Mike Ruffer, Five Guys Franchise Owner, Says Obamacare Will Increase Menu Prices

Yet another fast food franchise owner is threatening to increase prices because of Obamacare.

Five Guys franchisee Mike Ruffer said that any added costs associated with President Obama's health care reform law would be passed on to the consumer in the form of higher prices, the Washington Examiner reports.

Ruffer owns eight Five Guys restaurants in the Raleigh-Durham, N.C. area and reportedly said he has put his plans to open new stores on hold.

The Huffington Post reached out to Ruffer, who deferred comment to Five Guys headquarters.

"Mike Ruffer is a franchisee of Five Guys and independent business owner," Molly Catalano, director of communications and public relations wrote in an email. "He does not represent Five Guys on this or any other subject matter."

You can read the Washington Examiner's full report here.

Under Obamacare, employers with more than 50 full-time workers must offer health insurance coverage or face steep penalties. John Metz, a Denny's franchisee, proposed adding an Obamacare surcharge to customers' bills in November.

What's incredibly ironic about Ruffer's decision is that Obama is at least partially responsible for the very success of Five Guys. In 2009, the president gave the then little-known fast food chain a lot of publicity when he took a group of West Wing staffers to lunch at one of their stores in Washington D.C., a trip that was documented on national TV.

After that, Five Guys found an almost permanent spot on top of most lists of America?s favorite burgers.

WATCH: The president stops at Five Guys for a snack:

UPDATE: 9:30 p.m. -- This story has been updated to include a comment from Molly Catalano, director of communications and public relations at Five Guys.

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/11/five-guys-obamacare_n_2855755.html

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