New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani took part in a mukbang livestream to celebrate a settlement between the city and a Taco Bell and Dunkin’ Donuts franchisee.
Salz Management LLC agreed to pay over $1.5 million to settle an investigation by the city that found the franchisee violated local scheduling laws at 24 locations in Manhattan and Queens. Mamdani joined Department of Consumer and Worker Protection Commissioner Sam Levine for a livestream discussing the settlement, as they feasted on various food orders from Taco Bell and Dunkin’ Donuts.
Levine explained that workers at these locations were not given “predictable schedules” and were forced to close the store and open it the next day, “without compensation.”
“And I think one of the things that, to me, is one of the more beautiful parts of this settlement is that it all starts with one worker,” Mamdani said in the livestream. “One worker making a complaint about the violation of fair workweek laws is what leads to more than 800 workers receiving, some of them will receive, I think, as you said, more than $10,000?”
Levine confirmed some, not most, will receive more than $10,000 from this settlement.
Some of the food the two officials ate during the mukbang included Crunchwrap Supremes, Mexican Pizzas, Baja Blast Freezes, and Munchkin doughnuts. Mamdani said the Supreme is “very good,” and Levine joked that the entree’s “big” size makes it live up to its namesake.
Mamdani also confirmed that the city will use “direct deposit” to reimburse eligible workers in this settlement, “if you have your accounts on file.” Those who don’t will receive a check.
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Mamdani and Levine were scheduled to announce the settlement on Monday, but postponed it after the Air Canada regional jet collision at LaGuardia Airport on Sunday night, according to The City. The pilot and co-pilot were reportedly killed in the collision, and several others were injured.
Mamdani joined Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY) for a press conference on Monday. He stressed that he wants New York residents to know the National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the cause of the collision, and “we will not rest until the conclusion of that investigation.”