McDonald's Franchisees Settle Meal Break Lawsuit, $3.55 Million Fund

On December 26, 2025 two Oregon franchise operators identified as UTB Enterprises LLC and Goldenband LLC among others agreed to resolve a wage and hour class action by creating a 3.55 million dollar settlement fund. The settlement covers hourly employees who worked at the listed franchise locations since March 8, 2014 and who experienced unpaid meal periods that were less than 30 minutes during shifts of six hours.

Under the settlement every class member is slated to receive a guaranteed base payment. The settlement administration materials report an automatic payment amount of 31.14 dollars for each eligible class member. Class members with 11 or more eligible workweeks who file a claim may receive up to 872.49 dollars, with actual payments contingent on the number of claims and administrative expenses. The settlement administration website UTBGoldenbandClassAction.com provides a frequently asked questions section and lists covered locations and contact information for claim questions.

Key dates set by the settlement include a January 7, 2026 deadline to opt out or object to the deal, a March 8, 2026 deadline to submit claims, and a fairness hearing scheduled for March 27, 2026. The defendants have denied wrongdoing but agreed to the settlement to avoid further litigation. Notices and settlement listings were published December 24 through December 26, 2025.

For workers this settlement could mean modest automatic payments for many hourly employees and larger payouts for those with extended periods of alleged unpaid short meal breaks who submit claims. For franchise managers and corporate partners the agreement offers a prompt reminder to review meal break practices and payroll deduction procedures to ensure compliance with Oregon rules.

Workplace teams should confirm which franchise locations are included by consulting the settlement website, review pay and meal break deduction practices with franchisee partners, and remind managers of state meal and short break rules along with the documentation and notice obligations they must follow for employees.