Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Fast food chains find a way around $20 minimum wage: Get rid of the workers
Washington Times ^ | April 24, 2024

Posted on 04/30/2024 5:04:32 AM PDT by Cronos

In response to recent minimum wage increases in California, fast food restaurants across the state are shifting to automation to get rid of wage-earning humans.

The move to making customers place orders at digital kiosks alleviates what owners say is the financial strain of rising labor costs after the minimum wage for the state’s fast food workers increased on April 1 from $16 to $20 per hour.

Harsh Ghai, a Burger King franchise owner who manages 140 outlets along the West Coast, is leading the transition to automation. He plans to introduce digital kiosks across all his restaurants within months — a drastic acceleration from his original timeline of five to 10 years.

...Rather than make less money, restaurant owners are exploring alternative strategies to maintain profitability. Reducing staff numbers appears to be their primary solution for lowering overheads.

“Undoubtedly we will lose some people. There’s no way around it. If we continue to maintain our current menu pricing and absorb higher labor costs, 100% of our restaurants won’t be profitable,” Ghai said. “We can’t raise menu prices because that will hurt traffic and we’ve already seen in the media the backlash from customers having to pay more for burgers because of food price inflation.”

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Front Page News; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: minimumwage
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-66 next last
To: matt04

I would absolutely trust automation to making my food instead of others who have a grudge against an entire race.

My friends and I went to a cafeteria in college and the workers gave ‘others’ more than double the amount we got - not that we wanted more but the discrepancy was obvious. I worked in fast food in high school and I had never even thought about taking away/giving more to anyone based on anything but I guess reparations come through many means. Seeing some videos where fast food people take out their hatred on people through food has sworn me off it all except for Jersey Mike’s and Chick Fil A.


21 posted on 04/30/2024 5:53:45 AM PDT by Cowgirl of Justice
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: cnsmom
No newspapers to deliver

My first job, delivering the Courier Express in Buffalo. Had to get them delivered by 6:30 am

Bought my first bike, and Hardy Boys books. Great life lessons

22 posted on 04/30/2024 5:55:24 AM PDT by FatherofFive (Islam only understands Death and Pain. Give it to them. )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Cronos

Finally all these yutes get some relief from having to slave long hours for some rich greedy business owners and can now spend more quality time with their families...

Fast Food, Newspaper stuffing and delivering, lots and lots of menial labor jobs, construction jobs,... the list is endless, were ALL DONE by High School kids and those just getting out of school when I grew up. It all changed to Adult Illegal Alien illiterate peasants for the most part starting in the 80’s.


23 posted on 04/30/2024 5:57:38 AM PDT by eyeamok
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SaveFerris

>Get more and more people dependent upon government money - EBT, SNAP

You misspelled ‘taxpayer’s (OTHER People’s $’)

I, for one, harken the return of trad/barter-ing. There’s ALWAYS a black-market for ANYTHING.


24 posted on 04/30/2024 6:01:35 AM PDT by i_robot73 (One could not count the number of *solutions*, if only govt followed\enforced the Constitution.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Cronos

The minimum wage is always $0.


25 posted on 04/30/2024 6:02:40 AM PDT by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

Ate at an automat in NYC in the 60s.


26 posted on 04/30/2024 6:03:32 AM PDT by hinckley buzzard ( Resist the narrative.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: mewzilla

You are correct, sir.


27 posted on 04/30/2024 6:03:39 AM PDT by Orosius (“Wake America Up Again )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: i_robot73

(EBT, SNAP

You misspelled ‘taxpayer’s (OTHER People’s $’))

Yeah


28 posted on 04/30/2024 6:05:28 AM PDT by SaveFerris (Luke 17:28 ... as it was in the Days of Lot; They did Eat, They Drank, They Bought, They Sold ......)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]

To: raccoonradio; All

>
As a result, employees are being laid off or given fewer hours. Kiosks have no health benefits or sick leave/personal time off.
>

I don’t expect it to, but I’d LOVE to see, the push-back vs. govt.

Employees pushing to get their insurance/HSA+ THEMSELVES, owned by THEM, w/ the same tax benefits the employers enjoy.

Course, govt doesn’t enjoy the pleebs being SELF sufficient in any shape, matter or form. Gives ‘em too many ‘ideas’


29 posted on 04/30/2024 6:07:09 AM PDT by i_robot73 (One could not count the number of *solutions*, if only govt followed\enforced the Constitution.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: bert

And the prices are still as high as employee only stores.


30 posted on 04/30/2024 6:09:58 AM PDT by shotgun
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: shotgun

The purpose of a business is to make a profit


31 posted on 04/30/2024 6:13:56 AM PDT by bert ( (KE. NP. +12) Hamascide is required in totality)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 30 | View Replies]

To: Cronos

Elites: Get rid of humans then there is no need for food.


32 posted on 04/30/2024 6:14:34 AM PDT by CodeToad (Rule #1: The elites want you dead.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: bert

In Poland McDonald’s has a different strategy from their US strategy - they aren’t the cheapest places to eat here, so they have clean, airy, safe eating areas at strategic transportation node points.

And they have been using kiosks for nearly a decade - nearly everyone uses them and the cashier desks are mostly not (wo)manned and with no queues.

That’s the same for the KFCs and Burger Kings here.


33 posted on 04/30/2024 6:19:29 AM PDT by Cronos (I identify as an ambulance, my pronounces are wee/woo)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: SaveFerris
The mark could also be


34 posted on 04/30/2024 6:20:29 AM PDT by Cronos (I identify as an ambulance, my pronounces are wee/woo)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Cronos

conservative universities need to use robots with conservative AI lectures as professors


35 posted on 04/30/2024 6:20:51 AM PDT by mjp (pro-freedom & pro-wealth $)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: cnsmom

There are food delivery jobs (doordash, Ubereats etc. etc.)


36 posted on 04/30/2024 6:21:03 AM PDT by Cronos (I identify as an ambulance, my pronounces are wee/woo)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

Automats failed because they had fixed coin payments while fast food joints had more flexibility.

however with credit cards that is no longer an issue.

It does make some sense - the cooks can make a limited menu and fill the boxes based on demand


37 posted on 04/30/2024 6:23:41 AM PDT by Cronos (I identify as an ambulance, my pronounces are wee/woo)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: Cronos

Do they have McPierogi?


38 posted on 04/30/2024 6:26:54 AM PDT by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 33 | View Replies]

To: bert

I visit McDonalds about once a year. The last time I stopped in, I encountered those machines. No visible humans. I walked out and stayed hungry.


39 posted on 04/30/2024 6:29:00 AM PDT by HotKat (Politicians are like diapers; they need to be changed often and for the same reason. Mark Twain)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Cronos
I think the Boosh clan worshiped the United Nations - hence their love for the "New World Order"

Novus Ordo Seclorum from your image there (obviously)

("New order of the ages") it says when Goooooooogled

[And, oddly enough, 11 years to the day before 9/11/2001.] (IIRC)



[President George Bush, addressing the General Assembly of the United Nations, Feb. 1, 1992]:

"It is the sacred principles enshrined in the United Nations charter to which the American people will henceforth pledge their allegiance."


40 posted on 04/30/2024 6:29:54 AM PDT by SaveFerris (Luke 17:28 ... as it was in the Days of Lot; They did Eat, They Drank, They Bought, They Sold ......)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 34 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-66 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson