Given a Chance, Wendy's Takes a Shot

Is it a good idea to call global attention to minor menu changes?

Wendy's has a classic answer to McDonald's burger changes

Did Someone Cry "Race"?

That's when Al Sharpton shows up - Fox News

McDonaldland Comes to Capitol

Congressman Kevin Hern launches Congressional Franchise Caucus

Internet Chimes in One New McRecipes

Comments on-line are rarely constructive but this website found some of interest

McDonald's - The internet is freaking out 

Exec pay cuts, rebelling franchisees at McDonald's: Crain's

Short podcast recap of McDonald's news

CNBC on McDonald's Results

McDonald's guests push back on prices - says CEO

Transcript of analyst conference call - Seeking Alpha

MCD Q1 Conference Call

Jonathan Maze

@jonathanmaze

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3h

McDonald's earnings call summary: "One McDonald's way" of decision-making; Recession still coming; Inflation improving in the U.S. But not in Europe; Customer sat scores improving; McCrispy name drives sales; Delivery slowing; Chris Kempczinski loves the McChicken. $MCD

Maze on NOA's Latest

McDonald's franchisees ask for a meeting with leadership

Remember Which Team You're On

We've gotten more than enough vitriolic comments over the weekend from one Owner/Operator group directed at another. Yes, things are tense but nothing can be accopmlished by splitting the Operator community into a bunch of different factions. That's just what the pajama boys would want you to do. Then they can manipulate the different groups and work you against each other.

WSJ Covers MCD Owner/Operator Relationship

Divide and conquer - "A group of 10 U.S. McDonald’s franchisee leaders said in a statement shared by the chain that a vast majority of restaurant owners agree with McDonald’s current direction. “We’re disappointed that a small but vocal group is pushing this counterproductive agenda,” they said.

McDonald's and Franchisees Escalate Battle Over Chain Rules - WSJ Subscription

Restaurant Business covers the same topic - No subscription

Byron Allen Still Pursuing McDonald's Corp

Calls on Carl Icahn to join the fight

McCEO Gets a Haircut

Crain's Chicago Business reports Chris K. "was paid almost $17.8 million in cash, stock, and options awards in 2022, down from the $20 million he made the year prior."

McDonald's CEO takes a hit in the wallet - subscription

Slicing Up Subway

             Subway's hidden billions revealed

How Not to Sell Beer

Everyone has seen the reports on the backlash from InBev's (BUD) hiring of a female impersonator to represent their Bud Light brand. You've seen his videos and you're heard about the controversy. But who's to blame?

Alissa Heinerscheid is the chief marketing officer in charge of Bud Light. Below is her ninety-second rationale for taking the brand astray.

Here's Alissa on Fox News

Here's why franchisees should worry - corporate marketing departments are full of Alissas. Very few of these corporate people will think that she, or her division, did anything wrong.

And, the advertising agencies and marketing advisors are staffed almost entirely with Alissas.

They are everywhere in corporate America. Except in the beer aisle buying Bud Light.

How did this Bud Light campaign slip through the filters and make it to the general consumer? Obviously, everyone at InBev was afraid to object out of fear of being called "Transphobic".

Going a little deeper, please watch the first five minutes of this commentary from podcaster Trish Regan. She blames the mess on Alissa's alma mater - Harvard.

Trish is considered too outspoken for regular TV 

Raising Prices Can be Addictive

Menu price inflation catches up with supermarkets - R.B.online

$16.89 Value Meals?

Most expensive value meals in the country?

What Does This Tell the World About the McCEO's "Values"?

"Stephen King should conjure such suspense. And executioners should be as heartless."

Restaurants show their best and worst as employers - RB membership

Will It Happen in Vegas?

 

Apparently some people want to talk about the Las Vegas meeting, so here's a place to do so.

Are Service Fees to be Reduced?

McDonald's closing field offices in the U.S. - moves to national model

You know, it's like, "Science"

 

Who's Zooming Who?

The methods McDonald's Corp. used to communicate its downsizing and termination decisions have gotten a surprising amount of press coverage. I'm sure management was expecting zero, instead they got tons.

But why did they decide to make these announcements virtually? While I've never been involved in any firings or downsizing I've heard stories and it seems to, as Jonathan Maze wrote, involve employees being ushered into a room with executives, given the bad news, escorted by security to their desk for housecleaning, and then ushered out the front door.

But this is a fairly public display and the other employees in the building can watch it all. Trends in the terminations would be obvious.

If most of the terminations are straight white males it will be apparent. If the trend is to terminate folks who lead alternative lifestyles the whispering would become intense. If the terminations are based on appearance or skin tone no one can ignore the obvious.

Done virtually, in an empty building, with the click of a mouse, any patterns in the terminations are unseen by the rest of the staff. Of course, management would never have to admit to these calculated decisions.

And in their public reports, they can claim anything that fits the DEI agenda.

Next time around maybe they'll just let ChatGPT do the dirty work.

Maze on Tuesday

Today's article looks like yesterday's but Jonathan writes about the possible turmoil within the system.

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“McDonald’s committed at the start of this process to lead with our values and any suggestion to the contrary is baseless,” the company said. "

There they go again, talking about "values". McDonald's corporate people have got to stop using that word.

"(McDonald's) is risking morale problems throughout the system in the process" 

Maze on McDonald's Managment Hiding in Plain Sight

Despite Strong sales, MCD prepares for layoffs

McDonald's to Deliver "Staffing Decisions Virtually - WSJ

"In an internal email last week to U.S. employees and some international staff, McDonald's asked them to work from home from Monday through Wednesday so it can deliver staffing decisions virtually, the report said. It is unclear how many employees will be laid off."

Remember when good management meant looking someone in the eye when firing them?

Apparently, this is how woke pajama boys do things. It must be part of ESG, or DEI?

Franchise Times on California Style Franchise Legislation

“Don’t expect business to be the place you solve societal problems,” he said. “It’s not that businesses won’t be part of the solution. It’s that you can’t do it on the backs of business alone.”

Attorneys eye "Californication" bills

Legal Eagles Virtual Summit (and it's pro bono!)

"Get a little pro bono legal insight from our panels of esteemed franchise law professionals as we examine the legal landscape in 2023 and beyond. From FDDs to the FTC, to a possible national expansion of California’s FAST Act, we will shine the light on some key legal intel franchisees and franchisors need in order to bob and weave in their business."

Franchise Times magazine Legal Eagles Virtual Summit - Registration

From Twitter

 

Triple Net Investor

@TripleNetInvest

Avg Restaurant Unit Sales Chick Fil A 2010: $2.7M 2021: $6.3M McDonalds 2010: $2.4M 2022: $3.4M Chipotle 2010: $1.8M 2022: $2.4M Taco Bell 2010: $1.3M 2022: $1.8M Burger King 2010: $1.4M 2022: $1.2M What on earth did Chick Fil A do right/better from 2010 onwards and what did BK do wrong?

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