California’s Fast-Food Minimum Wage Hike Didn’t Cut Jobs or Raise Prices Significantly, Says Study

A new study published on September 30, 2024 by UC Berkeley’s Institute for Research on Labor and Employment says California’s fast-food minimum wage increase has not reduced overall employment and has only resulted in average price increases of about 3.7 percent. The study says that’s like a 15-cent increase on a $4 burger.

On April 1, 2024, California’s 750,000 fast-food employees working at large chains like McDonald’s, In-N-Out, and Chick-fil-A were paid at least $20 an hour under Assembly Bill 1228. The bill’s critics believed that the new minimum would significantly increase menu prices and operational costs and result in job losses.

In addition to the wage increase for fast-food chains, AB 1228 includes more protections for workers and a first-of-its-kind Fast Food Council that allows for greater collaboration between employees and franchise owners. In contrast, the California Business and Industrial Alliance placed a full-page ad in USA Today stating that the new minimum wage reduced employment, citing data from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis that 5,416 jobs were lost from January to August 2024.

Starbucks’ former CEO in hot water

On October 2, 2024, the National Labor Relations Board ruled that former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz violated labor laws by suggesting that a Long Beach employee quit after raising issues related to unionization in 2022, reports the Los Angeles Times. The mega coffee company has been embroiled in conflicts with employees since unionizing efforts began nationwide in 2021.

In-N-Out hacks from a superfan

While traveling with his two sons to visit every In-N-Out location, San Luis Obispo County resident Sam Vonderheide discovered a few secret menu hacks — like how there are six different ways to cook the french fries — writes SF Gate’s Karen Palmer. Vonderheide even started an Instagram account to document his travels.

New tenants at Hollywood Park

Hollywood Park in Inglewood announced a handful of openings this fall, including Martin’s Cocina y Cantina and the Meeting Spot, an outdoor venue with 160 seats, cocktails, and casual fare.

The mercurial Estrano returns

Chef Diego Argoti, known for his chaotic cooking at the now-shuttered Poltergeist, will host a gathering tonight. He’s light on details, but the event should be interesting, in the least. See Argoti’s post below.