Press Box: Angry Franchisees & Ronald Gets the Boot

Franchisees Sue Quiznos
A group of some 28 franchisees in Wisconsin is filing a lawsuit against Quiznos. Their beef? They say that Quiznos Sub forces franchisees to buy food and supplies from company or approved vendors at unfair prices, while setting retail prices too low for operators to make a profit [via AFX]. There's a lot thrown in the suit. Things such as - common law fraud, violations of federal and state antitrust laws, violations of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, breach of contract, and violations of the Wisconsin Fair Dealership Law. [See FastCasual.com].

Government Sues Cendant Vice Chairman
The U.S. government sued former Cendant Corp. Vice Chairman Kirk Shelton and several members of his family on Tuesday for nearly $40 million in fraudulently transferred assets. [via Reuters]

MBE Franchisee Forced Out
United Parcel Service has refused to renew one of the top Mailboxes Etc. (MBE) franchisees. The franchise owner will be forced to become an independent, even though he was once voted "Franchise of the Year". The problem? The ex-franchisee from Malibu and 18 others want to keep their old MBE franchise arrangement and refuse to fill out the new UPS Store franchise agreement. [PR Newswire]

New Brunswick Gives Ronald McDonald The Boot
The New Brunswick's Education Department has given the boot to the corporate clown in the big red shoes. After some thought they felt that having Ronald coming in to promote fitness and eating sent a mixed message to the kids [via CTV.ca].