Franchisees Accuse Dunkin' Donuts Of 'Systematic Racial Discrimination'

All Reggie and Amy Pretto wanted was the opportunity to run their own Dunkin' Donuts franchise and be in business for themselves. Instead, the African-American couple claims in a new lawsuit, they were purposely "steered" to less desirable, economically challenged locations, hundreds of miles from their suburban New York City home -- because of their race.

In a complaint filed Monday in New Jersey state court, the Prettos accuse corporate parent Dunkin' Brands of lying and deceiving them into believing that there were no franchise opportunities in New York state or New Jersey, near their Westchester County home, and were instead "steered" to less favorable areas in Maryland, which ultimately failed, the New York Post reports.