Inside McDonald’s push to have AI price your Big Mac
(Reuters, 2026) McDonald's recommends prices to franchisees based on the AI-estimated "willingness to pay" of a restaurants' local customers. McDonald's warned franchisees the system could invite antitrust scrutiny. This story has so far prompted two class action lawsuits.
Inside Starbucks’ supply struggles: AI glitches, scattered suppliers and sandwich shortages
(Reuters, 2026) Starbucks has among the worst product shortages in the restaurant industry, and AI-powered bandaids weren't working, according to my conversations with insiders. My follow-up to this story, about Starbucks rolling back the AI venture, went viral.
LVMH finds making Louis Vuitton bags messy in Texas
(Reuters, 2025) Supervisors routinely turned a blind eye toward methods to conceal defects, and in some cases encouraged them. The Texas plant, one of the worst-performing in the country, struggled to retain the workers it paid $17 an hour. To report this story, I spoke to nearly a dozen former factory workers.
How a US health agency became a shield for polluters
(Reuters, 2024) Companies and others responsible for some of America's most toxic waste sites are using a federal health agency’s faulty reports to save money on cleanups, defend against lawsuits and deny victims compensation, a Reuters investigation found.
Panera loosens ingredients standards ahead of IPO, internal documents show
(Reuters, 2024) Panera calculated $21 million in savings by quietly rolling back standards for animal welfare and additive prohibitions. This story was the basis for a consumer group's lawsuit against Panera Bread.