Oregon McDonald’s Franchisees Settle Meal Break Lawsuit for Millions

A multimillion dollar settlement was approved on December 11, 2025 to resolve claims that a group of Oregon McDonald’s franchise operators failed to properly account for short meal periods. The settlement fund totals $3,550,000 and covers a class of hourly employees who worked at the named franchise locations any time after March 8, 2014 and who experienced unpaid meal periods shorter than 30 minutes during a six hour shift.

Under the terms, class members will receive a guaranteed automatic payment of $31.14. Employees who are eligible and who submit a valid claim may receive up to $872.49, with actual amounts based on the period worked and the number of claims submitted. The settlement administration is being handled by Epiq Global, which is processing claim forms and related notices. The deadline to submit a claim is March 8, 2026. A fairness hearing to approve the settlement terms and related requests will be held March 27, 2026.

The defendants named in the action are UTB Enterprises LLC, Goldenband LLC, Donald D. Armstrong and Lori Armstrong. Court filings and the settlement materials include a breakdown of attorneys fees and estimated payouts, and they provide instructions for how class members can file claims and contact the settlement administrator. Affected employees should review the settlement materials and follow the administrator instructions to ensure they do not miss the claim deadline.

For crew members and store managers at the listed franchises, the ruling matters both financially and operationally. Even modest automatic payments represent an acknowledgment of alleged underpayment for short meal periods, and the larger potential payouts can be meaningful for employees with repeated violations over time. The settlement also creates an administrative record that may prompt franchise operators to review scheduling and meal break practices to avoid future disputes.

Employees who believe they are class members should obtain the claim form and full settlement information from the settlement administrator and submit any required documentation before the March 8, 2026 deadline. The fairness hearing is scheduled for March 27, 2026, where a judge will consider final approval of the agreement.