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In a bid to attract the middle class Indian who thinks twice before splurging on a costly meal, quick service restaurants had introduced entry-level prices and value meals for less than Rs 50. However, it didn’t get them much crowd, as a result of which, they are now going premium, so that they can bring in elite food lovers. <br />
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McDonald's India, for example, has pitched itself as a mass-priced brand for over two decades now, but it has now launched its most expensive burger yet, the Maharaja Mac at Rs 145. Similarly, Dunkin' Donuts would soon be launching specialised coffees. Domino's Pizza tied up with celebrity chef Vikas Khanna last year in a bid to introduce European-styled pizzas and snacks which were priced upwards of Rs 250. Starting next month, the US burger chain Wendy's would be adding beer, wine and premium coffee to its Indian menu.<br />
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"QSR was all about operations. Now, it is going back to being restaurants that offer customised and premium products," Jasper Reid, a director of the holding companies of Wendy's and Jamie's Italian in India, told ET.<br />
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As per an internal study which was conducted by McDonald's last year, consumers now prefer products that are 'premium and satiating,’ which is why the world's largest restaurant chain saw a 10% jump from 2012 to 2015 in the premium offerings that it offered to young consumers in India. <br />
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<a href="http://www.mcdonaldsindia.net/maharaja-mac.aspx"><em>Image source</em></a><br />

Quick service restaurants go premium in India, launch costlier products for better sales

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div>Tim Hortons' shares are soaring on <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/burger-king-is-in-talks-to-buy-canadas-most-famous-donut-chain-to-avoid-us-taxes-2014-8">the news</a> that Burger King is in talks to buy the Canadian coffee chain.</p>
<p>Both companies' shares increased on the news. The move would create the third largest fast food company in the world. </p>
<p><span>Combined, the companies would be worth about $18 billion and have more than </span><span>18,000 restaurants in 100 countries.</span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Tim Hortons alone is worth about $8.4 billion. It's the largest coffee chain in Canada with 4,546 restaurants, including 866 in the U.S.</span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">The chain boasts that it sells eight out of 10 cups of coffee in Canada, where it has 3,630 outlets. That's equal to about 36,000 locations in the U.S. on a per capita basis, which is double the number of McDonald's in the U.S., the </span><a href="http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2014/08/24/burger-king-in-talks-to-buy-tim-hortons/?_php=true&amp;_type=blogs&amp;_r=0">New York Times</a><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"> writes.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">The map below shows Horton's locations in the U.S. and Southern Canada. </span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"></div><p></p></div></div><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Tim Hortons sold just one coffee blend until last week, when it added a dark roast. The company </span><a href="http://www.timhortons.com/us/en/corporate/profile.php">promises</a><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"> that all of its coffee is served within 20 minutes of being brewed, or it's thrown out.</span></span></p>
<p><span>The chain, once called Canada's "<a href="http://www.thestar.com/business/2009/06/29/tim_hortons_canadian_again.html">most treasured brand</a>," also sells tea, smoothies, and food including donuts, made-to-order paninis, wraps and soups.</span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">The company was founded by hockey legend Tim Horton. The first location opened in Ontario in 1964 and it made its U.S. debut 20 years later. </span></span></span></p>
<p><span>Wendy's bought Tim Hortons in 1995 when it had just 1,000 stores, then spun it off in 2006. During its decade of ownership, Wendy's opened a number of joint stores, like the one pictured below.</span></p>
<p><span><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div></span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><span>The chain's same-store sales grew 2.6% in Canada and 5.9% in the U.S. in the most recent quarter. Traffic has been declining for nine consecutive quarters in Canada, however, and it was flat in the U.S. last quarter, compared to the previous year.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Tim Hortons CEO Marc Caira blamed the traffic trends on a "new era of low growth, competitive intensity, evolving consumer demands and changing technology," in a recent <a href="http://seekingalpha.com/article/2391365-tim-hortons-thi-ceo-marc-caira-on-q2-2014-results-earnings-call-transcript?all=true&amp;find=tim%2Bhortons">earnings call</a>.</span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><span>The company is betting on menu innovation to keep driving sales growth and eventually attract new customers.</span></span></p>
<p>"We have identified some key trends we are seeing in the market, including changing demographics, increased emphasis on nutrition, health and wellness and a desire for bold flavors along with fresh quality ingredients," Caira said. "Menu innovation is also an important part of our strategy to grow [customers'] average check. We plan to introduce more value-added premium products, as well as appealing side dishes that will encourage our guests to purchase combos."</p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">For decades, the chain was best known for its coffee and donuts. Now, the chain is putting more emphasis on its made-to-order sandwiches, like the </span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Angus Steak Melt Panini below.</span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">The breakfast menu includes sandwiches, paninis and bagels with a combination of eggs, cheese, bacon, sausage or turkey sausage. The chain also sells pastries and muffins.</span></span></p>
<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"> </span></p>

Here's What You Need To Know About Tim Hortons, The Canadian Coffee Chain Burger King Wants To Buy

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Fast food chains say they're locked in a "value war" to win <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/companies-are-doubling-down-on-loyalty-programs-2024-8">increasingly choosy US customers</a>.</li><li>On earnings calls, brands highlighted ways they're trying to offer more bang for diners' bucks.</li></ul><p>It's an especially challenging time in the fast food business.</p><p>As a flurry of summer deals come to an end, quick-serve chains say they're now locked in a "value war" to win increasingly choosy US customers.</p><p>While almost everything is more expensive now than a few years ago, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/chart-gallery/gallery/chart-detail/?chartId=109406">inflation</a> figures show price increases for dining out have outpaced groceries, with the divide widening sharply over the past two years.</p><p>More recently, some brands have aimed to soften the sticker shock with <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mcdonalds-starbucks-costco-fast-food-retail-loyalty-programs-2024-10">temporary discounts to get diners in the door</a>, but rising costs of things like labor and raw ingredients are increasingly squeezing profits.</p><p>"Consumers have become more discerning," Moody's Ratings analyst Michael Zuccaro said in a note Friday. "Value perception is a key driver. This is not just price but also experience related factors such as convenience, speed, consistency, and accuracy."</p><p>On earnings calls this week, brands such as McDonald's, Starbucks, Wendy's, and others highlighted ways they're trying to offer more bang for their customers' bucks.</p><p>Chipotle said Tuesday that its ingredient costs have gone up recently due to a recent emphasis on delivering "<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/chipotle-says-ensuring-consistent-portions-has-hit-profitability-2024-10">consistent and generous portions</a>" in its burritos and bowls after customers complained earlier in the year of feeling short-changed.</p><p>Between higher ingredient usage and other costs on the one hand, and a more competitive consumer economy, interim CEO Scott Boatwright said Chipotle was well-positioned to win the "value war" in fast-casual dining.</p><p>"The chicken burrito, on average, is still under $10, which we believe is still a 15% to 30% discount compared to our peer group. And so, we'll continue to lean into that as we move forward," he said in the company's call.</p><p>Boatwright's predecessor Brian Niccol, who's now CEO at Starbucks, made <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/starbucks-ceo-to-lay-out-strategy-to-fix-coffee-chain-2024-10">several critiques of the coffee chain's recent value proposition</a> during the coffee company's Wednesday earnings call, including its "complicated" menu and customization options.</p><p>"What I have found is when you get simplification in place on pricing, people understand, OK, this is what I'm paying, and this is what I'm getting. And right now, I think we're surprising people a little bit on what they're paying through the customization process and we've got to fix that," he said.</p><p>Even Wingstop CFO Alex Kaleida weighed in.</p><p>"We see consumers prioritizing brands that are going to deliver on quality and value," he said<strong> </strong>Wednesday. "We think we're right in that sweet spot of those guest expectations."</p><p>In the world of burgers and fries, McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski expressed concern during the company's earnings call Tuesday that "our value leadership gap has shrunk" as other chains bring competitive offers to the marketplace.</p><p>"In response, we have moved with urgency in partnership with our franchisees to improve our value offerings in most of our major markets," Kempczinski said.</p><p>McDonald's CFO Ian Borden also told analysts on the call that the company is using its <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mcdonalds-sales-dropped-second-quarter-in-a-row-sharees-down-2024-10">$5 meal deal to grow its loyalty program</a>.</p><p>"Buyers of the $5 meal are visiting us more frequently," he said on the call, saying that those repeat visitors go on to choose other menu items as well. "That's what you start seeing when you start getting consumers back into the restaurants on a more regular basis."</p><p>Even premium burger brand Shake Shack said on Wednesday that its customers have had enough with price hikes, pushing the company to invest more in value.</p><p>"Despite the pricing we've taken over the last year, we're one of the few brands to actually improve our value equation over the last year," CEO Robert Lynch said during the company's call. "It does feel like all the initiatives that the team has put in place around service and speed, coupled with the great food that we continue to deliver, is driving a stronger value perception, which is allowing us to continue to grow."</p><p>Wendy's rounded out the trend on Thursday with a detailed discussion of its approach to value.</p><p>"We're thinking about value," CFO Gunther Plosch said Thursday. "We absolutely believe that value in an environment of value-seeking consumers is not about only executing price-pointed promotions and value deals and value bundles — there's more to that."</p><p>Plosch added that beyond the burger chain's creative promotions, the core menu remains essential to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/wendys-stores-closing-140-locations-2024-11">getting customers to come back</a>.</p><p>"We are working really hard on having that value-seeking consumer having an outstanding experience at the restaurant," he told analysts.</p><p>In other words, prices aren't likely to come down, but CEOs and CFOs will be anxious to see that you were satisfied with your order.</p>

Fast food chains are locked in a 'value war' for US customers

<p>Hello and happy Friday! </p><p>While our (virtual) newsroom has been abuzz with all-things election-related this week, the <keyword id="6354851" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="retail">retail</keyword> team has been working hard to ensure you don't miss a beat in the world of restaurants and retail. And since this week was an especially big week for Dunkin', may we suggest grabbing a celebratory donut (or two) after hitting the polls? </p><p>With that, I welcome you to another week of <keyword id="9923880" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="insider-retail">Insider Retail</keyword>, Business Insider's weekly round-up of everything that's happening in retail news. If you haven't already subscribed, <a href="https://newsletter.businessinsider.com/click/19921095.876/aHR0cDovL25ld3NsZXR0ZXIuYnVzaW5lc3NpbnNpZGVyLmNvbS9qb2luLzRucC9kcml2ZXRocnU_bnJfZW1haWxfcmVmZXJlcj0xJnV0bV9zb3VyY2U9U2FpbHRocnUmdXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fY29udGVudD1Ecml2ZVRocnU/5c818d302ddf9c27c19a8b1aB1c4ef4a7">click here</a> to get me, Bethany Biron, and my colleague, Shoshy Ciment, in your inbox every Friday. </p><p>Looking for even more quality time with the retail team? Lucky for you, you can hang out virtually with my colleagues Gloria Dawson, Catherine LeClair, and Madeline Stone on <strong>Thursday, November 12, from 12-1:30 p.m. ET</strong> for <a href="https://event.on24.com/eventRegistration/EventLobbyServlet?target=reg30.jsp&amp;partnerref=editorial_newsletter_inclusion&amp;eventid=2704927&amp;sessionid=1&amp;key=1C39BAD57EADFA3B26654C4F8B528E58&amp;regTag=&amp;sourcepage=register&amp;sourcepage=register">IGNITION: A Retail Revolution</a><strong>. </strong>Join us for the event, sponsored by Salesforce, to hear from retail entrepreneurs, executives, technologists, and investors about the state of the industry and their predictions for 2021. Register <a href="https://event.on24.com/eventRegistration/EventLobbyServlet?target=reg30.jsp&amp;partnerref=editorial_newsletter_inclusion&amp;eventid=2704927&amp;sessionid=1&amp;key=1C39BAD57EADFA3B26654C4F8B528E58&amp;regTag=&amp;sourcepage=register&amp;sourcepage=register">here</a>.</p><p>Alright, time for some news:</p><h2><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dunkins-potential-acquisition-by-arbys-inspire-brands-explained-2020-10">Inspire Brands eyes $9 billion acquisition of Dunkin' and Baskin-Robbins </a></h2><div type="image" title="dunkin donuts" height="3331" width="4441" msid="78961418" hostid="261"></div><p>Inspire Brands is plotting to expand its sprawling fast-food empire, and its <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dunkin-baskin-robbins-deal-inspire-brands-bought-dunkin-brands-group-2020-10">latest target is Dunkin' Donuts</a>.</p><p>The company — which owns Arby's Buffalo Wild Wings, Sonic Drive-In, Jimmy John's, and Rusty Taco — is currently in talks to acquire Dunkin' Brands, which owns Dunkin' and Baskin-Robbins, for $8.8 billion. </p><p>The beloved New England-based brand has <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dunkin-pandemic-leadership-strategy-david-hoffmann-2020-10">expanded rapidly in recent years</a>, and today boasts 13,000 global locations, including around 8,000 Baskin-Robbins restaurants, which operate as franchise sites. Beyond dropping the "Donuts" from its title in 2018, the company has evolved to include major menu revamps such as adding trendy beverage items like matcha and oat milk. </p><p>Mark Kalinowski, CEO of Kalinowski Equity Research, told Business Insider's Kate Taylor this week that purchasing Dunkin' is a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dunkins-potential-acquisition-by-arbys-inspire-brands-explained-2020-10">smart move for Inspire</a> as it looks to integrate a coffee chain to its portfolio, with the added bonus of bringing in significant cash flow and maintaining steady business during a particularly tumultuous period for restaurants.</p><p>"[Inspire has] become experts over the years in acquiring and integrating other concepts — and making the sum of the parts greater than the individual concepts involved," Kalinowski said. "There are not that many large coffee-centric quick-service brands out there to go around. So if you want to play heavily in the coffee category, your options are limited."</p><h2><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nordstrom-says-workers-need-pay-it-back-for-health-insurance-2020-10">Nordstrom is forcing previously furloughed workers to pay back health insurance fees   </a></h2><div type="image" title="FILE PHOTO: The Nordstrom store is pictured in Broomfield, Colorado, February 23, 2017.REUTERS/Rick Wilking" height="2181" width="2908" msid="78961419" hostid="261"></div><p>When Nordstrom furloughed store workers in April, it told them their health-insurance benefits would still be in place even though they wouldn't be getting a paycheck.</p><p>However, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nordstrom-says-workers-need-pay-it-back-for-health-insurance-2020-10">as Madeline reported this week</a>, some store workers say they didn't realize they would have to pay Nordstrom back for the premiums the company covered.</p><p>While Nordstrom asserts it did in fact tell employees about the stipulation at the onset of the furloughs, the staffers say otherwise, pointing to murky communication between the company and its employees.   </p><p>For many penny-pinched Americans, an unexpected paycheck deduction could have devastating effects. According to a Bankrate survey of <a href="https://www.bankrate.com/banking/savings/emergency-savings-survey-2020/">more than 1,000 American adults</a> in July and August, 21% of respondents said they currently have no emergency savings, and just one in five said they have enough saved to cover up to five months of expenses. </p><p>"We kind of assumed that that was the company being generous, as it is very often in certain situations," said one employee, who works at a Nordstrom store in Illinois and asked to remain anonymous for fear of jeopardizing his job.</p><h2><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/panera-debuts-pizza-in-pandemic-2020-10">Panera debuts pizza</a>, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/burger-king-tim-hortons-upgrade-10000-drive-thrus-tech-2020-10">Burger King tests high-tech drive-thrus</a>, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/wendys-new-chicken-sandwich-promotion-coupon-how-to-get-free-2020-10">and Wendy's tries to reignite the chicken sandwich wars</a></h2><p>It was a jam-packed week of news for fast food chains.</p><p>First, White Castle announced not only is it implementing <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/white-castle-adds-more-flippy-robot-cooks-2020-10">robot cooks to make burgers</a> and fries to select locations, but it's also giving employees <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/white-castle-closes-restaurants-on-election-day-workers-vote-2020-10">paid time off to vote</a> on Election Day — a rare move among its restaurant peers. Then, Wendy's rolled out a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/wendys-new-chicken-sandwich-promotion-coupon-how-to-get-free-2020-10">new chicken sandwich</a>, designed to rival the likes of Popeyes and Chick-fil-A, and reignite the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/popeyes-chicken-sandwich-started-civil-war-customers-2019-11#:~:text=The%20tension%20between%20Popeyes%20and,Chicken%20Sandwich%20War%20of%202019.">chicken sandwich wars of 2019</a>.</p><p>That wasn't all. Looking to capitalize on the pizza boom during the pandemic, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/panera-debuts-pizza-in-pandemic-2020-10">Panera added</a> flatbread pizzas to its menu, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/taco-bell-grilled-cheese-burrito-loss-of-potatoes-boost-profits-2020-10">Taco Bell reported</a> massive sales growth thanks to the popularity of its Grilled Cheese Burrito, and Burger King is experimenting with <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/burger-king-tim-hortons-upgrade-10000-drive-thrus-tech-2020-10">high-tech predictive menus at drive-thrus.</a></p><h2>Everything else you need to know</h2><div type="image" title="GettyImages 617296472" height="2525" width="3367" msid="78961420" hostid="261"></div><ul><li>Americans can't stop buying <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/pet-halloween-costumes-are-on-the-rise-in-pandemic-2020-10">pet Halloween costumes</a> in an attempt to feel a fleeting moment of joy during the pandemic. </li><li>Starbucks' Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/starbucks-pumpkin-cream-cold-brew-outsells-pumpkin-spice-latte-2020-10">outsold the Pumpkin Spice Latte</a> after the chain debuted its fall drink menu earlier than ever this year.</li><li>Major companies like Danone and General Mills are gearing up to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/these-food-and-beverage-brands-could-be-next-to-dissappear-2020-10">offload food and beverage brands</a> as the coronavirus outbreak wages on. </li><li>Amazon announced it will <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-hiring-100000-seasonal-workers-before-holidays-2020-10">hire 100,000 seasonal workers</a> to assist with the holiday rush. </li><li>Hotel chains are <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/butler-hospitality-makes-ghost-kitchens-hotel-room-service-2020-10">turning to ghost kitchens</a> to help curb costs. </li><li>The RealReal is bringing its luxury consignment business <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/the-realreal-expands-to-midwest-as-luxury-consignment-market-grows-2020-10">to the Midwest</a>.</li><li>Consumers are already starting to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/retail-holiday-shopping-season-deal-fatigue-coronavirus-2020-10">feel "deal fatigue"</a> as companies double down on e-commerce and launch extended holiday discount periods. </li></ul>

Insider Retail: Dunkin' in acquisition talks, furloughed Nordstrom employees forced to pay back health insurance fees, and fast food brands get innovative

<p class="source"><span>Taco Bell</span></p><p class="caption">Taco Bell employees.</p><ul class="summary-list"><li>As essential workers - including those still showing up to work at fast-food chains - are celebrated, some say they would <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/retail-fast-food-workers-want-benefits-not-free-pizza-donuts-2020-4">prefer to receive better benefits and pay</a> than appreciation without compensation. </li><li>"I posted a status on Facebook the other day ... with a hashtag of "#thankyousdontpaymybills,'" said a Taco Bell manager. "It seems snarky, but sadly it's the truth of what we are dealing with." </li><li>There is growing concern that essential workers, ranging from those working in restaurants to healthcare, may not be getting sufficient pay, benefits, or protection, in part because of the celebration of their sacrifices. </li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</li></ul><p>As fast-food workers and other essential workers are celebrated, some say they would prefer that Americans realize they aren't choosing to be seen as heroes.</p><p>In many cases, workers simply need to survive - and the jobs that are seen as essential are barely paying the bills. </p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/retail-fast-food-workers-want-benefits-not-free-pizza-donuts-2020-4">Nelson Santiago recently quit his job at a Wendy's</a> in Waco, Texas, after feeling "disrespected and humiliated" when his location received a bag of candy from the franchisee's corporate office, thanking workers.</p><p>Santiago told Business Insider he was making $8.50 an hour and had recently lost his second job at Golden Corral. He wanted hazard pay and enforcement of social distancing, not a gift bag of kid-size candies. </p><p>"For them to say a simple thank you while they sit in the comfort of their homes with their families protected and reaping the benefits of these chains still being open - it is insulting," Santiago said. </p><p>One Taco Bell manager told Business Insider that he has become increasingly upset about the treatment of workers during the pandemic. He and other workers quoted in this article <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-working-fast-food-during-pandemic-in-workers-words-2020-3">(Business Insider has spoken to more than 30 in recent weeks)</a> were granted anonymity in order to speak freely; his and other workers' employment were verified via pay stubs or other documentation. </p><p>The manager said he has been helping employees file for unemployment and taking on extra hours, working as many as 65 a week without additional pay, as other workers resign because their hours have been cut. </p><p>"I posted a status on Facebook the other day that got many shares, with a hashtag of "#thankyousdontpaymybills,'" the Taco Bell manager said. "It seems snarky, but sadly it's the truth of what we are dealing with." </p><p>In March, a Starbucks employee voiced similar thoughts. (Since the employee spoke with Business Insider, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-starbucks-pay-workers-whether-or-not-they-work-2020-3">the coffee giant has closed all cafés and told workers they would be paid whether they come to work or not.</a>) </p><p>"It has made a lot of other employees upset when customers say 'thank you for being open' or 'I don't know what I'd do without my coffee', rather than recognizing that we're putting our health in danger by coming into contact with so many people," the worker said. </p><h2>Many essential employees are pushing back against the 'hero' concept</h2><p>Tweets and Reddit posts about appreciation without compensation are going viral among essential workers. </p><p>Workers in other sectors, such as healthcare, are also pushing back against the presentation of essential workers as "heroes" or "angels" during the coronavirus pandemic. </p><p>"I feel like the people in power's perspective on medical professionals shifted from 'workers' to 'heroes' because if they're just 'heroes' it erases responsibility to protect them from vulnerable situations - it implies they somehow signed up to be exploited, which they did not," tweeted BuzzFeed's Kristin Chirico. </p><h2>If workers are considered 'heroes,' they want to be treated fairly</h2><p>Some fast-food workers said that some people's appreciation for their work ignored their demands for more benefits, paid time off, and hazard pay. </p><p>"It's disgusting that we aren't even recognized financially by the state, let alone the federal government," the Taco Bell manager said. "We aren't asking for $15 per hour or anything permanent. We just want to be financially sound during this time of being considered 'essential.'"</p><p>Many fast-food workers said they were <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-mcdonalds-taco-bell-workers-on-working-in-pandemic-2020-3">terrified about catching the coronavirus at work.</a> Being called a hero does little to assuage fears about sickness or being unable to pay bills if locations shut down or if their hours were cut. </p><p>Chains have been working to roll out new safety measures and new sick leave policies. </p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-mcdonalds-taco-bell-workers-on-working-in-pandemic-2020-3">When asked for comment on Taco Bell's response to the coronavirus,</a> a representative highlighted new safety measures such as providing gloves for all cashiers, increasing sanitizing routines, and ensuring hand sanitizer is available for workers and customers. Taco Bell is working on procedures to help workers with social distancing while working, according to a representative. </p><p>"The drive-thru business continues to be essential, and one of the safest ways, for individuals and families to get food quickly and affordably," a Taco Bell representative said. </p><p>Wendy's did not respond to Business Insider's request for comment on Santiago's experience. In late March, a representative said that the chain has introduced enhanced safety precautions, including rolling out no-contact and limited ordering options. </p><p>"All Company employees - whether enrolled in a company medical plan or not - have access to our Employee Assistance Program (EAP), which provides free, confidential 24/7 counseling," the representative said. "Further, we have a program in place where all U.S. Company employees have access to telehealth and can see a board-certified doctor through a video consultation from a smartphone, tablet or computer for a low cost, making it easier for employees to get the care they may need."</p><p>However, with most workers in the industry employed by franchisees, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mcdonalds-fast-food-franchise-model-explains-unequal-benefits-2020-3">benefits rarely extend to all people working at a chain.</a> At Wendy's, for example, only 6% of locations are company-owned. It took the passage of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act to require franchisees with 50 to 500 locations to provide workers with two weeks of paid sick leave. </p><p>Compensation for "heroes" may also become legislation. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has <a href="https://www.insider.com/schumer-proposes-25000-heroes-pay-for-frontline-workers-2020-4">proposed</a> that frontline "heroes" receive up to $25,000 as part of the new crisis rescue package. </p><p>"This is a heroes' fund and they deserve it," <a href="https://www.insider.com/schumer-proposes-25000-heroes-pay-for-frontline-workers-2020-4">Schumer said on Tuesday. </a></p><p class="tagline"><i>Do you have a personal experience with the coronavirus you'd like to share? Or a tip on how your town or community is handling the pandemic? Please email <a href="mailto:covidtips@businessinsider.com">covidtips@businessinsider.com</a> and tell us your story.</i></p><p><i>And get the latest <a href="/coronavirus-business-impact">coronavirus analysis and research</a> from Business Insider Intelligence on how COVID-19 is impacting businesses.</i></p>            <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/handwashing-skin-care-products-soap-hands-2020-4">7 products to keep your hands healthy after constant handwashing, according to a dermatologist</a></h3>

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