The cost of a lot of things, dining out in particular, were kept in check for decades because wages for labor were suppressed. The true costs of "everyday needs" were borne by labor to the benefit of the consumer (and arguably, the business owner).
Now that we can't cheaply exploit labor post pandemic, costs for the consumer are going up. The rising incomes at the bottom rungs of the economic ladder, alongside rapidly (and long-running) spiking costs of real estate, are squeezing consumers as they buy groceries, gas, and yes, fast food.
Putting the brakes on the costs of those is probably going to look like squeezing wages on low income workers once more.
> everyday needs
The cost of a lot of things, dining out in particular, were kept in check for decades because wages for labor were suppressed. The true costs of "everyday needs" were borne by labor to the benefit of the consumer (and arguably, the business owner).
Now that we can't cheaply exploit labor post pandemic, costs for the consumer are going up. The rising incomes at the bottom rungs of the economic ladder, alongside rapidly (and long-running) spiking costs of real estate, are squeezing consumers as they buy groceries, gas, and yes, fast food.
Putting the brakes on the costs of those is probably going to look like squeezing wages on low income workers once more.