Sign on bonus for fast food?

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Cedar Point made news around here for offering $20 an hour to employees - they were so short staffed, they only opened for 4-5 days a week through June. They're fully staffed now, I believe. Unfortunately, the other companies in the city are now hurting for workers.

Our local amusement park is the same except it extended beyond June into almost end of July at this point. The amusement park side is closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The water one is closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays throughout the rest of its season at this point.

I don't know what the pay was but I'm not sure that would have made a huge difference because it's not just pay for every place struggling. Cedar Point may have the advantage in being more of a destination in comparison to my local amusement park (also owned and operated by Cedar Fair Entertainment) so I could see bumping up the interest level and it working there more than my area.

 

[MrsPete]

They are multi million dollar corporations who treated their employees as expendable and are now reaping what they sowed in a transformed labor market.

That I believe. My high school seniors tell me stories about how they are treated at work, and I tell them, "Go get a degree, and you'll be treated better. Maybe not as well as you'd like to be treated, but better."

The world of work is not nearly as "friendly" as it was when I started working decades ago.

Amazing how that works. You pay a bit more and suddenly your hiring issues go away.

Eh, money will get people in the door ... but it won't make them give better service /become a loyal employee long-term.

-Retirements from people who kept giving it "one more year" and the pandemic gave them a push out the door.
-People who used their time off during the pandemic to increase their qualifications
-Retirees who left the workforce because they didn't want to deal with the health risks (Wal-Mart greeters, for example)

We lost quite a few teachers to these three reasons ... I understand we're probably going to start back in August "under-staffed". The schools around me are saying the same.
(I removed the one about becoming your child's teacher /finding out you can get by on one salary -- that's not what I've seen among my own co-workers.)

The last time I went to McDonald's I got a meal, a double cheeseburger, and a small fry. It was $16. Disposable incomes are not increasing and *surprise* the increased costs are being passed on ...

Yeah, you can't increase operating costs and think the consumer's cost won't increase. I don't go to McD's often, but $16 sounds pretty high for one meal and two small extras.

 

[Southernmiss]

Now that's interesting.The narrative is that with the added unemployment paying everyone $15/hour to stay home, no one is trying to get back to work.We talked about this at work, 6 of us and not one of us could say they knew anyone who wasn't working and was staying home. So now my thoughts have changed to, where are all these people who aren't working that everywhere is under staffed?

I only know one. He quit his job to home school their 3 kids who are 11, 7, and 5. The family is taking all precautions to keep the children from catching Covid. They had done Dave Ramsey's plan a few years ago and have manged fine on just her salary this year.They'll homeschool until the children can get vaccinated. Others I know have easily changed (corporate) jobs to work somewhere else for big bucks more.

As to minimum wage in the 1980s forward compared to today.

From Business Insider
The value of $3.35 in 1981 was equal to the buying power of $9.93 today. The value of $3.35 by 1990 was just $6.78 in today's dollars.
In 1981, the median sales price of newly constructed homes sold in the US was $70,400 (equivalent to $208,608.15 in today's dollars) and a gallon of gas cost $1.19. In 1990, the median sales price of newly-constructed homes sold in the US was $123,900 (equivalent to $250,714.66 in today's dollars) and a gallon of gas cost $1.00.
Source: US Department of Labor, US Census Bureau and US Department of Housing and Urban Development via FRED, Energy.gov

1990-1991 The federal minimum wage was raised to $3.80 an hour, effective April 1, 1990. In today's dollars, that's equal to $7.60.
In 1991, the median sales price of newly constructed homes sold in the US was $120,000 (equivalent to $229,833.88 in today's dollars). That year, a gallon of gas cost $1.14.
Source: US Department of Labor, US Census Bureau and US Department of Housing and Urban Development via FRED, Energy.gov

1991-1996 The federal minimum wage was raised to $4.25 an hour, effective April 1, 1991. In today's dollars, that's equal to $8.10.
In 1994, the median sales price of newly constructed homes sold in the US was $130,000 (equivalent to $247,881.73 in today's dollars). That year, a gallon of gas cost $1.11.
Source: US Department of Labor, US Census Bureau and US Department of Housing and Urban Development via FRED, Energy.gov

1996-1997 The federal minimum wage was raised to $4.75 an hour, effective October 1, 1996. In today's dollars, that's equal to $7.74.
In 1996, the median sales price of newly constructed homes sold in the US was $144,100 (equivalent to $234,227.92 in today's dollars). That year, a gallon of gas cost $1.23.
Source: US Department of Labor, US Census Bureau and US Department of Housing and Urban Development via FRED, Energy.gov

1997-2007 The federal minimum wage was raised to $5.15 an hour, effective September 1, 1997. It remained at that level for nearly a decade.
The value of $5.15 in 1997 was equal to the buying power of $8.24 today. The value of $5.15 by 2007 had decreased to just $6.37 in today's dollars.
In 1997, the median sales price of newly-constructed homes sold in the US was $145,000 (equivalent to $231,889.36 in today's dollars) and a gallon of gas cost $1.23. In 2007, the median sales price of newly constructed homes sold in the US was $247,900 (equivalent to $306,730.32 in today's dollars) and a gallon of gas cost $2.80.
Source: US Department of Labor, US Census Bureau and US Department of Housing and Urban Development via FRED, Energy.gov

2007-2008 The federal minimum wage was raised to $5.85 an hour, effective July 4, 2007. In today's dollars, that's equal to $7.24.
In 2008, the median sales price of newly constructed homes sold in the US was $226,500 (equivalent to $265,457.17 in today's dollars). That year, a gallon of gas cost $3.27.
Source: US Department of Labor, US Census Bureau and US Department of Housing and Urban Development via FRED, Energy.gov

2008-2009 The federal minimum wage was raised to $6.55 an hour, effective July 24, 2008. In today's dollars, that's equal to $7.68.
In 2009, the median sales price of newly constructed homes sold in the US was $214,300 (equivalent to $256,538.85 in today's dollars). That year, a gallon of gas cost $2.35.
Source: US Department of Labor, US Census Bureau and US Department of Housing and Urban Development via FRED, Energy.gov

The federal minimum wage today Effective July 24, 2009, the federal minimum wage was raised to $7.25 an hour. It hasn't increased in over a decade. Meanwhile, the median sales price of newly constructed homes sold in the US reached an all-time high of $326,400 in 2018.
Source: US Department of Labor, US Census Bureau and US Department of Housing and Urban Development

 

[Starport Seven-Five]

Yeah, you can't increase operating costs and think the consumer's cost won't increase. I don't go to McD's often, but $16 sounds pretty high for one meal and two small extras.

Data/studies say the cost impact is around 4%.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/mone...e-prices-increase-2021-wages-rise/7620696002/

It's not your imagination. Your Chipotle burrito costs more.

The fast-casual chain raised menu prices 3.5 to 4% to help offset an increase in employee wages, Chipotle Chief Financial Officer Jack Hartung said at the Baird Global Consumer, Technology & Services Conference Tuesday.

Chipotle announced in May it was hiring 20,000 employees and raising its average hourly wage to $15 by the end of June. Starting pay will range from $11 to $18 an hour, the company said.

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/r...ould-raise-prices-by-4-study-finds-2015-07-28

Raising wages for fast-food workers to $15 an hour would lead to a noticeable but not substantial increase in food prices, according to a new study by Purdue University’s School of Hospitality and Tourism Management.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1.54 million people working in food preparation and serving related occupations make at or below the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. Raising their hourly wages to $15 -- a 107% increase -- would cause prices to rise an estimated 4.3%. That means your $3.99 Big Mac would wind up costing $4.16, and an average fast-food meal costing $7.00 would go up in price to $7.31.

 

[tvguy]

The last time I went to McDonald's I got a meal, a double cheeseburger, and a small fry. It was $16. Disposable incomes are not increasing and *surprise* the increased costs are being passed on. The problem for McDonald's is that nothing I got was worth even close to $16 but I needed something quickly because I was running late. Fast food is great when you don't have any other alternatives. I will at least them credit that the order was correct.

Wow, that is nuts. A double cheeseburger here at McDonalds is $2.86 and a medium fry is $3.87 (I could not find the price for small fries on Uber Eats) for a total of $6.73 And I'm in California where the minimum wage is $14 an hour, and McDonalds has a big sign in the window saying their starting wage is $17 an hour and $20 an hour after 90 days.

 

[OKW8297]

People won't get off unemployment, that is why the restaurants are struggling to get staff and have to offer so much incentive and high wages.

No people want a living wage.

 

[sam_gordon]

Wow, that is nuts. A double cheeseburger here at McDonalds is $2.86 and a medium fry is $3.87 (I could not find the price for small fries on Uber Eats) for a total of $6.73 And I'm in California where the minimum wage is $14 an hour, and McDonalds has a big sign in the window saying their starting wage is $17 an hour and $20 an hour after 90 days.

@spiders said they also got a meal (or that's how I read it). Many of the meals (at least around here) are $7-9. Add that to the cost of the double and fries, and you're close to the $16.

 

[DisLiss]

It's like that everywhere around us right now. Not just fast food. All retail, service positions, amusement parks, recreational areas, etc. We've been hearing about a lack of lifeguards this summer too.

DH & I have been talking about it, and we think there are a lot of reasons, but they mostly boil down to being side effects of the pandemic. A lot of people left those type of jobs during the lock down, and they may have found other work instead.

A lot of teens that we personally know are NOT working this summer. Previously, the kids were all clamoring for the same jobs in the summer, but this year, after everyone not being able to do what they wanted t do last summer, we're seeing so many families going on extended trips, or multiple trips, and they're bringing their older teens or young adult kids with them. And if a kid's living it up with a summer full of trips, then they aren't scooping ice cream or loading bumper cars or manning their usual stretch of beach.

On the flip side, we also know seniors/retirees who used to work part time jobs, who stopped during the closures, realized they could live without it, or realized that they could be helpful to their families by staying home (some have started providing child care during the school from home days and just kept it up even once the school year was over.) and have opted not to return yet, or ever.

Plus, just when things were starting to normalize, you hear about variants and wearing masks indoors again. And some of the older people we know just aren't willing to take any chances by going back to their part time positions. Especially since some of them took those jobs more for the ability to go somewhere,see people, etc., than due to financial need. Just last week a 60 something year old I know said her employer asked if she wanted to come back to work and she told me that she doesn't really think that she does.

And, as sad as it is to say, there are people who were working before who are no longer with us, or who got sick, but are still experiencing issues due to it.

 

[slo]

I know many places are doing this where I live - the amount of people not working is terrible. Fast food places and restaurants closing for an entire day due to no help. Restaurants having an hour or more wait time when there’s not many customers due to little help. It’s so sad for the business owners and so sad for the customers. We don’t go out to eat that often, and when we do want to, we decide not to because the restaurants we want to go to are always an hour+ wait and the parking lot is half full. Hopefully things go back to normal soon for everyone’s benefit.

 

[Southernmiss]

It's like that everywhere around us right now. Not just fast food. All retail, service positions, amusement parks, recreational areas, etc. We've been hearing about a lack of lifeguards this summer too.

DH & I have been talking about it, and we think there are a lot of reasons, but they mostly boil down to being side effects of the pandemic. A lot of people left those type of jobs during the lock down, and they may have found other work instead.

A lot of teens that we personally know are NOT working this summer. Previously, the kids were all clamoring for the same jobs in the summer, but this year, after everyone not being able to do what they wanted t do last summer, we're seeing so many families going on extended trips, or multiple trips, and they're bringing their older teens or young adult kids with them. And if a kid's living it up with a summer full of trips, then they aren't scooping ice cream or loading bumper cars or manning their usual stretch of beach.

On the flip side, we also know seniors/retirees who used to work part time jobs, who stopped during the closures, realized they could live without it, or realized that they could be helpful to their families by staying home (some have started providing child care during the school from home days and just kept it up even once the school year was over.) and have opted not to return yet, or ever.

Plus, just when things were starting to normalize, you hear about variants and wearing masks indoors again. And some of the older people we know just aren't willing to take any chances by going back to their part time positions. Especially since some of them took those jobs more for the ability to go somewhere,see people, etc., than due to financial need. Just last week a 60 something year old I know said her employer asked if she wanted to come back to work and she told me that she doesn't really think that she does.

And, as sad as it is to say, there are people who were working before who are no longer with us, or who got sick, but are still experiencing issues due to it.

You make a lot of great points.

 

[Southernmiss]

I know many places are doing this where I live - the amount of people not working is terrible. Fast food places and restaurants closing for an entire day due to no help. Restaurants having an hour or more wait time when there’s not many customers due to little help. It’s so sad for the business owners and so sad for the customers. We don’t go out to eat that often, and when we do want to, we decide not to because the restaurants we want to go to are always an hour+ wait and the parking lot is half full. Hopefully things go back to normal soon for everyone’s benefit.

Do you know a lot of people who are not working?

I don't.

 

[slo]

Do you know a lot of people who are not working?

I don't.

Yes - young people (teenagers & early twenties)

At one time everyone would talk about where their young adult child was working - not anymore - now they talk about where their kid is going or came from. Kids used to come home from college for the summer and get a job and HS kids would turn 16 and get a job - not anymore (obviously not everyone - my DD17 works, is an athlete with a demanding schedule and is doing summer school to get a class done now instead of the school year (classes are always easier in the summer) ). Many parents I know have the thought that their child will be working their entire life and they don’t want them working now, which is fine, but the downfall is what’s happening everywhere. Then the kids who are working is put under so much stress, because there’s not many working with them during demanding times, that it makes them want to quit - it’s a rough time right now in regards to this.

 

[mrodgers]

The last time I went to McDonald's I got a meal, a double cheeseburger, and a small fry. It was $16. Disposable incomes are not increasing and *surprise* the increased costs are being passed on. The problem for McDonald's is that nothing I got was worth even close to $16 but I needed something quickly because I was running late. Fast food is great when you don't have any other alternatives. I will at least them credit that the order was correct.

I don't do McDonalds unless I have to in a group, which the last time was quite a while ago but I bought four quarter pounder cheeseburger/fry/drink meals for 4 of us and the total was around $16. I couldn't believe it could be that low.

 

[mrodgers]

No people want a living wage.

And while they sit at home demanding that living wage that no one can define, how are they paying their bills? If the answer is because they are collecting unemployment, then the problem isn't a they-aren't-paying-enough problem. It's a government meddling problem. If they aren't going to work and not getting any kind of income replacement, then yes, it would be a work/employer pay relationship problem.

 

[Southernmiss]

Yes - young people (teenagers & early twenties)

At one time everyone would talk about where their young adult child was working - not anymore - now they talk about where their kid is going or came from. Kids used to come home from college for the summer and get a job and HS kids would turn 16 and get a job - not anymore (obviously not everyone - my DD17 works, is an athlete with a demanding schedule and is doing summer school to get a class done now instead of the school year (classes are always easier in the summer) ). Many parents I know have the thought that their child will be working their entire life and they don’t want them working now, which is fine, but the downfall is what’s happening everywhere. Then the kids who are working is put under so much stress, because there’s not many working with them during demanding times, that it makes them want to quit - it’s a rough time right now in regards to this.

That's not pandemic. That's teen culture changes that have been happening for at least 10 years.

I've got 3 young adults. 2 are not getting paid to work, but it's because of where they are with their education and not the pandemic. They are leaving the house every morning for shadowing and volunteer activities needed for their college degrees (pharmacy and medical). So they are not working traditional jobs.

Another has taken an internship in her area of study this summer. She used to coach at soccer camps during the summer. She's now working for our Department of Marine Resources doing ecology work.

And before this summer, like yours,, my kids didn't really work much in traditional part time summer jobs.

School gets out in late May and back to school is the first week of August. Then you have AP summer work, athletic and band practices, college visits, SAT and ACT exams, etc. That doesn't leave much time for traditional summer jobs.

 

[Southernmiss]

I can't believe I'm agreeing with mrodgers!

 

[Gary M]

Robots coming to a store near you.

 

[RedAngie]

It's like that everywhere around us right now. Not just fast food. All retail, service positions, amusement parks, recreational areas, etc. We've been hearing about a lack of lifeguards this summer too.

A local State Park has a notice posted on their website. Something like “No swimming in lake this summer due to lifeguard shortage.” Looks like they gave up even trying to hire them. A big sign saying the same is at the entrance to the park.

I still go and sit on the beach or walk the trails. Generally I dislike lake swimming, at least in this area. Icky sticky “cedar water.”

The Great Lakes would be OK, but I have a feeling the water is bone chilling cold. I swam in Lake Michigan as a kid, but don’t remember the water temperature. And most kids would swim no matter how cold the water is.

 

[Belleandtinker]

In addition, to lots of sign on bonus jobs. The most interested new benefit I've seen is - work today, get paid tomorrow. Not sure how that works (sound like a payroll nightmare) but as a recruiting techniques pretty good.

 

[Forevermarypoppins]

Robots coming to a store near you.

There was a time when I was against the self check out in the grocery stores. ( taking a job away)
Not anymore, I use them frequently!! Now, our Costco has them too. I live close enough that I go in and buy just one or two items and self check out is convenient.