How Franchise Restaurants Opened the Door to the Gig Economy

2026-07-24 · 45 min · 12 entities

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Entities found in this episode

concepts 9

mentioned Business concept

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evidence rules-v4
Feed category: Business
mentioned Investing concept

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evidence rules-v4
Feed category: Investing
mentioned News Commentary concept

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evidence rules-v4
Feed category: News Commentary
mentioned Business News concept

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evidence rules-v4
Feed category: Business News
discusses Business concept

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evidence rules-v4
Feed category: Business
discusses News concept

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evidence rules-v4
Feed category: News
discusses Investing concept

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evidence rules-v4
Feed category: Investing
discusses News Commentary concept

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evidence rules-v4
Feed category: News Commentary
discusses Business News concept

0.40

evidence rules-v4
Feed category: Business News

companys 2

mentioned Bloomberg company

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Feed author/publisher: Bloomberg
hosted by Bloomberg company

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Feed author/publisher: Bloomberg

books 1

mentioned Chains of Command book

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author of the book Chains of Command

Episode description as stored

When the fast food industry began booming in the 1950s, it did so via a new business model known as the franchise. This model allowed independent operators to license trademarks from a business like McDonald's or Dunkin Donuts, and it soon spread across the country, with huge consequences for how Americans are employed. Legal battles fought by franchises eventually opened the door to what's now known as the gig economy, allowing Uber drivers to be treated in much the same way as the operator of a local Chick-fil-A. To better understand the history of the franchise model, we speak with Brian Callaci, chief economist of the Open Markets Institute, and author of the book Chains of Command: The Rise and Cruel Reign of the Franchise Economy . Callaci helps break down how the franchise model works, how franchise contracts are structured to precisely dictate how franchisees are supposed to run their businesses, the relationship between the franchise model and gig work, as well as how franchises pioneered worker surveillance. Read more: Taco Bell Traffic Sinks After Lettuce Tied to Parasite Cases Chicken Back on Menu as Cyber-Hit Nichirei Restores Operations Only http://Bloomberg.com subscribers can get the Odd Lots newsletter in their inbox each week, plus unlimited access to the site and app. Subscribe at bloomberg.com/subscriptions/oddlots Subscribe to the Odd Lots Newsletter Join the conversation: discord.gg/oddlots See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.