[Poohbah]

"At the beginning of the (20th) century, before we had the right to vote, all these [economic] territories were given away - automobile territories, fast food franchise territories, federal licenses, Homestead Act land grants, universities, all of this was given as largess," he said.

They were giving away fast food franchises at the beginning of the 20th century?

[badfreeper]

A & W was first, started in 1919. The only requirement for franchisees was that they buy the company's root beer syrup and carry a few signature items. Other than that the franchisees could do whatever they wanted to, with no royalties to pay beyond buying the syrup.

Were they more organized, like the chains that started in the 50s, A & W would probably be the biggest now.

[astounded]

Was Jesse Jackson drunk? That is the only valid explanation I can come up with for his lunatic ramblings.

[hchutch]

Jesse Jackson's getting desperate. Maybe he sees the IRS sniffing around...

[TommyDale]

Yeah, my great-great grandfather had 230 McDonalds franchises in Manhattan alone!