Free Republic

McDonald’s, Wendy’s and other fast-food restaurants are expected to be targeted with acts of civil disobedience that could lead to arrests Thursday as labor organizers escalate their campaign to unionize the industry’s workers. Kendall Fells, an organizing director for Fast Food Forward, said in an interview that workers in a couple of dozen cities were trained to peacefully engage in civil disobedience ahead of this week’s planned protests. Fells declined to say what exactly is in store for the protests in around 150 U.S. cities. But workers involved in the movement recently cited sit-ins as an example of strategies they...

Russia's food safety watchdog has suspended operations at four McDonald's restaurants in Moscow over alleged sanitary law breaches.

It had seemed to the four clean-cut college freshman that night like a typical McDonald’s: spanking clean, well-lighted, and safe. It was in a good neighborhood too, right next to Texas A&M University in College Station – a campus known for its friendly atmosphere and official down-home greeting: “howdy” Out on a double date, the two couples pulled into the parking lot of so-called “University McDonald’s” shortly after 2 a.m. that Sunday – and beheld a scene unlike anything portrayed in all those wholesome McDonald’s television commercials. Before them, hundreds of young black males were loitering about, some without shirts.Other...

McDonald’s employees who picketed for a better living wage (whatever that means) may come to regret that decision.... a McDonald’s in Illinois replaced their cashiers with machines. The machines appear to be the cousins of the ones found in grocery stores, big box stores, and CVS that allow customers to complete transactions... This is all basic economics, really. As costs of labor increase the added cost must be offset. In order to satisfy operating costs, produce a product consumers want to purchase, and still turn a profit, it’s perfectly reasonable for a company like McDonald’s to look for cost-cutting alternatives.......

Some people will do anything to satisfy a craving. One of those people is this man, who rode his bed through the McDonald’s drive through. A couple spotted the man, strapped face down down to an electrical gurney, driving himself across a busy street towards McDonald’s.

McDonald's on Friday reported July sales results that were much worse than analysts had expected. Following the report, the company's shares traded lower. The fast-food giant reported global same-store sales fell 2.5 percent, compared with the 1.1 percent drop forecast by Consensus Metrix. The dismal results prompted Janney Capital Markets to lower its estimates for the fast-food giant. Its analysts said the results "were the worst worldwide month in the last 10 years, once trading-day adjustments are taken into account."

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) made a very strange decision last week to rule that McDonald's MCD -0.23% the corporation, was a joint employer of the staff in the franchised restaurants. It was, of course, at the urging of those labour activists who would like to union organise in the sector. Dealing with one national company is obviously going to be easier than dealing with thousands of independent business owners. There’s a number of problems with this decision ranging from the way that it overturns what has long thought to be settled law, to it obviating already signed contracts...

In a decidedly unhappy meal, three men were charged with first-degree burglary after they climbed through a McDonald's restaurant drive-through window and fought with employees, according to charges filed in Ramsey County District Court. The three also were accused of third-degree riot for the benefit of a gang in the incident early July 24. According to the criminal complaint: The three -- Willie Charles Lassiter, 18, St. Paul; Evan Kasadine McMillan, 18, St. Paul; and Keith Lamar Garrett Jr., 20 -- were in an SUV at the McDonald's at 1388 E. Maryland Ave. when they argued with a 24-year-old employee...

A Brazos County jury on Wednesday awarded a $27 million in a lawsuit against McDonald’s relating to the 2012 deaths of two Blinn College students.Jurors found McDonald’s negligence to be 97 percent responsible for the deaths of Denton Ward, 18, of Flower Mound, and Lauren Bailey Crisp, 19, of Flower Mound, both of whom died in the early morning hours of Feb. 18, 2012. The remaining 3 percent of liability was laid on the men who violently attacked Ward and his friend, Tanner Giesen, 21, in the parking lot of the McDonald’s at 801 University Drive. The jury’s verdict reflects...

Just days after the taking Chicken McNuggets off its menu in the light of the China food scandal, McDonald’s Japan has unveiled a brand new, rather unusual product: Tofu Shinjo Nuggets and Ginger Sauce, a combination of bean curd, fish and vegetables shaped into bite-size pieces and deep-fried. Turning to tofu–a food that has long been a favourite in Japan and known for its health benefits–is certainly a wise move, and McDonald’s is undoubtedly in need of something new to entice customers back with, but while we’ve no doubt all craved deep-fried chicken at some point in our lives, we’d...

Another day, another radical move from the Obama administration. In a big win for the more opportunistic corners of the organized-labor movement, the National Labor Relations Board decided this week that, in a range of labor cases involving McDonald’s, it will consider the corporate parents of franchise businesses liable for the labor agreements reached between franchises and their employees. The NLRB has maintained otherwise for 30 years, refusing to consider corporations with franchises to be part of a “joint employer” arrangement. Why decide that corporations are employers of employees whom they don’t hire, don’t pay, and can’t fire? Because the...

Once again, one man has dictated a major change of federal law that can cost American families dearly. It may double the price of your Big Mac, Whopper, fried chicken, donuts or other purchases at your local fast-food restaurant. Where’s the beef coming from? Surprise! This time it’s neither President Obama nor Attorney General Eric Holder who is twisting the law like a pretzel from Auntie Anne’s. It’s Obama appointee Richard Griffin, the president’s hand-picked choice for the all-powerful position as general counsel of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Mr. Griffin has declared that millions of Americans who work...

McDonald's is coming under intensifying pressure for labor practices at its U.S. restaurants. The National Labor Relations Board said Tuesday that the world's biggest hamburger chain could be named as a joint employer in several complaints regarding worker rights at franchise-owned restaurants. The decision is pivotal because it could expose McDonald's Corp. to liability for management practices in those locations. It also comes as protests for higher pay have captured national attention, with labor groups calling for pay of $15 an hour and the right to unionize. Organizers had been pushing to get McDonald's named as a joint employer at...

Sick film of a McDonald's worker wearing burka hood beating a customer.

Nearly a quarter-century after McDonald’s startled and delighted Soviets with their first taste of American fast-food culture, the company’s now facing a suit that could ban it from selling some of its signature products. The Russian consumer protection agency said Friday it is taking the company to court for selling foods that contain more fats and carbohydrates than are allowed by national regulations. McDonald’s did not immediately reply to a request for comment. The suit comes amid especially high tensions between Moscow and Washington over the Ukraine crisis; the United States has slapped an array of sanctions on Russia over...

Fast food chain McDonald’s has suspended sale of chicken nuggets and some other products in Hong Kong. It said it had imported chicken and pork from Shanghai Husi Food, the Chinese firm that allegedly supplied out-of-date meat to fast food firms. China has suspended operations of Shanghai Husi after local media reports claimed it reprocessed expired meat. McDonald’s had removed nuggets from its menus at its Japanese outlets earlier this week over the same issue. …

We think Cheryl Cole’s missed a trick with her quickie wedding on Macaroni Beach in Mustique. Just look at what she could have had – her very own McWedding (Drive Thru or marry in). Yes, McDonald’s has the answer for all those normcore brides out there. Well, at least the ones willing to travel to Hong Kong. The fast food chain has been slowly expanding its wedding party program since 2011 and now boasts 11 restaurants that double up as budget wedding venues, all in Hong Kong. And not only can you have the wedding ceremony there, they’ll also host...

The Habit Burger and In-N-Out lead the pack. Chick-fil-A also has lots to squawk about. Turns out nobody’s loving it. The standard McDonald’s hamburger — the one that claims to satisfy “billions and billions” — finished dead last in a new Consumer Reports taste test. The Hamburglar’s favorite meal earned a score of just 5.8 out of 10 from the magazine’s readers, putting it far behind West Coast chains The Habit Burger Grill and In-N-Out Burger, which scored 8.1 out of 10 and 8 out of 10, respectively. The top fast food burger available locally was Five Guys Burgers and...

The woman who police say viciously attacked a New Jersey mother in front of her two-year-old son has turned herself into authorities. Latia Harris, 25, surrendered to police on Monday night in relation to last week's brutal that was captured on video.