CHICAGO — Burger King Corp.’s franchisees are taking aim at the fast-food chain’s management, complaining to the restaurant’s board about a series of decisions they say are “ill-conceived” and put the burger joint’s business in “deep trouble.”
In a letter to Burger King’s board dated Nov. 11, a group representing hundreds of franchisees blasted management for its $1 double-cheeseburger promotion that was forced on them after they twice voted against it.
They also criticized an earlier corporate decision to take back millions of rebate money distributed to franchise owners from soft-drink companies.
Franchise owners operate 90 percent of the company’s 12,000 locations, making Burger King one of the nation’s most heavily franchised restaurant chains.
While disputes between owners and restaurants aren’t unusual, the sheer size of Burger King’s franchise base could pose a heady challenge for the chain as the battle continues to brew.
“If this continues to fester, I think this could be a serious problem,” said Morningstar restaurant analyst R.J. Hottovy.
