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McDonald’s has settled a racial discrimination lawsuit with Black franchisee Herb Washington. Washington, a former Oakland A’s outfielder, owned and operated 14 McDonald’s restaurants and was previously the fast-food chain’s largest Black franchisee in the country. He filed a lawsuit, accusing the fast-food chain of discrimination by having him purchase low-volume restaurants in Black neighborhoods and forcing him to downsize his base years later after grading his locations unfairly. Under the settlement, Washington will exit the McDonald’s franchise system and dismiss the pending litigation, with the company purchasing back 13 of Washington’s restaurants for $33.5 million. In a statement, McDonald’s said “The court did not find that the company violated any laws. Discrimination has no place at McDonald’s. While we were confident in the strength of our case, this resolution aligns with McDonald’s values and enables us to continue focusing on our commitments to the communities that we serve.”
