What the McDonald’s AI Pricing Lawsuit Alleges
Welcome to Represent More, a production of We Are Them Media. In Episode 17, Ryan and Shireen Clarkson discuss Clarkson’s new McDonald’s AI pricing lawsuit, allegations of algorithmic price-fixing and antitrust violations, and the growing backlash against the data centers powering the artificial intelligence boom.
The lawsuit, brought by Clarkson partner Derek Brandt and associate Larkin Turner, alleges that McDonald’s required independently operated franchisees to follow pricing recommendations generated by an algorithm designed to optimize for consumers’ “willingness to pay.” Because franchise locations are supposed to compete with one another, the lawsuit alleges that this system reduced competition and contributed to higher prices for consumers.
McDonald’s customers who believe they may have been affected can sign up for a free case review to learn more about the potential class action.
Ryan and Shireen also discuss the antitrust and consumer protection claims behind the case. Ryan explains that Clarkson is bringing claims under federal and state antitrust laws, including the Sherman Act, as well as state consumer protection laws.
The conversation raises broader questions about the consumer data behind algorithmic pricing. Shireen discusses concerns around companies tracking purchasing behavior, location, spending patterns, and other information, and potentially using that data to determine how much consumers may be willing to pay.
Ryan and Shireen then turn to the rapid expansion of AI data centers across the country. Communities are increasingly pushing back over concerns including air and noise pollution, vibrations, water and electricity use, zoning, land use, and the effects these massive facilities can have on surrounding neighborhoods.
At the center of the discussion is transparency. Ryan argues that communities should know how many jobs a proposed data center will create, what resources it will consume, what it could do to utility costs, air and water quality, and what residents may be giving up in exchange before construction begins.
They also discuss the growing legal and community pushback, including zoning challenges, land-use disputes, protests, and lawsuits surrounding major facilities such as xAI’s Colossus data centers near Memphis.
Topics Covered This Episode
- Ryan and Shireen Clarkson on the new McDonald’s AI pricing lawsuit
- How algorithmic price-fixing may reduce competition between McDonald’s franchises
- The antitrust and consumer protection claims behind the case
- Clarkson partner Derek Brandt and associate Larkin Turner’s role in bringing the lawsuit
- Ryan and Shireen on the growing backlash against AI data centers
- Why communities need transparency about jobs, resources, risks, and costs
The McDonald’s lawsuit and the data-center debate raise a similar question: who benefits from AI, and who is expected to absorb its costs? When consumers and communities are affected by decisions they had little role in making, transparency and accountability become increasingly important.
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