The answer to $15.00 Hour fast food restaurant wages

[aaarcher86]

And why just $15? Why not $20? Do I hear $25?

I wish I could do an auctioneer voice right now. They're amazing.

 

[MickeySP]

When workers at Wendys, BK & MickeyDs get shot at on a daily, on hourly basis I will pay them what a LEO, Para or FF make. When they rush into a burning building, when they are standing in road taking a hit that kills them & saves a civilian or when they can perform CPR/Narcan I will be happy to make that argument.

Otherwise this is a ridiculous comparison.

They make a burger, they say "do you want fries with that?" Heck most don't even compute change(simple addition/subtraction) they look at the register/computer. So please stop making this comparison. They work but it is not skilled labor

A liveable wage but stop this idiotic comparison.

 

[Mom of a great kid]

I understand you're not looking down on them, but it seems to me that ALL full-time jobs warrant a living wage, which means the hourly wage should be calculated accordingly. It isn't just fast food workers, it's waiters/waitresses (which might mean an end to tipping), and those assembly line workers mentioned earlier.

Personally, I'd rather we raised the minimum wage and pay those people directly through the money we spend at their employer's businesses than support them indirectly through government programs. I think there's more dignity in the former, I think it's fairer to everyone from the employer to the taxpayer, and I think the economics are pretty clear cut that cash in the hands of the poor does good things for the economy. It's funny to me that we now have charities following the economists' advice by giving plain old cash to the poor overseas (microloans and other programs) and we can see the benefits there, but we aren't doing the same thing here.

For the record, I think paramedics and other 'low-tier' skilled jobs in the medical industry are grossly underpaid for what they do.

Excellent point!

 

[Goofy_Disney_Dad]

Would/should this minimum wage or living wage increase be based on location? The 15 an hour paid in some locations would go very, very far in others.

 

[kimblebee]

When workers at Wendys, BK & MickeyDs get shot at on a daily, on hourly basis I will pay them what a LEO, Para or FF make. When they rush into a burning building, when they are standing in road taking a hit that kills them & saves a civilian or when they can perform CPR/Narcan I will be happy to make that argument.

Otherwise this is a ridiculous comparison.

They make a burger, they say "do you want fries with that?" Heck most don't even compute change(simple addition/subtraction) they look at the register/computer. So please stop making this comparison. They work but it is not skilled labor

A liveable wage but stop this idiotic comparison.

Don't forget the fact that they have to deal with people screaming at them because their ice cream doesn't have enough swirls or their burger is missing a pickle. There's also the people who look at them like they're dirt, not worthy of respect...

 

[Mom of a great kid]

When workers at Wendys, BK & MickeyDs get shot at on a daily, on hourly basis I will pay them what a LEO, Para or FF make. When they rush into a burning building, when they are standing in road taking a hit that kills them & saves a civilian or when they can perform CPR/Narcan I will be happy to make that argument.

Otherwise this is a ridiculous comparison.

They make a burger, they say "do you want fries with that?" Heck most don't even compute change(simple addition/subtraction) they look at the register/computer. So please stop making this comparison. They work but it is not skilled labor

A liveable wage but stop this idiotic comparison.

Glad to hear that you're in favor of a living wage, and that you believe police officers, firefighters and EMTs deserve even more. I agree.

 

[MickeySP]

Don't forget the fact that they have to deal with people screaming at them because their ice cream doesn't have enough swirls or their burger is missing a pickle. There's also the people who look at them like they're dirt, not worthy of respect...

Oh yeah being disrespected is the same as risking your life on a daily basis. That would be LEO, FF, & Paramedics are never disrespected. Go Google the 2 FF shot this weekend, yeah they are just like the guys who drop your fries.

I don't disrespect but saying a job a 16yo is the same as these other advocations is Ludacr

 

[BigAlsGal]

The cost of having employees is expensive. If you pay someone $10 an hour you're actually paying about $14 an hour to have them around. Around here minimum wage is 7.25. You're actually paying over $10 an hour for that employee. I'm a small business owner and I can't afford to pay someone $15 an hour ($21) to answer the phones. What is going to happen is jobs will be eliminated. Small business won't exist.

 

[kimblebee]

Oh yeah being disrespected is the same as risking your life on a daily basis. That would be LEO, FF, & Paramedics are never disrespected. Go Google the 2 FF shot this weekend, yeah they are just like the guys who drop your fries.

Sorry, I should have made it clear (although I did up thread) that there is no comparison to the two. BUT, that doesn't mean that fast food workers deserve to be looked at like nothing just because they don't save lives on a daily basis. They contribute to society too, just not in the same way.

 

[MickeySP]

OK = didn't see that. I think any working should be respected, heck I am HUGE tipper. It put me through college.

It is also a geography thing - $15 in Cali or NY or Ma is just liveable. In other places it is above the average so calling for a US wage is not feasible.

 

[MagicaDeSpell]

And why just $15? Why not $20? Do I hear $25?

Well, depending on which calculation you trust, if minimum wage had kept up with inflation since 1968 when it peaked (in adjusted dollars), it would now be anywhere from about $11 to $22. 44% of minimum wage earners have more than a high school education. 30%, or 20.6 million people, are over 18, 22.4% are are 25-34. In many cases, these are people who HAVE busted their humps trying to get an education, they aren't teenagers just starting out, many are people who once took Disney vacations but they 'fell from grace' financially speaking at some point.

We're always going to have minimum wage workers: street sweepers, garbagemen, techs and patient monitors in hospitals. That's a lot of people, the majority of whom are on public assistance because they aren't paid enough to survive on their own. What do we do?

 

[sunshinehighway]

When workers at Wendys, BK & MickeyDs get shot at on a daily, on hourly basis I will pay them what a LEO, Para or FF make. When they rush into a burning building, when they are standing in road taking a hit that kills them & saves a civilian or when they can perform CPR/Narcan I will be happy to make that argument.

Otherwise this is a ridiculous comparison.

They make a burger, they say "do you want fries with that?" Heck most don't even compute change(simple addition/subtraction) they look at the register/computer. So please stop making this comparison. They work but it is not skilled labor

A liveable wage but stop this idiotic comparison.

What idiotic comparison? I don't see anyone comparing them saying fast food workers deserve more than police, emts or that they are more skilled.

 

[MickeySP]

If you go back and read they are comparing what FF workers make as compared to FF, LEO & Paramedics.

Why are they paid this when they make that?

 

[S. C.]

You know, if a robot can do it cheaper and more efficiently, I say bring it on. At least at a touch screen kiosk I can just type it in myself and not worry that they forgot to change the fries to fruit or forgot to type no mayo or whatever. $15/hr for fast food workers is a joke, and these yahoos deserve the job losses coming to them. Why on earth should a burger flipper make more than a police officer or EMT?

Would you feel that way if it was your job the robot was taking over?

 

[sunshinehighway]

If you go back and read they are comparing what FF workers make as compared to FF, LEO & Paramedics.

Why are they paid this when they make that?

Maybe I misunderstood your post. I don't see anyone comparing them saying they should make the same.
Honestly I did an eye roll when it was even brought up because it seems the posters here just love to use certain occupations to make points knowing that the work those people do is much more valuable that they can be paid.

 

[Kingdome8]

If minimum wage goes to 15 for a fast food work what about people who are say dental assistants making 19$ an hour ? Should they go to 24$? Only fair. Hate to think a burger flipper makes almost as much as a worker who went to school for training.

Liberals want higher wages and higher corporate taxes. Then they will be the first to complain when businesses don't hire as much. Sorry to be political. Lol

 

[S. C.]

While I agree FF workers are definitely typically entry level people & the work is also entry level, the fact is the job itself requires a LOT more effort (and in some cases, more skill) than what a lot of "professionals" do for a living. The assembly line worker who built your car has a MUCH easier day than a burger flipper at McDonalds, but I guarantee you he/she makes a much better wage. Many of us don't have to spend our entire shift on our feet like FF workers, and we have occasions to mentally "check out" with a quick check of our phones, online news, social media, etc.

Bottom line, yes it's entry level work. But, it's certainly not a "cushy" job.

I disagree

 

[Mom of a great kid]

What idiotic comparison? I don't see anyone comparing them saying fast food workers deserve more than police, emts or that they are more skilled.

The original statement was that food service workers shouldn't make more than police officers or EMTs. They shouldn't. But underpaying police officers is a poor excuse for underpaying other workers. Also, the $12 and $15 pay rates given--is that the starting pay rate? Do they get automatic pay raises and benefits? Minimum wage hasn't gone up in years.

 

[justgrace]

I like the idea of kiosks. It appeals to my introverted tendencies!

It's just insane that they think the minimum wage will increase with no other consequences. The cost of everything will be raised and businesses will take up shop elsewhere. If the COL and unemployment skyrockets - does it really matter if there is a $15 minimum wage? And if the starting minimum wage is $15, people with a little more experience will obviously need to be paid higher on top of that. It's just all ridiculous.

Yes, basic economic principle dictates that the market sets the price of a product or service. However, common sense also dictates that businesses will take into account the cost of making the product or service and that the price will increase due to a higher cost of making said product.

 

[aaarcher86]

Maybe I misunderstood your post. I don't see anyone comparing them saying they should make the same.
Honestly I did an eye roll when it was even brought up because it seems the posters here just love to use certain occupations to make points knowing that the work those people do is much more valuable that they can be paid.

It's TOTALLY more valuable, and I think that's why it's brought up. People hem and haw about the FF workers getting a living wage but no one does that for the people that deserve it for the work that they're doing.

I haven't seen picketing or posts here that start off with "firefighters, medics, and police should be paid a living wage." THATS why people bring it up. Because I could give a hoot about FF workers getting $15/hr when these people are making less.