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Cleveland Clinic finally to ditch its McDonald's

Agreement with franchisee will see controversial unit close down next month.

Mike Buzalka, Executive Features Editor

August 18, 2015

1 Min Read
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The McDonald’s unit operating in the retail food court at the Cleveland Clinic will close on September 18 after several years of wrangling with the hospital administration over impression its presence on the premises projects, reports the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

The unit, operated by a McDonald’s franchisee, had been operating at the site for two decades, the last half of which it had come under fire from Clinic CEO Dr. Toby Cosgrove, a cardiac surgeon, who has been trying to improve the health of the institution’s employees with a series of wellness initiatives. The franchisee had refused to budge, citing his rights under his lease as well as the unit’s apparent continuing popularity.

The news comes on the heels of the announcement that management of onsite foodservice operations at the Clinic’s main campus, where the McDonald’s is located, has been awarded to Sodexo. The company will begin taking over operations on October 17, about a month after the McDonald’s is scheduled to close.

Contact Mike Buzalka at [email protected]

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About the Author

Mike Buzalka

Executive Features Editor, Food Management

Mike Buzalka is executive features editor for Food Management and contributing editor to Restaurant Hospitality, Supermarket News and Nation’s Restaurant News. On Food Management, Mike has lead responsibility for compiling the annual Top 50 Contract Management Companies as well as the K-12, College, Hospital and Senior Dining Power Players listings. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English Literature from John Carroll University. Before joining Food Management in 1998, he served as for eight years as assistant editor and then editor of Foodservice Distributor magazine. Mike’s personal interests range from local sports such as the Cleveland Indians and Browns to classic and modern literature, history and politics.

Mike Buzalka’s areas of expertise include operations, innovation and technology topics in onsite foodservice industry markets like K-12 Schools, Higher Education, Healthcare and Business & Industry.

Mike Buzalka’s experience:

Executive Features Editor, Food Management magazine (2010-present)

Contributing Editor, Restaurant Hospitality, Supermarket News and Nation’s Restaurant News (2016-present)

Associate Editor, Food Management magazine (1998-2010)

Editor, Foodservice Distributor magazine (1997-1998)

Assistant Editor, Foodservice Distributor magazine (1989-1997)

 

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