GoFundMe Started For Medford ‘DQ Sisters’ After Lawsuit Support is swelling for two Long Island sisters who poured their savings into a Dairy Queen franchise, only to find themselves blindsided by a little-known pay law.

Daily Voice ^ | October 8, 2025 | Michael Mashburn

[xxqqzz]

Patty DeMint and Michelle Robey, affectionately known to employees as the “DQ Sisters,” own the Dairy Queen Grill & Chill in Medford and have long been described as surrogate mothers, mentors, and champions for people seeking second chances, according to a GoFundMe.

“They’ve pulled off Christmas miracles for employees’ kids, quietly paid for funerals, celebrated graduations, and lifted us up through struggles big and small,” employee Tammy Gonzales wrote.

DeMint and Robey have also made the restaurant a “second chance” company, hiring people with disabilities, those recovering from addiction, and even individuals with felony records who needed a fresh start.

“For many of us, this place was the only door that opened when every other one was shut,” Gonzales wrote.

But the sisters were blindsided by a class-action lawsuit filed in 2020 over how frequently they paid employees.

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TOPICS: Business/Economy; Crime/Corruption; US: New York
KEYWORDS: business; lawyers; newyork

[xxqqzz]

They have a DQ franchise and were sued for paying employees every 2 weeks when there was an old New York State law requiring hourly workers be paid weekly. They settled for $450K. $300K went for fees for the lawyers suing them and the rest was split between 200 former employees. Probably the DQ owners had to also pay their own legal bills.

This is on Long Island, not really NYC suburbs or fancy resorts.

[decal]

Didn’t see who started the classless-action suit.

They must be real dillies.

[Leaning Right]

Down the road from me two young black guys opened up a deli. It was a good location, as there was nothing like it nearby.

And yes, I think it’s important to mention that they were black. Those two weren’t content to be welfare cases. They tried to achieve the American dream.

But then the government inspectors came in. Evidently their bathroom wasn’t disabled-friendly enough. So as a result, they were not permitted to have any chairs in their deli. That’s sounds crazy, but I’m not kidding.

Who would want to eat in a deli with tables, but no chairs?

The deli closed after a couple of months.

But why should anyone in government care? Their paychecks all came in on time.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

First, we kill all the lawyers bureaucrats.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

Our town on the San Francisco Peninsula had a wonderful kitchen store with an entrance off Main Street and a rear entrance off the parking plaza. The rear entrance had three steps down to the store level. They had been operating there for about 30 years when a creep who files ADA lawsuits for payouts sued them. They closed the back entrance (that had been in use for 30 years), but that wasn’t good enough. He insisted they remodel. They closed down. Later, they reopened down the street at a different address — but no rear entrance.

The kickers? It was a short distance to walk or move your wheelchair from the parking plaza to the front door entrance.

The bastard sued many companies. But you never learn how much money he made doing it or how many stores were put out of business.

[TheDon]

“But then the government inspectors came in. Evidently their bathroom wasn’t disabled-friendly enough.”

I’ve always thought the tax payers should pay to bring it up to their requirements.

[dagunk]

First, we kill all the xxxxxx bureaucrats.

******************************

I second that

[healy61]

200 employees shared $150,000. or $750. each. People who sell their souls for that much would stab their own mother and take bets on the body fall.

[Flash Bazbeaux]

Was it George Louie? I used to know him. An ex-con with a whole law library in his apartment. Charismatic guy, but keep your hand on your wallet.

https://www.city-journal.org/article/the-ada-shakedown-racket

No one exemplifies the emergent disability-shakedown industry better than the wheelchair-using Louie, whose past includes multiple felony convictions on assault, grand-theft, and other charges—though he says he is straight with the law today, having after all prospered as one of its enforcers. Over the years, he has filed at least 500 lawsuits against a wide variety of firms—from Sears, Blockbuster Video, and McDonald’s to small mom-and-pop proprietorships.

[Angelino97]

Does anyone verify these GoFundMe campaigns?

I've read of instances where people on GoFundMe claim they're dying of cancer and need help with medical bills. Later it turns out it was all a lie.

[hanamizu]

“But then the government inspectors came in. Evidently their bathroom wasn’t disabled-friendly enough.”

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You’d be surprised at how rigorous the requirements are. Many years ago, I worked for the local Area on Agings and my job was to see if the sites were compliant with the American with Disabilities Act.

No steps of any kind are allowed, so that wheelchair users can enter without assistance. Seems only fair, but many facilities being used were built years ago. Bathrooms were a particular problem. The bathroom had to have a door wide enough to allow a wheelchair in. Plumbing had to be shielded to prevent hot water lines from scalding people with no feelings in their legs. Toilet stalls had to be big enough to allow wheelchair access.

These requirements meant that senior centers had to relocate to much more expensive and modern locations. Some locations just gave up and closed.

And yes, there are lawyers who make a good living going into businesses and threatening lawsuits over access to the premises. It is cheaper for the business to settle than to fight it in court.

[jonrick46]

You would think the town’s city council would prevent such lawsuit pursuits with a city ordinance that accommodates businesses with restricted access for wheel chairs. If a business has physical restrictions, too expensive to fix, for wheel chairs, let the person find a business that does not.

[thegagline]

Who would want to eat in a deli with tables, but no chairs?

Many Jewish delis in New York had no chairs. You’d eat some of the best comfort food in the city while standing up.

[Leaning Right]

> Many Jewish delis in New York had no chairs. <

Is that maybe due to spacing limitations?

The deli that I mentioned in my post had plenty of room. Many tables, but not a single chair due to some idiotic government rule.

I’m an old guy. I just cannot stand for any period of time. I really respected those two black guys for trying to open their own business. And their food was good.

But I knew that the stupid regulations were destined to destroy them. And that’s exactly what happened.

It upsets me to this day.
☹️

[Myrddin]

Before I left San Diego in 2000, I was attracted by a new business in Poway, CA. It was an iceless skating rink that used a plastic surface with silicon oil in place of ice. It was built for ice hockey practice. I took my figure skates out. Their mine, sharp and fine on real ice. Skating on the plastic took a lot more physical strength. I had that from inline skating outdoors. Lots of push, but very poor glide. Just a lot of friction. That kind of exertion merits a shower. A shower was available.

The facility was only open a couple weeks when an ADA lawsuit seeker arrived and started making all sorts of claims about lack of accommodations for handicapped on the skating floor, bathrooms and waiting areas. The skating floor is difficult for non-handicapped persons in really good shape. Trying to "accommodate" a "disabled" person would be unreal.

The cost to accommodate all the items threatened in the ADA suit was far beyond the financial means of the private parties who financed this startup concept. They closed soon after the threat appeared. Too bad because getting time on the local ice rinks in Mira Mesa and UTC was not easy.

A search before posting finds a new business in Poway. It is called "The Rinks" and it is a real ice skating rink. It appears there was sufficient demand for a real rink to build one. It appears to be successful. I suspect in a rebuild, they carefully considered the ADA attack on the former business and remediated the deficiencies.

I didn't really enjoy the iceless plastic surface. Not only was the "glide" poor, but the surface shaved off bits of plastic that coated skates and clothes...especially if you have the misfortune of falling on the floor.

[Mr. Blond]

Pretty sure the law firm initiated the suit.

[Ikeon]

Sounds like 200 people who were given a second chance when no one else would hire them, were people you wouldn't want to employ anyway.

Misfits and ungrateful people,

I hope they enjoy their $200 each and the big black mark on thier ability to find someone else to hire them after they viciously bit the hand that fed them

otoh, this supports the " No good deed goes unpunished " theory.

p.s. unless these 2 were not paying people minimum wages, or unfairly garnishing their wages. Id need to see the evidence and the ruling .

[existtoexcel]

“You knew I was a snake when you took me in”..some proverb.

[tired&retired]

Per the article:

“the sisters were eventually forced to settle out of court for $450,000. Of that, more than $300,000 went to attorneys’ fees, while about 200 former employees in the class action each received less than $200.”

[Rocco DiPippo]

Of that, more than $300,000 went to attorneys’ fees, while about 200 former employees in the class action each received less than $200.

This is what happens when scumbag government "workers" who concoct onerous legislations and scumbag lawyers looking for an easy payday, aim for the same target.

Less government "workers" and far less lawyers, please!