Dunkin’ Donuts CEO slams $15 minimum wage

By Benjamin SnyderManaging Editor
Benjamin SnyderManaging Editor

Benjamin Snyder is Fortune's managing editor, leading operations for the newsroom.

Prior to rejoining Fortune, he was a managing editor at Business Insider and has worked as an editor for Bloomberg, LinkedIn and CNBC, covering leadership stories, sports business, careers and business news. He started his career as a breaking news reporter at Fortune in 2014.

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Dunkin’ Brand CEO Nigel Travis isn’t happy with New York’s recommendation that fast food workers make a minimum wage of over $15 per hour.

In an interview with CNN, Travis expressed his concern over the news and discussed the implications for the industry. “It’s going to affect small businesses and franchises,” he said. “I don’t want to sound threatening about that,” noting that Dunkin’ Donuts (DNKN) would unlikely lay off employees because of the increase. He did, however, say that it could affect the company from hiring workers in the future.

Instead, Travis said that fast food workers should make something along the lines of $12, according to CNN. The minimum wage in New York is currently $8.75 per hour.

 

“A debate needs to take place about how to tackle income inequality,” he said in the interview.

There may, however, be job losses associated with the boosted pay, Fortune notes. And there could be higher prices for shoppers.