Response from McDonald’s and other companies

The Washington Post asked for comment from the 10 companies with the highest rates of child labor violations in the food service industry, which includes restaurants and bars. Here are the responses from several other companies mentioned, as well as a more extended response from McDonald’s USA.

Chick-fil-A, Sonic, Little Caesars, Tropical Smoothie Cafe and Wendy’s did not respond to multiple requests for comment. A response from Slim Chickens was included in the main story.

McDonald’s

“We take every Department of Labor violation seriously,” the company said in a statement. “As independent small business owners, our 2,000+ U.S. franchisees are the exclusive employers of their restaurant teams.”

McDonald’s said the company and its franchises provide age-appropriate job opportunities to thousands of teenagers, helping them build a strong work ethic and skills that they will carry with them for life and providing a positive impact on local communities and families.

The company also provided a statement from David Costa, a Florida-based McDonald’s franchise owner who holds a leadership role on the National Franchisee Leadership Alliance, a group made up of McDonald’s franchisees.

Costa said McDonald’s provides resources to the company’s franchisees that “create a culture of care in restaurants,” from “the safe and respectful workplace trainings” in support of the company’s brand standards in the United States to guidance around appointing a “people experience lead,” a role that typically oversees employee hiring, training and development within a franchisee organization.

“I’ve seen firsthand the positive impact these changes can have on morale and retention, and the NFLA People Team will continue to share best practices that help our peers remain employers of choice,” Costa said.

Statement from American Dairy Queen Corp.

“American Dairy Queen Corporation (ADQ) takes these matters very seriously. ADQ owns two restaurants, and the remaining 7000+ restaurants in 20 countries are owned and operated by franchise owners whose workers are employed by them. As the franchisor, we expect franchise owners to follow all applicable laws, including child labor laws.”

Statement from Marco’s Franchising, LLC, also known as Marco’s Pizza

“Marco’s Franchising, LLC (Marco’s Franchising) recognizes this is an important issue. The majority of Marco’s Pizza restaurants are owned and operated by franchisees whose staff are their employees. Marco’s expects all franchise owners to follow all applicable laws, including those covering child labor.”

Statement from Zaxby’s

“At Zaxby’s we care about the safety and well-being of all of our team members. Zaxby’s recognizes that while allowing younger team members to gain valuable work experience, such work must not risk their safety or interfere with their education. Zaxby’s takes any violations very seriously. Our franchise agreements place strict requirements on our franchisees to comply with all applicable local, state, and federal laws. We issue notices of default for uncured violations. Uncured violations result in the termination of the franchise agreement.”