Is there anything we can do to help Dunkin Donuts with this?

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,288845,00.html


LOS ANGELES — A discrimination lawsuit filed by a Muslim Dunkin' Donuts franchisee who was not allowed to renew his contract with the chain because of a refusal to sell pork products can proceed, a U.S. appeals court ruled Tuesday.

The decision reversed an Illinois federal court judge's 2004 ruling that rejected Walid Elkhatib's argument that Dunkin' Donuts discriminated against him based on his race by making the sale of breakfast sandwiches with bacon, ham or sausage a mandatory part of his franchise agreement.

According to court papers, Elkhatib, a Palestinian Arab, has been a Dunkin' Donuts franchisee since 1979, before the company began selling any pork.

Once breakfast sandwiches were introduced in 1984, Elkhatib's Chicago-area Dunkin' Donuts outlets sold them without bacon, ham or sausage for nearly 20 years. The company did not object, even providing him with a sign that said "Meat Products Not Available."

In 2002, however, Elkhatib was told he would not be able to relocate a store or renew his franchisee agreements due to his failure to carry the full product line.

Elkhatib sued Dunkin' Donuts and its former parent company, Allied Domecq, later that year, claiming that the chain's refusal to renew his franchises constituted racial discrimination.


In an opinion Tuesday, U.S. Circuit Judge Ilana Diamond Rovner wrote that because three other Dunkin' Donuts franchisees in the area were allowed to continue operating without selling breakfast sandwiches for reasons other than the owners' religious views such as space or lease restrictions, that there was sufficient evidence to take the suit to trial.

"There is significant evidence that the carrying of breakfast sandwiches was not an issue of importance to Dunkin Donuts. It allowed other franchises in the area to refuse to carry any breakfast sandwiches at all, when merely relocating the stores, or in one case merely rearranging the displays, would have allowed them to carry the full line," Rovner wrote.

She added that "there is no evidence that there was any change in corporate policy, or even regional policy, on the matter."

A Dunkin' Donuts spokeswoman said she could not comment on pending litigation. Elkhatib could immediately be reached for comment.

Dunkin' Donuts is a unit of Dunkin' Brands, which is owned by private equity firms Bain Capital, Carlyle Group and Thomas H. Lee partners.

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Elkhatib sued Dunkin' Donuts and its former parent company, Allied Domecq, later that year, claiming that the chain's refusal to renew his franchises constituted racial discrimination

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First of all, how can this possibly be racial discrimination? Muslim is NOT a race, it's a religion.

Sorry.......I'm mixed on this. Dunkin Donuts makes DONUTS. That's what they did.....that's what made them famous....that's what they were known for. I see a Dunkin Donut sign......I'm going for Bavarian creme......I'm not going there for an egg McMuffin.

When I'm going to a cigarette store.....I'm wanting cigarettes. Liquor store....liquor.....burgers....burgers... I'm not going to get drunk and buy cigs and buy bandaids and chicken for tommorrow and maybe Duck Tape along the way all at the same place. People say....if we are a multi-curtural society.....and we have to abide by all the PC rules.....then you don't mix it. This guy came here....made a choice to build a business within his relegious beliefs and not cry for special favors.....he bought it....and now they change the rules? Sorry.....I'm on his side on this one. Go into a grocery store where you KNOW pork is sold and apply for a job? I won't be on that side. No "special considerations" here. But no...he bought into a donut franchise.......let the man sell donuts.

Every Dunkin Donut I've ever been to sold the sandwiches. Not just at breakfast time, but all day.

Unfortunately, when they allowed other stores to not sell the sandwiches, they set a precedent. This is why the judge allowed the suit to go forward. And D.D. will very likely lose. But it's their own fault.

I see nothing wrong with muslims, WHO HAVE A CONTRACT TO NOT SELL THESE PRODUCTS, refusing to do so. And tho it is not racial discrimination, it is discrimination against these people's beliefs.

I love the bacon, egg and cheese croissants! As for donuts, gimme, gimme gimmee the Dutch Crumb!!!!!!

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Originally Posted by crazybird

Sorry.......I'm mixed on this. Dunkin Donuts makes DONUTS. That's what they did.....that's what made them famous....that's what they were known for. I see a Dunkin Donut sign......I'm going for Bavarian creme......I'm not going there for an egg McMuffin.

When I'm going to a cigarette store.....I'm wanting cigarettes. Liquor store....liquor.....burgers....burgers... I'm not going to get drunk and buy cigs and buy bandaids and chicken for tommorrow and maybe Duck Tape along the way all at the same place. People say....if we are a multi-curtural society.....and we have to abide by all the PC rules.....then you don't mix it. This guy came here....made a choice to build a business within his relegious beliefs and not cry for special favors.....he bought it....and now they change the rules? Sorry.....I'm on his side on this one. Go into a grocery store where you KNOW pork is sold and apply for a job? I won't be on that side. No "special considerations" here. But no...he bought into a donut franchise.......let the man sell donuts.

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Still a breakfast place. They serve donuts yes, but what if you want a bagle with egg and bacon? Americans eat real bacon, made from real PIGS... Yummy...

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The decision reversed an Illinois federal court judge's 2004 ruling that rejected Walid Elkhatib's argument that Dunkin' Donuts discriminated against him based on his race by making the sale of breakfast sandwiches with bacon, ham or sausage a mandatory part of his franchise agreement.

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Legally, THE JUDGE WHO REVERSED THE DECISION IS DEAD WRONG AND SO IS THE WHINY MUSLIM. He should have read the MANDATORY PART OF HIS FRANCHISE AGREEMENT and took his money and his dreams elsewhere.

At what point does this madness end. While he has a right to his religious beliefs it is hypocritical to cry wolf when the stipulations for becoming part of the FRANCHISE WERE THERE IN BLACK AND WHITE. WHAT PART OF FRANCHISE DOES THIS MORON NOT UNDERSTAND?
As for helping DD, the only thing we can do is get the word out to the media and the AMERICAN general public, a dose of ridicule directed at the Judge and the whiny muslim might go a long way.

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Still a breakfast place. They serve donuts yes, but what if you want a bagle with egg and bacon? Americans eat real bacon, made from real PIGS... Yummy...
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I was in my 20's before I ever had a Bagel. This wasn't an area where Bagels were normal. We sold donuts and biscuits and muffins.

Hey....I'm NOT writing the rules...I'm just trying to abide within them.

Breakfast to me was cereal. Eggs, pancakes....rarely waffels....never crepes...never bagels....

Definatelyt bacon and sausage.....not much ham and never the fishie things.,

Moslems have no problem with beef products, so Dunkin Donuts could offer the sandwiches with beef bacon (more costly but hey). They sold them the franchises and they can't expect them to be required to handle pork UNLESS the franchise contract says they must serve whatever product Dunkin Donuts requires without exception. I personally would only go there for the coffee and donuts.

I'm so sick and tired of Muslims coming to the United States and crying foul because most Americans eat pork. If they don't like it, then go back where they come from.

If the situation were reversed, and I lived in a muslim country, and I opened up a donut shop and wanted to sell pork sausage, do you think FOR ONE MINUTE that I'd be allowed to???? I doubt it. :?

This is how it starts, they(moslems) start pushing their culture and beliefs down everybody throat. This is America, which by the way is a Christain Country and always will be regardless of what others think. We respect other Religions here, but keep your religious values and practice to yourself. Dunkin Donuts has every right to sell whatever their customers desire. If this Moslem guy dosen't like it, then he should sell the buisness.

It's the cult of multiculturalism. Immigrants you immigrate to America to be an American!!! If you don't want to be an American then why did you immigrate here in the first place? You like your culture so much, stay where you are! We have our own culture that we want to keep!

Americans love pork, if this guy doesn't like our culture he can go back home!
I'm having ham for dinner tonight and I don't care what any muslim has to say about it!

Muslims should only be allowed to operate and work in vegetarian restaurants. Enough with their nonsense. Aren't they just about the whiniest people who have ever "graced" our country. Good grief.

We had a Tony Romas in my town years ago. The franchisees thought they were cute and started changing the menu. Well, TR didn't like that one bit and shut them down. They then reopened at the same restaurant with the menu of their choice. That lasted for a couple of years, then they were kaput for good. Long story short, the stand alone building (which was only a few years old) was torn down and replaced with a Mimi's Cafe which has been there now for ages.

Maybe that's what DD should do.

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Originally Posted by IndianaJones

Moslems have no problem with beef products, so Dunkin Donuts could offer the sandwiches with beef bacon (more costly but hey). They sold them the franchises and they can't expect them to be required to handle pork UNLESS the franchise contract says they must serve whatever product Dunkin Donuts requires without exception. I personally would only go there for the coffee and donuts.

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Read a Franchise Agreement... Basically you have to do what they deem necessary.

Well, I am kinda on the fence about this.

If the Muslim got the franchise and did not sell pork, then the company changed what they sold, he probably has a complaint there.

Of course, it might depend on whether he agreed to sell whatever the company sent - or if he has some leeway.

Then, of course, my really mean side says, maybe any company that does business with Muslims is going to have to realize there may be some problems - and take the knocks when they come.

Franchisees are not independent corporations or sole proprietorships.

They can't dictate to HQ the terms under which they'll operate.

If a guy in Kentucky wanted to sell Jack Daniels over the counter at one of his DD stores he couldn't.

If this jackass wants to be ha'lal he should open up a butcher shop in Dearbornistan and quit complaining.