An Indian American franchisee has filed a lawsuit against Dunkin' Brands for racial discrimination.
According to the NY Post, Priti Shetty claims the company has a poor track record for bringing on minority franchisees, particularly in the New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island and New York markets.
Shetty points out in the suit that many operators in those markets are of Indian descent, however none are multiunit managers. She also claims a Dunkin' Brands representative told her she was not "servile enough," forced her to keep her units open 24 hours a day despite safety concerns, and denied her request to open more units.
Michelle King, director, Global Public Relations for Dunkin' Brands, responded to the lawsuit with the following statement:
"It is not our practice to comment on litigation. However, Dunkin' Donuts has a wonderfully diverse base of franchisees, and we work to have good relationships with them. As a matter of fact, more than 90 percent of our new store growth comes from existing franchisees, which we believe is a testimony to their satisfaction with that relationship."
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