Days after minimum wage rises, Maine diner near nh cuts staff hours. (2013, day care)

[G1..]

Originally Posted by kevin5098

Not all buinesses need employees. The fast food industry has been exploring automation for some time now. When labor costs become too high, automation at the fast food counter will look a lot more attractive. Same with low skill manufacturing jobs. Businesses don't need to sell their products. If they can't make a reasonable profit, they will close. Given the choice between running a business at a loss, and investing in a mutual fund earning an average return of 6%, where would you put your money. Th poster you quoted made no assumption that every business will close due to an increase in MW. As I said before, you clearly have reading comprehension problems. Businesses don't need excuses for downsizing. Downsizing occurs because of financial issues such as rising costs, lower revenue, etc. Public relations have nothing to do with it. I would suggest you take a course in microeconomics in addition to reading comprehension.

I greatly appreciate you overwhelming concern for my welfare but yet after reading all your points from the above post I must suggest you look after yourself and take a local high school economics class, again thank you so much for your concern .

[mensaguy]

Originally Posted by kevin5098

Not all buinesses need employees. The fast food industry has been exploring automation for some time now. When labor costs become too high, automation at the fast food counter will look a lot more attractive. Same with low skill manufacturing jobs. Businesses don't need to sell their products. If they can't make a reasonable profit, they will close. Given the choice between running a business at a loss, and investing in a mutual fund earning an average return of 6%, where would you put your money. Th poster you quoted made no assumption that every business will close due to an increase in MW. As I said before, you clearly have reading comprehension problems. Businesses don't need excuses for downsizing. Downsizing occurs because of financial issues such as rising costs, lower revenue, etc. Public relations have nothing to do with it. I would suggest you take a course in microeconomics in addition to reading comprehension.

I'm only going to comment on this one thing.

"The fast food industry has been exploring automation for some time now. When labor costs become too high, automation at the fast food counter will look a lot more attractive."

This has been going on for years already. I don't think changing the minimum wage will change that. Down in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia & West Virginia, you can find a Sheetz convenience store/gas station with just about the same frequency you can find an Irving in Maine. When you decide to get a quick burger when you stop for gas, you go to a touch screen kiosk, place your order, then step over to the register to pay for it while somebody you never speak to fixes the burger and delivers it to the pick-up window.

You don't see this at an Irving right now, bu I'd bet cash money that the management at Irving is well aware of how other companies in their type of business operate.

I don't think this is really much different from the change from paying for gasoline at the counter vs. paying at the pump. I only know a few places that DON'T have credit card readers on their gas pumps.

[Northern Maine Land Man]

I went to an Automat in New York City in 1953. You put your quarters into the slot, open the door and get your meal. I liked the food. There were people sleeping in there. I found the whole experience to be strange.

[G1..]

Originally Posted by Northern Maine Land Man

I went to an Automat in New York City in 1953. You put your quarters into the slot, open the door and get your meal. I liked the food. There were people sleeping in there. I found the whole experience to be strange.

WaWa's in NJ have the menu readers or kiosks but it is illegal to pump your own gas in NJ ,so they lose job's one way and save them another.I remember "Automat's in NY and "Hot Shoppe's" in Washingto DC,the food was'nt bad.You still had employee's cooking and preparing that there is no way around.

[wolf39us]

WaWa came to town in Florida while I was living there and I personally love their ordering kiosks. Much more efficient than waiting on someone to take my order.

[LarryLogger]

Originally Posted by Northern Maine Land Man

I went to an Automat in New York City in 1953. You put your quarters into the slot, open the door and get your meal. I liked the food. There were people sleeping in there. I found the whole experience to be strange.

I went to such an Automat in 1960's. It was inside the Museum of Natural History. As an elementary school kid, I though those little doors were kind of neat. If I had known that all the exhibits and artifacts came alive each night, I might have never left

[G1..]

Originally Posted by wolf39us

WaWa came to town in Florida while I was living there and I personally love their ordering kiosks. Much more efficient than waiting on someone to take my order.

Absolutely!

[kevin5098]

Originally Posted by mensaguy

I'm only going to comment on this one thing.

"The fast food industry has been exploring automation for some time now. When labor costs become too high, automation at the fast food counter will look a lot more attractive."

This has been going on for years already. I don't think changing the minimum wage will change that. Down in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia & West Virginia, you can find a Sheetz convenience store/gas station with just about the same frequency you can find an Irving in Maine. When you decide to get a quick burger when you stop for gas, you go to a touch screen kiosk, place your order, then step over to the register to pay for it while somebody you never speak to fixes the burger and delivers it to the pick-up window.

You don't see this at an Irving right now, bu I'd bet cash money that the management at Irving is well aware of how other companies in their type of business operate.

I don't think this is really much different from the change from paying for gasoline at the counter vs. paying at the pump. I only know a few places that DON'T have credit card readers on their gas pumps.

See attached for information on impact of minimum wage on the decision to automate fast food operations.

https://www.brookings.edu/blog/techt...ost-effective/

[Maineac]

Originally Posted by 7th generation

Maybe the workers will, but the businesses that will close due to this unfair law, and many others will raise prices to absorb the costs. Who wins then? I am sure that most posting defending the minimum wage hike do not own a business and their concerted effort to persuade us otherwise is the reason they don't.

Actually, since my labor, steeple jacking and other stints in the 1970's, I have always been self employed and owned businesses with up to 16 employees. In my businesses, the business plan ALWAYS puts employees first under a hire carefully fire quickly (if need be) scenario. No free rides, just fairness. From labor related business to highly specialized professional businesses requiring various licensure. Your frog has been boilt with all the others that feel that the CEO's, Chief Administrators, Corporate Presidents and other figurehead positions somehow "earned" their obscene salaries, stock options, etc. Same as Congress's benefits. Same as my buddy the retired Federal Judge (Senior sitting, recalled out of retirement) sucking up several hundred thousand a year. His base pay for life is WAY into six figures whether he works or not. He gets extra for his activities while "retired." God bless him, "they" gave it to him, so you can't fault him for taking it. The concerted efforts to convince people that a living minimum wage is "unfair" is borne of sheer ignorance of reality.

[Submariner]

I would be very interested if anyone did interviews with the waitress staff at McSeagull's restaurant in Boothbay.