# Here's how to get your company boycotted .....brag how you helped kill a min wage increase (among other things)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heres-how-to-get-your-company-boycotted-brag-how-you-helped-kill-a-min-wage-increase-among-other-things/938898>\
**Category:** The BBQ Pit\
**Created:** [March 28, 2021, 9:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heres-how-to-get-your-company-boycotted-brag-how-you-helped-kill-a-min-wage-increase-among-other-things/938898 "2021-03-28T09:46:36Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 17\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\
**Post date:** [March 28, 2021, 9:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heres-how-to-get-your-company-boycotted-brag-how-you-helped-kill-a-min-wage-increase-among-other-things/938898/1 "2021-03-28T09:46:36Z")

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wow ive heard of some assholes but this fool takes the cake … i hope he gets hung out to dry and maybe replaced by someone decent

[https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/this-fast-food-giant-bragged-about-killing-dollar15-minimum-wage/ar-BB1f2lEb?ocid=SK2DDHP](https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/this-fast-food-giant-bragged-about-killing-dollar15-minimum-wage/ar-BB1f2lEb?ocid=SK2DDHP)

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**Author:** ![Oredigger77](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oredigger77/32/3181_2.png) [@Oredigger77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oredigger77)\
**Post date:** [March 28, 2021, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heres-how-to-get-your-company-boycotted-brag-how-you-helped-kill-a-min-wage-increase-among-other-things/938898/2 "2021-03-28T14:24:44Z")

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When was the last time you ate at any of their restaurants?

Is it a surprise that employers of alarmed numbers of minimum wage employees were lobbying against the minimum wage increase? The only thing that I see that is slightly surprising is the minimum wage employees were told. From the article it seems like they sent a letter to their franchisees explaining their lobbying efforts and how they were helping the franchisees which makes sense. Some of those franchisees shared the letter with their employees which was probably done because they disagreed with it politically.

I’d guess this blows over before the start of April.

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**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\
**Post date:** [March 28, 2021, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heres-how-to-get-your-company-boycotted-brag-how-you-helped-kill-a-min-wage-increase-among-other-things/938898/3 "2021-03-28T15:18:18Z")

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Taxpayers are subsidizing these shitty business practices, because people cannot live on the crap wages, and need assistance to survive.

I for one am getting fucking tired of subsidizing millionaires with my tax dollars.

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**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\
**Post date:** [March 28, 2021, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heres-how-to-get-your-company-boycotted-brag-how-you-helped-kill-a-min-wage-increase-among-other-things/938898/4 "2021-03-28T15:28:39Z")

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Almost no one who regularly eats at those places is going to boycott them over this.

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**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\
**Post date:** [March 28, 2021, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heres-how-to-get-your-company-boycotted-brag-how-you-helped-kill-a-min-wage-increase-among-other-things/938898/5 "2021-03-28T15:45:28Z")

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> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#):
>
> Taxpayers are subsidizing these shitty business practices, because people cannot live on the crap wages, and need assistance to survive.
> 
> I for one am getting fucking tired of subsidizing millionaires with my tax dollars.

In all fairness, these same people would also probably be against subsidizing poor people with tax dollars.

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**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\
**Post date:** [March 28, 2021, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heres-how-to-get-your-company-boycotted-brag-how-you-helped-kill-a-min-wage-increase-among-other-things/938898/6 "2021-03-28T16:30:00Z")

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There’s a Dunkins on every corner around here, so it’s hard to avoid them. But I’ll certainly try.

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**Author:** ![John\_Bredin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@John\_Bredin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Bredin)\
**Post date:** [March 28, 2021, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heres-how-to-get-your-company-boycotted-brag-how-you-helped-kill-a-min-wage-increase-among-other-things/938898/7 "2021-03-28T16:49:02Z")

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> [@nightshadea](#):
>
> i hope he gets hung out to dry and maybe replaced by someone decent

Unlikely, as the majority owner of Inspire Brands is an outfit called Roark Capital Group, named after a character in Ayn Rand’s _The Fountainhead_. 🤔 If the founder and managing partner is a Randist, he (1) sees no problem with this, and (2) fancies himself a “me against the world!” type (see: pretty much everything Rand wrote) whose neck will only get stiffer from resistance.

Not that I won’t be boycotting these brands (after I redeem a free sandwich from Jimmy John’s) but I’m less hopeful it’ll work than a boycott against the usual soulless conglomerate. Soulless conglomerates don’t have ideologies that they fly like flags and make themselves feel self-righteous.

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**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\
**Post date:** [March 28, 2021, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heres-how-to-get-your-company-boycotted-brag-how-you-helped-kill-a-min-wage-increase-among-other-things/938898/8 "2021-03-28T17:46:55Z")

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> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#):
>
> Taxpayers are subsidizing these shitty business practices, because people cannot live on the crap wages, and need assistance to survive.

It’s okay when the minimum wage rises as the cost of living rises (not just okay, it should always work that way). You raise it too fast, and it pushes the cost of living up because employers have to raise their prices to pay wages, and higher prices everywhere mean the cost of living goes up. That’s why I dislike arbitrary minimum wage hikes that raise the price to a cost of living that sounds good but pushes the cost of everything too high.

I know what it’s like to live on minimum wage. It sucks. I got by without public assistance by living in a shithole and sometimes skipping meals when I couldn’t afford it and spending no money on entertainment. And I had no dependents, if I did I would have definitely needed assistance. I was also forced to be homeless for a while. I know the hell people go through. But expecting businesses to take care of this isn’t realistic. They will either go out of business or raise prices which means that $15/hour wage isn’t livable anymore.

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**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\
**Post date:** [March 28, 2021, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heres-how-to-get-your-company-boycotted-brag-how-you-helped-kill-a-min-wage-increase-among-other-things/938898/9 "2021-03-28T18:05:02Z")

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> [@Telemark](#):
>
> There’s a Dunkins on every corner around here, so it’s hard to avoid them. But I’ll certainly try.

For me, the nearest one is 700 miles away. So I think I’ll be able to avoid them. At least one smaller chain around here whined when minimum wage went to $15. Luckily, there are a lot of places to get coffee instead.

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**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\
**Post date:** [March 28, 2021, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heres-how-to-get-your-company-boycotted-brag-how-you-helped-kill-a-min-wage-increase-among-other-things/938898/10 "2021-03-28T18:33:03Z")

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Another asshole company: Delta Airlines just put out an internal memo praising the Georgia voter suppression law.  
[https://opoyi.com/delta-airlines-internal-statement-of-georgian-bill-leaked-twitter-outraged](https://opoyi.com/delta-airlines-internal-statement-of-georgian-bill-leaked-twitter-outraged)

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**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\
**Post date:** [March 28, 2021, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heres-how-to-get-your-company-boycotted-brag-how-you-helped-kill-a-min-wage-increase-among-other-things/938898/11 "2021-03-28T18:51:13Z")

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> [@Atamasama](#):
>
> It’s okay when the minimum wage rises as the cost of living rises (not just okay, it should always work that way). You raise it too fast, and it pushes the cost of living up because employers have to raise their prices to pay wages, and higher prices everywhere mean the cost of living goes up. That’s why I dislike arbitrary minimum wage hikes that raise the price to a cost of living that sounds good but pushes the cost of everything too high.

I agree, that’s how it should be; Minimum wage increases should be tied to the cost of living. However, they are not.

Federal minimum wage has not risen since 2009, while the cost of living in that time has gone up 20%. This is not sustainable. When this happens, and folks point out an adjustment to minimum wage is needed, the Usual Suspects get all up in arms, talking about “greedy workers wanting a 20% raise”

That’s bullshit.

Minimum wage should have been slowly increased, to keep pace with the cost of living; This (IMO) is a no-brainer.

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**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\
**Post date:** [March 28, 2021, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heres-how-to-get-your-company-boycotted-brag-how-you-helped-kill-a-min-wage-increase-among-other-things/938898/12 "2021-03-28T20:54:28Z")

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> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#):
>
> Minimum wage should have been slowly increased, to keep pace with the cost of living; This (IMO) is a no-brainer.

That seriously needs to be corrected, I am totally with you.

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**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2021, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heres-how-to-get-your-company-boycotted-brag-how-you-helped-kill-a-min-wage-increase-among-other-things/938898/13 "2021-03-29T03:08:41Z")

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I wish I ate Dunkin Donuts so that I could not eat them in protest.

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**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2021, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heres-how-to-get-your-company-boycotted-brag-how-you-helped-kill-a-min-wage-increase-among-other-things/938898/14 "2021-03-29T11:04:21Z")

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> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#):
>
> Taxpayers are subsidizing these shitty business practices, because people cannot live on the crap wages, and need assistance to survive.
> 
> I for one am getting fucking tired of subsidizing millionaires with my tax dollars.

^ This.

The fact the owner is “a private equity firm named after an Ayn Rand character” tells you oodles about the politics and outlook of the owners.

As it happens, I seldom patronize any of these restaurants.

> [@Atamasama](#):
>
> I know what it’s like to live on minimum wage. It sucks. I got by without public assistance by living in a shithole and sometimes skipping meals when I couldn’t afford it and spending no money on entertainment. And I had no dependents, if I did I would have definitely needed assistance. I was also forced to be homeless for a while. I know the hell people go through. But expecting businesses to take care of this isn’t realistic. They will either go out of business or raise prices which means that $15/hour wage isn’t livable anymore.

What your solution then? More and more automation is eliminating jobs, how are people supposed to eat? Where are they supposed to live? Should people who don’t have the good fortune to be born into wealth and privilege be forced to live a lifetime in a “shithole” as you did for a few years? How long do you think the “little people” are going to put up with that?

> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#):
>
> I agree, that’s how it should be; Minimum wage increases should be tied to the cost of living. However, they are not.
> 
> Federal minimum wage has not risen since 2009, while the cost of living in that time has gone up 20%. This is not sustainable. When this happens, and folks point out an adjustment to minimum wage is needed, the Usual Suspects get all up in arms, talking about “greedy workers wanting a 20% raise”
> 
> That’s bullshit.
> 
> Minimum wage should have been slowly increased, to keep pace with the cost of living; This (IMO) is a no-brainer.

^ This.

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**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2021, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heres-how-to-get-your-company-boycotted-brag-how-you-helped-kill-a-min-wage-increase-among-other-things/938898/15 "2021-03-29T11:41:47Z")

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> [@Atamasama](#):
>
> They will either go out of business or raise prices which means that $15/hour wage isn’t livable anymore.

Or their profit margin goes down a bit. And wages are no where near 100% of the cost of a doughnut (or sandwich or whatever), so a 20% increase in the minimum wage doesn’t require a 20% price increase.

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**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2021, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heres-how-to-get-your-company-boycotted-brag-how-you-helped-kill-a-min-wage-increase-among-other-things/938898/16 "2021-03-29T12:06:14Z")

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> [@Atamasama](#):
>
> They will either go out of business or raise prices which means that $15/hour wage isn’t livable anymore.

I really don’t understand the “raise prices” bit: businesses are already charging the maximum they can charge and still make giant profits. They’re not holding back on raising prices out of concern for the consumer. That’s not how it works.

Sure, if their costs go up, _and if every business raises costs_, they’ll raise theirs. Or they’ll go out of business. It may be that super-cheap fast food becomes a thing of the past, if the only way we can have it is to have millions of folks working for poverty wages. That’s okay.

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**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2021, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heres-how-to-get-your-company-boycotted-brag-how-you-helped-kill-a-min-wage-increase-among-other-things/938898/17 "2021-03-29T13:04:22Z")

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It always amazes (and saddens) me when people making six figures (or more) insist the only way for the economy to run is for most to make less than $20,000 a year. No one is entitled to a wealthy lifestyle - if they made less profit they might have to do without luxuries, but others could get necessities.
