Attention

The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not represent our advertisers

Sunday, August 04, 2013

How Much Would A Big Mac Go Up In Price If McDonald’s Workers Were Paid $15 Per Hour?

Now that everyone’s talking about howone can (or cannot) live off the budget of a McDonald’s worker making somewhere in the realm of $7-$8 per hour, and employees are going on strike with other fast food workers in an effort to raise that minimum wage to $15, thought wheels are a-turning. Namely, what would a wage increase for workers mean for the customers? Will buying a Big Mac mean piggy banks smashing everywhere?Because people are thinking with their stomachs and wallets and we are always hungry/in need of saving money, one curious researcher did some number-crunching to come up with an answer. The people must know if McDonald’s food will break the bank or barely make a ripple when and if workers earn more money.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Not a cent if they turned it into a Little Mac.

Anonymous said...

Who cares, I dont eat those nasty things anyways.

Anonymous said...

Just put in more ground up cellulose and pink slime, the usual customers wont even notice or care.

Anonymous said...

Some time back I managed several restaurants; it was a time when there were a number of minimum wage increases in a short period. Each time two things happened: I had to cut hours and I had to cut in other areas in addition to some upward price increases.

Why? Because no more 'value' was being added to our product even though our costs had increased by mandate. Our customers were not getting raises of the same % the new law required for the staff.

Why do you think fast food spots started making you pour your own drink? Labor saved to cover increased costs of current rate.

It is just common sense; higher costs squeeze out both low skill workers and less affluent customers. Fewer customers require fewer workers; the cycle perpetuates.

Well intentioned mischief, in this case probably stimulated by outside organizers.

Anonymous said...

these are entry level jobs. kids who are still in high school should be working here just to get experience and either chose to remain and work up the chain to improve their income; maybe continue their schooling while working there or after working there for a period of time look for a better job with better income.

again; this is only an entry level job; Not meant to support a family. wages should NOT be raised. ignore these people because they don't know what they're talking about. if they don't like their jobs get another one.

Anonymous said...

feels like my heads gonna burst from 2:09 and 2:26.
2:09 cry me a river, as the mega fast food/retail palaces pay poverty wages which are subsidized by me the taxpayer as the workers are on welfare and the corporations are making billions. Your propaganda statement holds no truth and has always been the argument used by these billion dollar corps. Did you know the banks pulled the same crap way back when you were in diapers with ATM machines. At first it was free free free, because it cut out the need for a teller. As time went by then they decided to make you pay a fee to get your own money out, so not only did they save money in wages, now they are double dipping by charging you. Greed.
The soda machine has nothing to do with wage increases, it was done to cut costs, period, because that's what they do. Now you have to ask for ketchup, again a cost cutter.
2:26 I can see by your statement that you have no clue as to the fact that sadly for some, this is their primary job and despite what you believe sometimes this position is the only income that needs to support a family.
Ever hear of a livable wage? Why do we continue to keep people in poverty, subsidized by the taxpayer, working for billion dollar corporations?

Who Cares. said...

Good let them get $20 hr, Then we will see AL sharpton and his PEEPS complaining about a $6 Jr cheese burger let the boycotting and riots begin yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

Anonymous said...

This is absolutely ridiculous. I have a bachelor's degree in biology that I worked very hard for and paid for myself. Right now due to shortage of jobs in my field, especially here on the eastern shore, I only make $17 an hour. How is it that Joe Schmoe can walk off the street and demand $15 an hour for a job that requires no skills but yet I can only make $17 with a college degree?? If they wanted more money they should have went to college and worked hard or chose a different trade like masonry or carpentry where they can earn better money over time. Oh that's right, no one wants to work hard anymore, they want everything handed to them.

Anonymous said...

7:05, you must be another government/public school graduate, liberal in thought word and deed, clueless, running daily on emotion sissy, low info voter. this is why we're in the mess we're in today; because many of you are multiplying too fast.
Again; these jobs are entry jobs, Nothing else. if someone needs to make more than entry level wages, then get more education. it can be college, university, tech school, trade school or just start to work as an apprentice with someone willing to teach them a trade.
my grandchildren started working outside the home with their father when they were 8 yrs. old. these boys have been mowing lawns, cleaning up properties, and trimming shrubs for at least 12 years. they are still doing this while working in a fast food restaurant for the past 5 years while graduating from high school and going to college part-time and getting a degree.
what is your problem that you can't get this?
i'll tell you what your problem is; you have stinking thinking.
there is NO excuse for able bodied people not to make enough money to live. there's work out here; they just don't want to work overtime or another job or a "labor" job. if that's the case so be it, but that's their choice and I don't want to pay for their bad choices. get it???

Anonymous said...

Anon 10:06-
hahaha,that's pretty much the funniest thing I've ever heard. Young Gen-X and millenial liberals are the ones multiplying too fast, putting the country in the position it's in now? Sure. The real problem is the baby boomers' parents (so-called "Greatest Generation"-yeah sure) multiplied WAY too fast, leading to all the middle aged and older baby boomers, who didn't have enough kids, and whose own kids (who you accuse of multiplying too fast) are holding off having kids well into their thirties to focus on their careers. Furthermore, the Baby Boomers went super conservative and short-sighted, hogging all the revenues for themselves, giving themselves tax breaks, and undeservedly patting themselves on the back.

You want somewhere to place blame? Pull your head out of the sand, read some literature on the subject, and take a long look in the mirror.

Anonymous said...

10:58, I live in the real world and 10:06 is right. you stop blaming others for your failures. take responsibility and be accountable. nothing more and nothing less.

Anonymous said...

10:58 AM-
Did you even read this article? The fast food workers are asking for 15 dollars an hour from 7 to 8 dollars they make now. They don't do much in their jobs and like others before me said this is a entry level job. If they are paid 15 dollars an hour they are making as much as a Construction Worker's average currently. Have you seen what construction workers have to carry and do. As you have forgotten ObamaCare requires healthcare from the work and that alone makes the companies rise pay, but now they want a high salary. If they go through with this the company has to fire hundreds to make a profit. The profit of them making the billions of dollars are untrue. Most of the money goes to maintenance costs, utility bills, ingredients, and expansions. Also you should take you own advice and read current politics and economics. Because what you are talking about is before the economic down fall that has happened in 2008.

Anonymous said...

You get what you pay for OR your paid for your Edumacation and job histoway.