Boycott Drive Aimed at Burger King

An Atlanta-based alliance of minority leaders has launched a boycott campaign against Miami-based fast-food chain Burger King, alleging discrimination against African Americans and Latinos. “Burger King spends a lot more on improvements in affluent middle-class communities than in minority communities. The playing field is not level,” a boycott spokesman said. The alliance also claims that Burger King is guilty of redlining, or discouraging minority ownership of franchises in predominantly white areas.

A spokesman for Burger King, a subsidiary of Grand Metropolitan, denied the allegations and said that over the past 10 years, the company has invested tens of millions of dollars to support minority franchise ownership. He said that since 1990, the number of ethnic-owned restaurants has risen 64%, compared to 21% growth in non-minority franchise ownership.