The owners of four Manhattan Burger King franchises are locked in a nasty legal battle with their royal overlord. Luan Sadik and his sister, Elizabeth Sadik, rebelled against the mandatory 99-cent menu and the recent dollar Value Menu because the prices couldn’t cover the obscene Manhattan rent and the fast food monarch roared.
According to the Daily News, their rent at a Fifth Avenue restaurant is $9,000/month and $18,000.month at a 47th Street location. The Sadiks also kick up a monthly royalty to the King based on gross sales.
The Sadiks appealed for an exemption from the Value Menu, which was granted to Burger King franchises in airports and rest stops, but not to the Sadiks. When they closed two of their restaurants last year without corporate approval, Burger King took them to court and, six weeks ago, Burger King shuttered the Sadiks’ last two midtown restaurants.
The siblings are now countersuing Burger King. The Sadiks have owned Burger Kings in Manhattan for over ten years, but since 2001 they’ve operated at a loss. According to court papers, “the 99-cent menu was a financial disaster as customers constantly purchased the low-cost food items, which further deteriorates the [Sadiks'] bottom line.” It's unclear what the franchisees at other BK locations think.
Photo: Peter Stanik
