Mayor Zohran Mamdani did a “mukbang”-style video — munching on Taco Bell and Dunkin’ — to announce an $1.8 million settlement against franchises of the fast food giants Tuesday.
The democratic socialist mayor and his Department of Consumer and Worker Protections Commissioner Sam Levine detailed the deal that’ll pay out 830 workers while noshing on Crunchwrap Supremes, Baja Blasts, Munchkins and a Mexican-style pizza during a YouTube livestream.
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Mukbang is a popular YouTube format where hosts eat large amounts of food while discussing topics.
“We want workers to not only feel comfortable, but also empowered to report these kind of violations,” Mamdani said as he chowed down.
The franchises will pay up after facing allegations of labor law violations, including changing workers’ schedules arbitrarily and forcing employees to open stores right after closing them the previous night without paying them premiums.
The checks will range from $50 to over $10,000.
New York City law requires fast food workers to get at least 14 days notice before changing schedules without having to pay a premium.
The law also states that employees regardless of industry can only open a store after closing the previous night if they give explicit permission and are paid more than their typical wage.
