California raises min wage for major chain fast food workers to $20 per hour starting early 2024

[dainthomas]

This still skirts the question that was actually being posed there though: why fast food and not general retail positions?

Well, this will put pressure on other low income jobs' pay rates, so they'll probably get there indirectly.

 

[SteveGrabowski]

Anyone know what the average labor cost is on a Big Mac?
Some quick and dirty math shows a roughly 33% labor cost increase, plus the employers piece of taxes. That's a fair chunk added to production cost. Though it seems like high volume sellers could cover that with a pretty small price increase.

They're already selling at the maximum price they think people will pay.

 

[SteveGrabowski]

Dick's Drive-In out here has already been paying people $19-20/hour for a couple years, covers health insurance themselves, offers a $28k scholarship program, provides child care assistance, etc.
Their cheeseburgers have crept up in price to $3.05 over the last few years.

Dick's is the place where the cool hang out, the swass like to play, and the rich flaunt clout

 

[JEDI]

Which is hilarious because in n out sells a double double for roughly $4; (much) higher quality, 20% less cost, and they already pay their workers more. In n out prints money ffs.

As has been posted, mcdonalds sells big macs in denmark for less than thry do here and they pay their workers more. McDonald's is clearly still profitable there, otherwise theyd close.

We have a distorted market, or maybe more precisely mcdonalds has managed to convince folks that a $5 big mac is a good value. Theyre certainly not hurting on margins.

havent eaten a burger at McD since the McDouble went up from 2 for $3 a few yrs ago

 

[Muse]

Guess it's another good reason for me to keep avoiding patronizing fast food joints. Why pay big money for crap food?

 

[Shmee]

I wonder if this means, if I am looking for a job, should I demand $20 or higher per hour, for say IT/help desk/technician? Obviously this isn't the same field as fast food, but maybe it would help me negotiate pay terms...thoughts?

 

[ivwshane]

I wonder if this means, if I am looking for a job, should I demand $20 or higher per hour, for say IT/help desk/technician? Obviously this isn't the same field as fast food, but maybe it would help me negotiate pay terms...thoughts?

Why would you not be doing that regardless?

 

[ivwshane]

Guess it's another good reason for me to keep avoiding patronizing fast food joints. Why pay big money for crap food?

One of your reasons for avoiding fast food is because the workers will now be making more money? When you typed that out you didn’t think you sounded like a dick?

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

I wonder if this means, if I am looking for a job, should I demand $20 or higher per hour, for say IT/help desk/technician? Obviously this isn't the same field as fast food, but maybe it would help me negotiate pay terms...thoughts?

If you're making less than $20/hr for any IT position, you're doing something wrong.

 

[Greenman]

They're already selling at the maximum price they think people will pay.

Most passed what I'm willing to pay some time back.

 

[Zor Prime]

One of your reasons for avoiding fast food is because the workers will now be making more money? When you typed that out you didn’t think you sounded like a dick?

... what? His reason was "Why pay big money for crap food."

 

[uclaLabrat]

... what? His reason was "Why pay big money for crap food."

Thats how i interpreted it as well.

 

[ivwshane]

Thats how i interpreted it as well.

I took it as in addition to paying a lot for crap food.

 

[Mai72]

Could we see AI take over unskilled labor at a much faster clip?

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

Could we see AI take over unskilled labor at a much faster clip?

Depending on the job, sure. I don't see any reason why you'd need someone to answer a phone, for instance. AI can confidently handle that right now, assuming it's kept up to date with relevant info. I'd honestly include front kind healthcare in that too.

 

[Muse]

One of your reasons for avoiding fast food is because the workers will now be making more money? When you typed that out you didn’t think you sounded like a dick?

I did NOT say I will be avoiding FF because the employees will be paid more...

It was just me saying I don't patronize FF joints. Now I'm supposed to eat FF because they are paying more decent wages to their employees? Of course, it does not make me feel good if the people serving me look unhappy. I wasn't avoiding them just because their employees were getting slave wages. It was at in part because the food is crappy.

 

[ivwshane]

I did NOT say I will be avoiding FF because the employees will be paid more...

It was just me saying I don't patronize FF joints. Now I'm supposed to eat FF because they are paying more decent wages to their employees? Of course, it does not make me feel good if the people serving me look unhappy. I wasn't avoiding them just because their employees were getting slave wages. It was at in part because the food is crappy.

My apologies then. Your post read like them getting higher pay AND the crappy food was what put you over the edge. If you don’t eat fast food now because of the quality of food and the quality of service then them getting a pay increase doesn’t impact you which makes your statement moot.

 

[Shmee]

If you're making less than $20/hr for any IT position, you're doing something wrong.

I would hope so, and to be fair, I haven't been employed since end of 2019, but back then I was making about $17 an hour or so as a technician. I know there is a best buy near me, I would consider working there as a tech, but of course I would want a decent wage.

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

I would hope so, and to be fair, I haven't been employed since end of 2019, but back then I was making about $17 an hour or so as a technician. I know there is a best buy near me, I would consider working there as a tech, but of course I would want a decent wage.

If you can do actual tech work at best buy, you can work a help desk. Even a d-tier MSP has to try harder than that to get someone to walk in the door at this point.

 

[soulcougher73]

+1 for Dicks!
When we were on the picket line in 2018, one of the small crane company owners showed up at our station on Mercer in Seattle in his old beater Ranger truck with a big cardboard box full of bags of Dicks. We all got to eat a bag of Dicks that day. Thanks Geno and Dicks!

Dick's in a box?

 

[soulcougher73]

It's true, every time I go to Seattle I can't wait to get some Dick's in my mouth.

You ever had 5 Guy's in your mouth before? It's really filling.

 

[soulcougher73]

Could we see AI take over unskilled labor at a much faster clip?

Not just unskilled labor. Engineering is using some AI already. Sooner or later even engineering won't be safe.

 

[ch33zw1z]

Not just unskilled labor. Engineering is using some AI already. Sooner or later even engineerings won't be safe.

AI and automation will absolutely crush the modern labor force. Been nice knowing ya’ll

 

[SteveGrabowski]

You ever had 5 Guy's in your mouth before? It's really filling.

Too salty and I hate waiting in line for them

 

[skyking]

Too salty and I hate waiting in line for them

no waiting