AABP EP Awards 728x90

Iowa restaurant franchisees say rules on state aid are unfair

/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/BR_web_311x311.jpeg

Des Moines Register: Some franchise restaurant owners in Iowa are feeling left out after being turned down for a state relief fund while Iowa-based Pizza Ranch received $1.1 million. The Iowa Economic Development Authority blocked chain franchise restaurants from receiving the grant unless their franchiser was based in Iowa or was exceptionally small, with 20 or fewer total restaurants around the country. Restaurants also had to qualify as “full service.” Some Iowa owners of restaurant franchises said the rules were unfair. A state spokeswoman said state leaders created the restrictions to limit how many businesses qualified. Shrinking the pool of applicants allowed the state to spread more of the $40 million to each owner.