities, which according to McDonald’s USA president Michael Andres has already resulted is faster service times:
Drive-through wait times have already come down in those test markets
Mouse in coffee
0 CommentsA Canadian man says he found a dead mouse in his coffee cup. He allegedly noticed the rodent after his beverage was almost entirely consumed:
I always take the lid off to get my last sip of coffee. And when I took the lid off, there was a little bit of a surprise in my coffee cup. It was a dead mouse,
Both McDonald’s Canada and the Canadian Department of Health are investigating the incident. So far, no health violations have been discovered.
New campaign defends food quality
0 CommentsThe company launches a campaign in which it answers questions about its food. Customers are told that pink slime or preservatives are not present in its hamburgers, and other information is provided, such as what exactly is found in a Chicken McNugget and how Egg McMuffin eggs are made to be round.
Our beef patties are made from 100% pure beef. Nothing else is added. No fillers, extenders or so-called “pink slime.”
BB gun shooting
0 CommentsTwo people are arrested after a shooting incident with a BB gun at an Anderson, California restaurant. The patrons were apparently unhappy because no ketchup was included in their order. Two vehicles in the parking were also damaged by a BB gun. Both subjects have been booked into the Shasta County Jail.
Customized burgers
0 CommentsTwo San Diego area restaurants are testing a concept which allows customers to customize their burgers with a tablet. The concept was first tested in Orange County has now been expended. An employee delivers the food to the customers, and then buses the tables after the meal has been finished.
US Chief Creative Officer departing
0 CommentsMarlena Peleo-Lazar is leaving. She has been with the company for 14 years. Her responsibitities include overseeing the creative execution of both local and national marketing. McDonalds notes that as the Chief Creative Officer, Marlena Peleo-Lazar has had significant influence at McDonalds and in the advertising industry overall. Her son, Chris Peleo-Lazar, tweets “she’s just looking forward to her next adventure.”
Sign falls
0 CommentsA golden arches sign falls on two cars in the drive-thru line of a Weatherford, Oklahoma restaurant. One driver was trapped for almost 15 minutes. The drivers of both vehicles were taken to a hospital, but no injuries were reported. It is unclear why the sign fell.
More restaurants closed
Russian authorities close eight additional restaurants, bringing the total number of closed restaurants to twelve. The official reason for the closings is a concern for food safety, although many believe that they are politically motivated, related to the situation in Crimea and American sanctions against Russia. Company officials are looking into the concerns Russian officials have about their restaurants, and are working to reopen them as soon as possible:
Our main priority is to serve our customers with top-quality menu items
Orange juice lawsuit
0 CommentsA man sues McDonald’s after allegedly becoming injured while drinking orange juice. Klaus Geier claims that the cup he was drinking from had a four-inch spear inside of it, which became lodged in his throat while consuming the beverage. When he attempted to remove the spear, damage to his esophagus was sustained.
Restaurants closed
0 CommentsRussian authorities close four restaurants in Moscow, allegedly for food safety violations. There are a total of McDonald’s 435 restaurants in Russia. The company is working to reopen the locations as soon as possible:
Our main priority is to serve our customers with top-quality menu items
Coffee coming to supermarkets
McDonalds is in communications with Kraft to start selling the chains McCafé coffee in supermarkets by early next year. They are working to offer premium roast French vanilla and hazelnut. Single serve pods will also be available/ McDonald’s CEO Don Thompson has said his restaurants sell more coffee than anyone else in the country. Kraft used to distribute Starbucks coffee in grocery stores, but stopped in 2010 when the coffee chain dropped out of the partnership
Ice Bucket Challenge: Ronald McDonald
McDonald accepts the ALS challenge and nominates redheads worldwide.
Employee fired for butter printed swastika
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A customer is North Carolina receives a butter printed swastika with her sandwich. The McDonald’s franchise owner, Dulcy Purcell, says that the swastika sandwich photo was not a hoax and that the employee responsible had been fired.
We do not tolerate that kind of behavior at McDonald’s, and it’s not what we stand for personally as owners
The customer demanded an apology and a refund, which she received. The customer states she’s “not upset with McDonald’s anymore” and plans to continue eating there.
NLRB: Franchises are joint employers
The National Labor Relations Board announces that McDonald’s, along with its franchise operators, can be considered an employer of people working at franchise owned restaurants. McDonalds:
This is such a radical departure that it should be a concern to business men and women across the country
Japan stores stop China meat
McDonald’s Japan says the Chinese supplier accused of selling expired beef and chicken had provided 20 percent of the meat for its chicken nuggets. McDonalds, Burger King and Starbucks have stopped using the supplier for beef and chicken. The supplier says:
Our company management believes this to be an isolated event, but takes full responsibility for the situation and will take appropriate actions swiftly and comprehensively.
Ordering app available
McDonald’s tests the ‘McDonald’s Mobile Ordering’ app in 22 locations in Georgia and Alabama. Customers can order and pay for their food on the app and pick up their food outside at a curbside check-in or inside from a special queue. The app is free on Apple iOS and Google Android operating systems.
We are testing these technologies in a few markets, so it’s premature to speculate on the decisions we may make after the tests, but we’re excited to bring a cutting-edge experience in the future to our customers.
Ranks last in 2014 customer satisfaction rating
McDonald’s ranks last in American Customer Satisfaction Index’s ranking of fast food restaurants for 2014. Their satisfaction score fell from 73 percent in 2013 to 71 percent in 2014. The ratings are based on interviews from 4,572 customers contacted between January and March 2014.
We are always listening to our 27 million customers every day and appreciate hearing feedback from them and other sources as it helps us improve and evolve.
‘Happy’ character introduced
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“Happy,” a new Happy Meal character, is introduced to restaurants in the United States. He encourages children to make healthy food and drink choices.
At McDonald’s, we’re always looking to bring fun and happiness to families and listening to our customers’ asks to have more variety and wholesome options for kids to enjoy in their Happy Meals. Together, Happy and Go-GURT Low-Fat Strawberry Yogurt give kids and parents something to look forward to during their next trip to McDonald’s.