'No Comment' on Boycott Applebees Campaign Spurred by Franchisee's Comments on Obamacare Regulations
The manager at Applebees on Cedar Crest Boulevard near Target could not comment on recent controversy regarding potential layoffs, price increases and a boycott spurred by one franchisee's comments about Obamacare regulations.
Franchise owners of several popular restaurants like Applebees, Dennys and Papa-Johns have said recently they will either increase prices, lay-off workers, cut workers' hours and more because of the Affordable Care Act also known as Obamacare.
The manager of South Whitehall's Applebees on Cedar Crest Boulevard said corporate rules prevented her from commenting on the issue.
However, the franchisee of 40 Applebee's chains in the metro New York area, Zane Tankel, recently appeared on Fox Business Network and said government fines for not insuring employees or costs to insure them will ultimately prevent him from expanding and hiring more employees.
Although comments were made from just one owner, opponents have have launched boycott campaigns against all Applebees restaurants. On one Boycott Applebees Facebook page there are 261 likes and an interesting mix of opinions on the subject.
Anne F says: "I will not go to Applebees this year with my 3 friends, we used to go to lunch at to the local Applebees once a month. We ordered aways started with wine & appetizers, lunch and stayed through dessert & coffee and on birthdays we'd have a drink to celebrate. So they will lose 48 long lunches a year. And we are going to spread the word to our other friends too. Why do we care? We all have children who are young adults and the quality of their lives will be profoundly affected by the Affordable Care Act. What do I mean by "profoundly affected"? I mean whether they can see a doctor, the total length of their life may be shortened or lengthened by the quality of health care they receive. So the ACA isn't just a social policy with abstract concepts and fair away results, individual owner and not by the franchise's corporate Supporters of Obamacare have launched boycott campaigns against the chain in response to his comments."
Rick Johns says: This franchisee has invested a huge amount of his own money to take the risks that come with having your own business. He is going to have to adjust his employees' hours to deal with Obamacare. His cost of doing business is going up. Does he raise his prices or does he make personnel cuts? The majority of people supporting a boycott have never owned their own business and have no idea what it takes to do that. This country used to respect and aspire to have success. Now it seems we have a huge group of people that are jealous and angry at the successes of others.
There are almost 2,000 Applebees restaurants nationwide and according to an article on Twitchy USA Politics the Applebee’s corporate office was anxious to distance itself from the Obamacare controversy and point out that franchisees speak for themselves.
The article also says: Note that in his TV appearance Tankel did not say he was laying off any employees; rather, he speculated that “if it’s possible to do without cutting people back, I am delighted to do it, but that also rolls back expansion, it rolls back hiring more people, and in a best-case scenario, we only shrink the labor force minimally. Best case.”
So what do you think? Will you boycott any of these businesses for their actions against employees and customers? Or you think that small business owners are suffering due to Obamacare? Tell us in the comments.
Charlie Indelicato
1:51 pm on Friday, November 16, 2012
I think the business owners know best with regards to their bottom lines (and ultimately any of their shareholders). They will either continue to succeed and prosper with the reduced hours/added surcharges, or they will risk losing money being forced to comply with the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare).
The business owners know the risks involved in opening a business, and they struggle to meet those risks year after year, including dealing with negative press (boycotts) or higher costs (taxes).
I, for one, admire the stance they are taking, and when I can afford to dine-out I will go to Applebees. Sadly, as my employer's family healthcare premiums are now $500/mth, that won't be too often.
bob S
2:27 pm on Friday, November 16, 2012
I would go to Applebee's just because of this, You all know this was coming and you voted him in anyway this is just the very tip of the iceburg. Don't take it out on the small business man he is just trying to stay afloat, take it out on our goverment
Lisa B
8:00 am on Saturday, November 17, 2012
Amen bob S! My husband's company is dropping the health care coverage for all of their 400 employees. The company and employees faced a 120% increase in health care coverage premiums this coming year directly related to Obamacare. The employer/employees shared the cost of monthly premiums, but because of the steep increase neither could afford to continue this practice. It's cheaper for the company to pay the Obamacare fines then provide the health insurance. The worry we are facing with regard to losing our healthcare coverage is making me "sick" in more ways then one.
Glenn
2:30 pm on Friday, November 16, 2012
not eating at this dump anymore
Don Stoveken
5:24 pm on Friday, November 16, 2012
Boycott why? Because someone made a simple statement of fact? There are costs associated with the ACA that will impact business. Those costs have consequences. In order to continue to enjoy the patronage of people such as these boycotters, must businesses pretend that these costs don't exist? Also, what is the desired result? If the boycott were really effective, why, we'd compel Applebee's to lay off even more people. That'll show 'em!....this is scary stuff, folks. There are people, lots of them, who have imbibed suffcient amounts of the kool-aid that it's now an article of faith that with the implementation of the ACA everything will be rainbows and unicorns. Those folks genuinely think that visiting more pain upon businesses that are already looking at new costs coming down the road like a bus with Sandra Bullock at the wheel is the right thing to do. Scary indeed.
Jimmy
10:06 pm on Friday, November 16, 2012
Any corporation that would hide behind the Affordable Health Care Act should be boycotted. Prices increase at restaurants, they have for years, and will continue to do so. That's inflation, not the administration that is in office. Its cowardly that a company would try an say that's the reason why they have to lay people off. For example. Papa John's said it would cut hours to their employees rather than pay 8 million more it would cost to provide them a health coverage and probably improve productivity as a result of being healthier, yet they could afford to hand out 2 million pizza's every football season? Are you kidding me? This is a company will revenue in the BILLIONS and profits over 87 million. If you said I think the price is going to go up then fine, that's the cost of doing business, that's how big box stores like Walmart, Home Depot, crush small business, by under cutting the price, but eventually everything goes up in price. Don't start threatening the poor folk you hired, increase the price of the pizza and go one your way. Every time I go out, the prices go up and the portions go down, to blame health care is nonsense, its about profit, not the waiters and waitress, but the owners and corporations.
Kale C. Smitth
12:37 pm on Saturday, November 17, 2012
Take an economics class. The American people say that they are for the ACA when they think they won't be paying for it. The moment a restaurant raises prices to pay for it they will go to one that refuses to pay for health care because the cost of the pies is lower. They need to take that into consideration. As a business owner I can tell you that our bottom line is to make money. I suggest you stop thinking from a progressive standpoint and consider things from our perspective instead.
Wallst
11:37 pm on Friday, November 16, 2012
Republicans need to grow the hell up!
Kale C. Smitth
12:38 pm on Saturday, November 17, 2012
One of the business owners cutting employees actually donated to Obama. But he still has a business to run and needs to consider costs. I am not a republican and I am somewhat relieved obama got reelected, but this legislation has a number of costs.
Jimmy
5:24 pm on Sunday, November 18, 2012
Everything has costs, not just ACA. Cost to build roads go up and so do tolls. As you stated before economics. There is plenty of room to make money and provide for your employees. While I have nothing against the fact that CEO's are top executives are wealthy and make as much as they do, the disparity that exist between them and the lowest people in the company is a problem. That's just greed and as a consumer, I have some control of where my money goes and it will be to those business who care more about their bottom line.
Annette K
9:45 am on Saturday, November 17, 2012
Pay Day is coming for Obamacare. I don't think this time the government can afford it!
Lamar I'am
1:16 am on Sunday, November 18, 2012
I wouldn't kno...but those restaurant's don't want their employees healthy?#boycotting