The Majority Of Fast Food Workers Are Not Teenagers, Report Finds


In April of this year, Andrew Moesel, a representative of the New York Restaurant Association, went onto MSNBC’s Up With Chris Hayes to argue that low-wage fast food jobs are just an entry level starting point for American workers. “The restaurant industry is a launching pad,” Moesel said. “And, yes, there are some low wage jobs, entry level jobs for young people and others, but it actually creates an opportunity for people to go on and live the American dream.”

Moesel’s argument — that young people largely account for those earning abysmally low wages — is common among those who reject raising the minimum wage. But, according to new report out Thursday, that claim doesn’t hold water.

In fact, the Center for Economic and Policy Research report finds that people aged 25-54 hold the largest share of fast-food worker jobs in the U.S. Eleven percent of workers earning $7.25 an hour or less are older than 20, as are 68 percent of workers earning between $7.26 and $10.09. This means that minimum wage workers are not simply teenagers looking for some pocket money while living at home with their parents; most fast food workers are trying to make a life for themselves and their families on the pittance that they earn.

The report also breaks down fast-food workers by demographics including race, gender, and whether those workers have kids:

This new information simply serves to underscore what’s already known about the fast food industry: Employers are incorrect in asserting that these jobs are a wrung on the ladder to the American dream. Mobility does not actually exist for low-wage fast food workers. As an earlier report from the National Employment Law Project found, a meager 2.2 percent of fast food workers hold managerial, professional, or technical positions. The vast majority — more than 89 percent — remain front-line workers with little chance to advance.

The statistics are ample fodder, too, for what’s become a growing protest movement in the fast food industry. Workers around the country are striking or walking out to demand an increase in wages, an end to wage theft, and the ability to form a union.


http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2013/08/08/2433601/fast-food-workers-young/

Some thoughts....

I looked up four fast food companies and their 2014 global revenue.

McDonald's - $27 billion
Wendy's - $2.4 billion
Burger King - $1.06 billion
Chipotle - $4.11 billion

That's $35 billion globally just with four brands. That's not including Yum Brands, which owns KFC, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and others which 2014 global revenues were about $14 billion. That's not including all of the other international, domestic and regional fast food places that are pretty big just by themselves.

So what does this tell us

1) The fast food industry is huge
2) The fast food industry is extremely competitve
3) The fast food industry has a lot of customers
4) The fast food industry has a lot of available jobs
5) A baseline fast food employee does not have to have a tremendous skill set
6) Those who choose to go into fast food jobs are willing to work for the wages provided.

Now in terms of the infographic Goose showed, I have questions....

What is the churn rate for adults in the fast food industry? Meaning, does an adult in the industry stay in their position for a short time before moving on to a better opportunity? 

How many adults who stay in the industry end up being promoted into jobs that can provide middle class wages?

I guess here's my bottom line complaint about wages in the U.S.

Remember on the old Exchange back when the Harley workers went on strike around 2007-08. People would constantly spout off about how the workers were overpaid. And I used to get angry about that, thinking, "Who the hell are these people to criticize what some other person earns at thier jobs?! Are you, Mr. Internet Commenter, qualified to set the salaries for every job in every industry?" 

You see the same thing when teacher's salaries are discussed. A lot of people think teacher's salaries are too high. But those who say so probably didn't do the schooling and have the skills to effectively teach children. 

So I kind of feel the same way reagarding the low end of the pay scale. I certainly think there should be a minimum wage and I think it should also be a livable wage. In most places $8 or $9 dollars is entirely too low.

At the same time, no one forces anyone to work at a fast food place. People do work at fast food places because the jobs are plentiful and you don't need any particular skills to get one.

In effect, the free market sets the rate for wages in those jobs. And it always will.

I say if you're going to invest time and political captial on something, worry less about wages and more about getting people a better education and/or toolset so that they can shun the fast food industry for better paying opportunities.