Popeyes employees held protests over unpaid wage claims at multiple locations owned by Irfan Memon last week.Galit Rodan/The Globe and Mail
Fast-food conglomerate Restaurant Brands International Inc. QSR-T has terminated franchisee agreements with the owner of 13 Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen locations, after employees raised allegations of unpaid wages.
Irfan Memon is no longer a Popeyes franchisee, spokesperson Emily Ciantra wrote in a statement to The Globe and Mail on Monday. Restaurant Brands is working with other franchisees to take over those locations, all of which are in and around the Greater Toronto Area, she added. The restaurants have been temporarily closed since Friday night.
Mr. Memon did not respond to requests for comment on Monday.
“Treating restaurant team members with respect – including paying them on time – is fundamental to our brand’s values,” Ms. Ciantra wrote. “We are in touch with team members who have contacted us and are committed to getting them paid – optimally by forcing Mr. Memon to live up to his responsibilities.”
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One of Mr. Memon’s locations may also be connected to another alleged claim of misconduct at Popeyes. The Globe first reported in June that a former food supplier to the chain had filed a lawsuit alleging that some franchisees bought “unsafe” chicken from an unauthorized seller, who did not submit to food-safety inspections and delivered the meat in unrefrigerated vehicles.
Restaurant Brands said it found no evidence to support those allegations, and they have not been tested in court.
Among the franchisee defendants listed in that lawsuit is a Toronto-based company called Y & F Food Corp. Ltd. Mr. Memon is listed as one of the directors of that company in an Ontario corporate profile that was filed with the court in that case.
A lawyer listed in court documents representing Y & F did not respond to multiple requests for comment on Monday.
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Restaurant Brands has sent letters to Mr. Memon’s employees, saying the claims of unpaid wages are a “serious matter,” and informing them that the franchise agreements have been terminated.
Employees held protests over the unpaid wage claims at multiple locations owned by Mr. Memon last week.
“While we are not your employer, we are taking all steps possible to force the franchisee to comply with his obligations to pay you what is owed,” said the letter, a copy of which was obtained by The Globe. The company has asked employees for documentation of hours that they worked and have not been paid for, including evidence of bounced cheques, work schedules and pay stubs.