1851

The International Franchise Association may have lost its first battle over Seattle&#8217;s minimum wage hike, which is set to go into effect April 1, but the organization is far from done fighting. &#8220;Yesterday&#8217;s decision is clearly a disappointment, but it is not the end of this fight,&#8221; Steve Caldeira, IFA president and CEO, said following the news that US District Judge Richard Jones denied the group&#8217;s request for an injunction against the city. &#8220;The ordinance is clearly discriminatory and would harm hardworking small-business owners who happen to be franchisees. Those who have set out to destroy the long-accepted, time-tested and proven franchise business model must be stopped.&#8220; However, one group not being heard railing against the proposed minimum wage increase is the everyday customers of the franchises that will be impacted. Despite its reputation as an anti-capitalist Mecca, Seattle is home to a wide variety of franchise brands that have thrived in the city. Remember, this is the birthplace of Starbucks, one of the largest franchises the world has ever seen. Unfortunately, a willingness to shop at local franchises hasn&#8217;t translated to a desire to protect them, according to Forbes&#8217; Carol Tice, herself a Seattle local. Tice said &#8220;mobs of diners protesting the wage-hike law &#8221; simply don&#8217;t exist, and attributed this to the fact that while plenty of people are happy to stop by Subway for a meal, they won&#8217;t exactly find themselves crying if the chain disappeared. People are all too happy to pig out at their favorite franchise, but many still see them as the Big Bad Wolf when compared to small businesses that don&#8217;t have the backing of a well-known brand. In short, she maintained the &#8220;shop local&#8221; mentality has spread to the mainstream, and it&#8217;s up to franchises to adapt to this mindset. Chipotle was highlighted as a brand doing its best to make waves in a market that increasingly celebrates hyperlocal street cred by trying to source food from surrounding communities. The IFA maintains that franchisees are small-business owners, and shouldn&#8217;t be lumped in with larger employers. The more pressing long-term issue may not be how the city views franchisees, but how consumers do. Read the Forbes article <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/caroltice/2015/03/24/behind-seattles-franchise-battle-why-patrons-dont-care-if-chains-die/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=franchises-must-adapt-to-spreading-shop-local-mentality-1344" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.

1851 Franchise

https://www.youtube.com/embed/URHNZ-bPvBA

Local pride is clashing with brand loyalty.

Franchises Must Adapt to Spreading ‘Shop Local’ Mentality 

This brand page has been paid for by 1851. Content within this page that is paid will showcase a Sponsored icon. This means the brand has engaged 1851 FRANCHISE to write the content. Content without the Sponsored Icon is aggregated media placements the brand earned. Questions can be sent to editorial@1851franchise.com

franchises-must-adapt-to-spreading-shop-local-mentality

Dillas Quesadillas

Design with photo of Michael Mabry and Dillas Primo Quesadillas logo

Franchise Times: New Franchise Exec Says Dillas Is Bringing ‘Excitement’ Back to QSR Category

michael-mabry-franchise-growth

Lawn Squad

Greener, Faster, Smarter: Why Entrepreneurs Are Choosing Lawn Squad 

Greener, Faster, Smarter: Why Entrepreneurs Are Choosing Lawn Squad as a Treatment-Only Lawn Care Franchise

lawn-squad-franchise-opportunity

Jollibee

How Jollibee’s Veteran Leadership Team Is Rewriting the Playbook for U.S. Expansion

franchise-leadership-growth

Woodhouse Spas

Photo of guest checking in at Woodhouse Spas reception desk

franchise-questions-answered

Mellow Mushroom

How Mellow Mushroom’s Model Made it the Perfect Addition to Brad Harper’s Restaurant Portfolio

How Mellow Mushroom’s Flexible Model Made it the Perfect Addition to Brad Harper’s Growing Restaurant Portfolio

mellow-mushroom-brad-harper-restaurant-growth

Buying a Franchise Masterclass

 Franchise Opportunities

Get Support Buying a Franchise

How to Buy a Franchise White Paper

How to Buy a Franchise

How to Sell Franchises

How to Grow a Franchise

Find a Franchise Supplier

1851 Franchise Opportunities

Franchisor News

Franchisor Power Rankings

FranCamp Mastermind Summit

Franchise Development Website Builder

Franchise Resources

Website Awards

Power Rankings

About 1851

Advertise on 1851

Contact 1851 Editorial

Terms of Use

1851 Login

GROWTH CLUB LOGIN

facebook

instagram

twitter

linkedin

youtube

Buying a fitness franchise, people exercising

Boutique vs. Big Box Gym Franchises: Which Offers Best ROI in the $7 Billion Fitness Market?

buy-fitness-franchise-boutique-big-box-comparison

Pieology Pizza Enters Chapter 11 Following Costly Bid To Save Struggling Stores

pieology-pizza-files-chapter-11-bankruptcy

CNBC: McDonald’s Will Assess if Franchisees Are Offering Value for Customers Under New Standards

mcdonalds-franchise-standards-value-metric

How AI Is Transforming Restaurant Operations and Franchises

ai-impact-restaurants-franchises-human-centric-technology

Round Table Pizza Franchisees Take FAT Brands to Court Over Marketing Fund Mismanagement

round-table-pizza-franchisees-take-fat-brands-to-court-over-marketing-fund-mismanagement

A Practical Playbook: Who To Call First When Franchising Your Business

franchising-your-business-who-to-call-first

Scaling by Slowing Down: A Founder’s Playbook for Sustainable Franchise Growth

founder-to-franchisor-when-pause

1851 Franchise Coffee & Analytics graphic with headshot of Nick Powills

What to Implement in 2026 According to 2025 Franchisee Surveys

2026-franchise-growth-strategies

How Top-Tier Franchises Build Systems for Employee Retention

how-top-tier-franchises-build-systems-for-employee-retention

Photo of group of dogs standing together in day care facility

Top Pet Boarding and Day Care Franchise Opportunities for 2025

top-pet-boarding-daycare-franchises

image of jerome hanway from right at home Las Cruces, New Mexico 1851 franchise franchisee spotlight

Jerome Hanway Is Building His Right at Home Franchise Around His Mission To Serve

right-at-home-franchise-las-cruces-jerome-hanway

AI-related job cuts, October U.S. job cuts, American job cut record

AI-Fueled Layoffs Reshape the U.S. Job Market — And Highlight Franchising’s Resilience

Franchises Must Adapt to Spreading ‘Shop Local’ Mentality

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS