Red Plate, Blue Plate:
Fast Food By Political Persuasion
Laurie Bennett, Forbes Contributor
7/23/2012
So you’re driving home, thinking about a quick lunch, listening to liberal or conservative radio, depending on your outlook.
In these hyperpartisan times, can you choose a drive-up window to suit to your politics?
Certainly you can. The Chick-fil-A hubbub is just Exhibit A.
But you’ll have a wider menu selection if you vote Republican.
Businesses don’t have to list campaign contributions in proxy statements or annual reports, and some outside organizations don’t reveal donors, so it’s difficult to fully assess corporate political activities.
We took a partial measurement by examining contributions of company PACs, top execs and owners.
We assigned red forks to restaurant chains leaning Republican, and blue to those leaning Democratic. If political activity was fairly evenly distributed, or almost nonexistent, we gave the company a purple fork.
Restaurant, Parent Co.
A&W, KFC, Long John Silver’s, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, YUM! Brands.
The Center for Responsive Politics reports that 87 percent of the donations by the Yum! Brands PAC have gone to Republicans in this election cycle.
Applebee’s, IHOP, DineEquity
Publicly traded DineEquity does not have a PAC. CEO Julia Stewart has made no public donations this election.
Arby’s, Roark Capital Group
Roark Capital Group, which acquired Arby’s last year, was named after Howard Roark, protagonist in Ayn Rand’s “The Fountainhead.” Automatic red fork.
Carl's Jr., Hardee’s, CKE Restaurants
CKE chief exec Andrew F. Puzder is a contributor to Restore Our Future, the super PAC supporting Romney. CKE is owned by a fund maintained by Apollo Global Management, whose chairman, Leon Black, has supported both Republican and Democratic committees.
Chick-fil-A
Company President Dan Cathy’s recent comments in support of “the biblical definition of the family” have sparked both praise and customer boycotts. His father, billionaire founder S. Truett Cathy, is a regular donor to Republicans.
Chili’s, Brinker Internat’l
Brinker International‘s PAC gives primarily to Republican candidates, as does its chairman and CEO, Doug Brooks.
Church’s Chicken, Friedman, Fleischer & Lowe
Tully M. Friedman, head of Friedman Fleischer, is a contributor to the GOP and vice chairman of the conservative American Enterprise Institute.
Cracker Barrel Old Country Store
The company PAC donates mainly to Republicans.
Dairy Queen, Berkshire Hathaway
Berkshire Hathaway Chief Warren Buffett is a contributor to the Obama Victory Fund and an outspoken advocate of higher taxes for the wealthiest Americans.
Domino’s Pizza
Company Chairman David Brandon was finance co-chair for Mitt Romney’s 2008 presidential campaign. Director Diana Cantor, wife of House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, is a director. The Domino’s Pizza PAC ceased operations in 2008.
Jack in the Box
While the public company doesn’t have a PAC, its major stockholder, Fidelity Investments, does. The Fidelity PAC favored Democrats in 2010, but gave more to Republicans in earlier years.
Little Caesars Pizza
Co-founders Marian and Mike Ilitch, billionaire owner of the Detroit Tigers and Detroit Red Wings, have given to both Democrats and Republicans.
McDonald’s
Chairman Andrew McKenna and the company PAC support Republicans, but director John W. Rogers Jr. has been a fundraiser for Obama in 2008 and 2012. The company is a former member of the controversial American Legislative Exchange Council.
Olive Garden, Red Lobster, LongHorn Steakhouse Darden Restaurants
So far this election season, 67 percent of company PAC donations have gone to Republicans and 33 percent to Democrats. Company Chairman and CEO Clarence Otis, however, has contributed to both parties.
Panera Bread Co.
Founder Ronald M. Shaich backs Democratic candidates, although he has not yet made any public contributions to the Obama 2012 campaign.
Papa John’s
The company does not make contributions through a PAC. Founder and Chairman John Schnatter has given to both parties, with an edge to the GOP, and has been a noted critic of the ACA.
Popeyes, AFC Enterprises
AFC does not have a PAC. Company Chairman John M. Cranor III has made relatively small donations to congressional candidates.
Ruby Tuesday
The company no longer has a PAC. Chairman and CEO Samuel Beall generally confines his political giving to his home state of Tennessee.
Sonic
The company does not have a PAC. Federico Pena, co-chair of the Obama 2012 campaign and secretary of energy and transportation during the Clinton administration, is a director.
Fast Food By Political Persuasion
Laurie Bennett, Forbes Contributor
7/23/2012
So you’re driving home, thinking about a quick lunch, listening to liberal or conservative radio, depending on your outlook.
In these hyperpartisan times, can you choose a drive-up window to suit to your politics?
Certainly you can. The Chick-fil-A hubbub is just Exhibit A.
But you’ll have a wider menu selection if you vote Republican.
Businesses don’t have to list campaign contributions in proxy statements or annual reports, and some outside organizations don’t reveal donors, so it’s difficult to fully assess corporate political activities.
We took a partial measurement by examining contributions of company PACs, top execs and owners.
We assigned red forks to restaurant chains leaning Republican, and blue to those leaning Democratic. If political activity was fairly evenly distributed, or almost nonexistent, we gave the company a purple fork.
Restaurant, Parent Co.
The Center for Responsive Politics reports that 87 percent of the donations by the Yum! Brands PAC have gone to Republicans in this election cycle.
Publicly traded DineEquity does not have a PAC. CEO Julia Stewart has made no public donations this election.
Roark Capital Group, which acquired Arby’s last year, was named after Howard Roark, protagonist in Ayn Rand’s “The Fountainhead.” Automatic red fork.
CKE chief exec Andrew F. Puzder is a contributor to Restore Our Future, the super PAC supporting Romney. CKE is owned by a fund maintained by Apollo Global Management, whose chairman, Leon Black, has supported both Republican and Democratic committees.
Company President Dan Cathy’s recent comments in support of “the biblical definition of the family” have sparked both praise and customer boycotts. His father, billionaire founder S. Truett Cathy, is a regular donor to Republicans.
Brinker International‘s PAC gives primarily to Republican candidates, as does its chairman and CEO, Doug Brooks.
Tully M. Friedman, head of Friedman Fleischer, is a contributor to the GOP and vice chairman of the conservative American Enterprise Institute.
The company PAC donates mainly to Republicans.
Berkshire Hathaway Chief Warren Buffett is a contributor to the Obama Victory Fund and an outspoken advocate of higher taxes for the wealthiest Americans.
Company Chairman David Brandon was finance co-chair for Mitt Romney’s 2008 presidential campaign. Director Diana Cantor, wife of House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, is a director. The Domino’s Pizza PAC ceased operations in 2008.
While the public company doesn’t have a PAC, its major stockholder, Fidelity Investments, does. The Fidelity PAC favored Democrats in 2010, but gave more to Republicans in earlier years.
Co-founders Marian and Mike Ilitch, billionaire owner of the Detroit Tigers and Detroit Red Wings, have given to both Democrats and Republicans.
Chairman Andrew McKenna and the company PAC support Republicans, but director John W. Rogers Jr. has been a fundraiser for Obama in 2008 and 2012. The company is a former member of the controversial American Legislative Exchange Council.
So far this election season, 67 percent of company PAC donations have gone to Republicans and 33 percent to Democrats. Company Chairman and CEO Clarence Otis, however, has contributed to both parties.
Founder Ronald M. Shaich backs Democratic candidates, although he has not yet made any public contributions to the Obama 2012 campaign.
The company does not make contributions through a PAC. Founder and Chairman John Schnatter has given to both parties, with an edge to the GOP, and has been a noted critic of the ACA.
AFC does not have a PAC. Company Chairman John M. Cranor III has made relatively small donations to congressional candidates.
The company no longer has a PAC. Chairman and CEO Samuel Beall generally confines his political giving to his home state of Tennessee.
The company does not have a PAC. Federico Pena, co-chair of the Obama 2012 campaign and secretary of energy and transportation during the Clinton administration, is a director.
