Dunkin' Donuts Accused Of Bias By Ex-Franchisees
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) -- A black couple and an Indian-American woman have filed a bias lawsuit against Dunkin' Donuts.
They claim as former franchise-holders in New Jersey and Maryland they were unlawfully denied locations or steered away from opening stores in more profitable communities.
Reggie and Amy Pretto, a black couple from Montclair, N.J., claim that Dunkin' Donuts lied to them in 2004 when it told them there were no locations available in the New York metro area.
Instead, they claim they were steered to less profitable minority areas in Maryland. The suit claims they lost $750,000 before declaring bankruptcy.
Priti Shetty of Montville, N.J., claims that as a woman of Indian descent she was prevented from opening a third store in northern New Jersey.
Canton, Mass.-based Dunkin' Donuts didn't immediately comment on the New Jersey-filed suit.
(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
