A quarter-century ago, there were 56 teenagers in the labor force for every "limited service" restaurant — that is, the kind where you order at the counter.
Today, there are fewer than half as many, which is a reflection both of teenagers' decreasing work force participation and of the explosive growth in restaurants.
But in an industry where cheap labor is an essential component in providing inexpensive food, a shortage of workers is changing the equation upon which fast-food places have long relied. This can be seen in rising wages, in a growth of incentives, and in the sometimes odd situations that business owners find themselves in.
Too many restaurants, not enough teens to work in them.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday July 20 2018, @03:12AM
You are not the only one that doesn't buy fast food--we buy organic when it looks good, cook nearly every meal, go out to dinner once or maybe twice a week at mid-priced restaurants (biased toward high quality food, not fantastic atmosphere).