I can't charge $20 for a Happy Meal

originally posted by: Threadbarer

If you're a business owner and you can't afford to pay your workers a living wage then you own a failing business.

So every job known to man is a living wage?

So tell me what is a living wage, people keep saying it but what does that represent? I think the term is total crap because you and others cannot defined what that is and say something stupid like oh 100k or more.

What you are suggesting is to say minimum wage is 40 bucks an hour and so that Hamburger is now 40 bucks and so you want everyone who actually works for 40 years to be successful to pay for that 40 minimum wage by buying a 5 dollar hamburger for 40 bucks.

The whole 1% thing is such BS, employment cost has always been around 36% gross or less for a business to be successful and no matter what you pay your employees that percentage doesn't change or things go wrong real fast.

You and other act like you are doing someone a favor by working for them and not being happy there is a job for you to do. Not happy you can find a company that provides you security in your life.

a reply to: Dandandat3

Let me see if I have this right. The Dems have a tax plan that would help the majority of the country while putting more pressure on the 1% that own the majority of wealth in this country but they're actually the bad guys because they're unwilling to ban abortion nationwide in exchange for the Republicans possibly voting on their tax plan?

a reply to: Dandandat3

How much is the Fast Food Council paid?

a reply to: Xtrozero

The whole 1% thing is such BS, employment cost has always been around 36% gross or less for a business to be successful and no matter what you pay your employees that percentage doesn't change or things go wrong real fast.

You're so close and you don't even know it. You act like the wages of the average worker and the executives have kept pace. But that's not true.

Wages stagnated under Reagan and nothing has really changed on that front. Meanwhile the upper class has seen their wages tick up significantly. Nearly 50 years and the middle and lower classes haven't seen a bump in their pay. How do you not think that's insane?

If you think trickle down works, point out one year since 1980 where wealth growth in the lower and middle classes has outpaced that of the upper class.

originally posted by: Threadbarer
a reply to: Dandandat3

Let me see if I have this right. The Dems have a tax plan that would help the majority of the country while putting more pressure on the 1% that own the majority of wealth in this country but they're actually the bad guys because they're unwilling to ban abortion nationwide in exchange for the Republicans possibly voting on their tax plan?

Yes; they are. The vital is a good way to remain uncompromising. A lopsided view of reality makes it very difficult to compromise with the other. You hyperbolically argue your point; they hyperbolically argue their point; who knows who started it first, it's just the way it is. They say you don't compromise, you say they don't compromise, so neither of you compromise.

And that tax plan goes into the dust bin of history. At least you didn't compromise with people who eat babies and murder grandmothers. It's a moral victory I guess.

a reply to: Dandandat3

Who are you voting for in November?

originally posted by: Threadbarer
a reply to: Dandandat3

Who are you voting for in November?

I haven't decided yet; except that I won't be voting for Joe Biden. I am not happy with his performance. How about you?

originally posted by: Threadbarer
a reply to: Dandandat3

Let me see if I have this right. The Dems have a tax plan that would help the majority of the country while putting more pressure on the 1% that own the majority of wealth in this country but they're actually the bad guys because they're unwilling to ban abortion nationwide in exchange for the Republicans possibly voting on their tax plan?

Oh the dems have a plan!! Hooray! Relax everybody the dems have a plan.
What’s the worst that could happen?

a reply to: Shoshanna

Quiznos was great!
The beauty with Quiznos was that they reaped the tax benefits from toasting your sandwich.
They folded and was left with nasty subway until jersey mikes came there.
I’m glad I left California.
That supermajority of degenerates ate killing that nice beautiful state.
RIP Quiznos and RIP Cali

I understand the sturggle of the Franchise Owner in the OP.

Most Familes can't afford that as a treat for the kids either.

Last time I got a Happy Meal it was around $4.

I think thats a fair price.

(and yes my change goes to Ronald McDonald House everytime).

a reply to: Dandandat3

I feel like raising employee wages is just some elaborate excuse to raise prices, but when staff numbers drop by 20 or 30% and execs can afford to lower the price, they come up with more dumb reasons to keep charging customers extra dollars so they can pay the crew. Eventually it's going to be $20 a meal despite robots in the back cooking and bagging burgers. It's going directly to the corporation.

originally posted by: KKLOCO
a reply to: Dandandat3

Another angle is they are pushing for automation, with the result of socialism.

So automation leads to socialism ????
How have you arrived at this theory ?

People keep calling out the CEOs. In reality, they are responsible to the stockholders and board...who also vote on their pay and other forms of compensation. Yes, that compensation usually correlates with profits or earnings targets, but it's not much different than say top athletes or musicians. Are they worth the sometimes obscene amounts they make (not counting the lucrative endorsements)?

People also keep mentioning everyone paying their fair share. What's a fair rate? Is a flat tax more fair, or is the current graduated scale more fair? What about people who pay NO taxes? Maybe a single mom with a live in boyfriend and they don't get married so she doesn't lose benefits and can claim the earned income credit? Millions of people game the system whenever and however they can so why not tackle that problem as well?

Most billionaires and highly wealthy people also earn the majority of their income through investments...taxed at the capital gains rate. They also have accountants and lawyers setup trusts and other structures to avoid, postpone or minimize the taxes they pay. I certainly don't begrudge anyone who built a company over 40 years of hard work and employs hundreds or even thousands of people when they turn around and sell it for $500 million or a billion dollars.

Let's also be honest about a living wage. The definition of that varies tremendously based on location and what it should cover. I may be happy in a 900 square foot house while someone else may feel it's beneath them or they think they deserve more. Who decides? Housing costs are through the roof everywhere. Maybe communities of tiny houses could be constructed as part of a living wage plan. Maybe those communities could also have communal gardens where everyone needs to help out in exchange some fresh fruits and vegetables to offset the high cost of food. Maybe multi-generation housing is part of the answer. I haven't see any real solutions offered that include specific details...only catering to the talking points of their base whether it be a D or an R.

Taxes. It is about taxes not giving employees more money.

The 2016 POTUS tax cuts were great. If you made around 15-18 an hour you paid no Federal Tax. That changed under the current regime. It allowed people to have more in pocket. Ever look at taxes in CA?

They are pushing automation anyways. Want a good deal? Order online and pick it up. This removes 3-5 needed workers a day to maintain brick and mortar stores and talk to customers.

Again, in the end, taxes....

a reply to: Vermilion

Quizno's KICKED ASS!

The first one I had was a Philly Cheesesteak and the toasted bun ROCKED IT!

Sigh.

R.I.P. Quiznos.

Subway is ok, I guess.

Jimmy Johns is good.

originally posted by: GENERAL EYES
a reply to: Vermilion

Quizno's KICKED ASS!

The first one I had was a Philly Cheesesteak and the toasted bun ROCKED IT!

Sigh.

R.I.P. Quiznos.

Subway is ok, I guess.

Jimmy Johns is good.

Jersey Mike's is also good and so is Capriottis.

Remember 9-9-9 guy? All those tax rates are at 9% but there are no longer any write-off or loop holes? Yeah, we would have be raking in the taxes had we switched to that. The problem with tax the rich is that they are rich enough to avoid it. Also notice how Democrats always give themselves an out to the rules they make ie congress is always exempt. If they believed in the crap they pushed on us, they would follow the same rules.

a reply to: peter_kandra

Jersey Mikes!

That's who I couldn't remember!

They're up North about 65 miles but I've heard they're excellent!

Prices have been raised to satisfy greed of shareholders. Not for inflation, not due to minimum wage raise, not due to any number of other things lying corpo mouthpieces blame it on. Their profits are higher and higher every year despite these "problems".

Useless shareholders demand infinite growth in a finite market over sensible, sustainable business that values long term customers and happy employees. Only way to do that is with massive cuts to staff numbers, welfare and benefits, huge price increases, and reductions in quantity and quality of products.

Of course this is totally unsustainable and historically has led to massive shrinkage of companies that do it within a 2-3 year period. But shareholders don't care about that they only think about how much their fantasy monopoly money of a stock will be worth 3 months down the line. So long as the business hasn't totally imploded by then they're happy.

The real pain from every company following the exact same model in these times of peak capitalism to satisfy the insatiable avarice of shareholders will be felt globally in 2026-2027 without state intervention to prevent this systematic looting, mark my words.

Automation.

Download any app for Fast Food Delivery. They will give you great deals. These companies want you to pre-order and show up.

Going out to eat sucks now even in nice places. Quality of food is lower, service is entitled and you are charged 3x what you were charged 5 years ago.

Everywhere? No. But you are finding a different group of people working in many of these establishments because unlike 10-15 years ago you really cannot survive. Again, not all but a majority.

COVID taught people to wait. Remember the TP shortage....during a pandemic? People went crazy.

The cost of eating at home is almost at the cost of eating out. Think about that. It creates nothing special and only a choice.