Controlling for everything else, is there a correlation between state minimum wage law and the density of fast food restaurants? I live in a pretty high minimum wage state and it seems they’re just as dense as every other place I’ve lived.
Oh fershitssakes no. CA has scads of FF eateries.
I don’t think there is a correlation between minimum wages and “density” of restaurants. But I bet there is a correlation between minimum wages and prices in the same-franchise restaurants that pay minimum wage to their employees. Like McDonald’s. Not sure where to find that info though.
There is not necessarily a correlation between state minimum wage and fast food restaurants. In many places all over the country these restaurants have to pay more than minimum wage to attract help. Large urban areas have higher costs of living than rural areas do and usually pay more. Low-wage workers have traditionally been much more difficult to find in suburbs and so cost more. This would be true in any state despite the prevailing minimum wage.
Also, fast food places are very rarely the lowest of the low in terms of wages, since it’s unpleasant and unglamorous work. In all but the worst labor markets they have to pay more than minimum to attract employees, sometimes significantly more. From what I understand, in my area the big name chains usually start (or very quickly raise to) about $1-2 over minimum, whereas the smaller restaurants are a lot more likely to pay minimum wage, even in positions with no or minimal tips.
Yeah, but we have enough illegals working for below-minimum to even it out.
*fewer
Fewer and less are both acceptable in the absence of a style guide mandating their usage.
Their meanings aren’t identical so they shouldn’t be used interchangeably.
If I partially drained my swimming pool, I would never say “I have fewer water in my pool now.” although I might say, “I have 80 fewer gallons of water in my pool now.”
Since we’re going there…
“Fewer” is certainly preferable, since it clearly refers to the number of restaurants.
The phrase “less fast food restaurants” makes it sound as though it’s the food in the restaurants that’s less fast.
That may be true now, but when I worked in McDonald’s in Los Angeles in 1978, they paid me minimum wage. This was in a pretty good neighborhood, too.
cite?
Sez you. In this instance, the writer used less. It’s clear from reading his OP that he understands the structure and syntax of English and the meaning of his title was not affected. One can draw the conclusion than that in this instance, whatever conditions must be satisfied are adequately done so by both less and fewer. I highly doubt anyone is seriously considering parsing it as a “food restaurant” being less fast so Thudlow’s secondary meaning can be safely ignored.
[moderating]
Since the thread is about fast food and minimum wage, let’s not derail it any further with the less/fewer debate. Feel free to open another thread about it elsewhere.
Thank you!
[/moderating]
In some higher-the-minimum locations, McDonald’s is outsourcing where they can. The voice at the drive-through is now being outsourced to a call center in a different state where an operator enters your order and it appears on screens in the local store.
Any additional info on the correlation between “high” minimum wage states and prices charged for standard food items?
For example, here in Ohio for 2011, Minimum wage for non-tipped employees is $7.30/hr. McDonalds around here aim for the $5-$6 range for a value meal (large sandwich, med fry, medium drink). (BTW, I would NOT consider Ohio one of the “high” minimum wage states.)
I was involved in the testing of outsourcing the drive in person to INDIA. It didn’t work out so well at the time but I could easily see them fixing it and now be doing it.
I live in Oregon (second highest minimum wage, and right beneath Washington which is the highest) and over the last couple months this has definitely happened. It’s actually kind of disconcerting - I haven’t noticed it yet at any other chains though.