Breaking News: Restaurants Closing All Over Seattle As $15 Minimum Wage Mandate Starts April 1st.

[Theowl32]

Four restaurants closing makes it easier for the other eateries to establish working prices that lead to a profit.

^ Komrade Jake's Favorite Restaurant where they serve bread on a weekly basis.

Don't forget the watered down soup

Would you do me a personal a favor and taste the soup?

 

[NYcarbineer]

And Kaboom!!!!!! The myth gets busted:

Sorry Righties, Seattle Restaurant Closures Are NOT Due To $15 Minimum Wage

'Right-wing sites want everyone to believe that, come April 1, the minimum wage in Seattle will jump from the current level to $15 an hour. That’s not what’s happening at all. The new minimum wage will be phased in over several years. How quickly a business reaches the $15 an hour level depends on the size of the business, and whether or not the business offers employees health care benefits, as explained on Seattle mayor Ed Murray’s web page.

The current minimum wage in Washington state is $9.32 an hour. That wage goes to $11 an hour on April 1 for businesses with more than 500 employees.

For businesses such as restaurants, with fewer than 500 employees, who receive “minimum compensation,” that wage can be made up of a combination of wages, tips, and employer contributions to an employee health care plan, as long as the total of all the compensation equals at least $11 an hour.

The full $15 an hour minimum wage does not take effect for restaurants until 2019.'

...

'The right-wing sites mentioned above all latched onto a story in Seattle Magazine, that says that the impending wage increase is one of the reasons for the restaurant closures. However, Sara Jones, author of the story, acknowledges that not a single restaurateur she spoke to gave the wage increase as a reason for his or her restaurant being closed.'

'It is true that Seattle is seeing a large number of restaurants closing their doors. So, what exactly is going on, if it’s not the new minimum wage? It’s a variety of things. According to Seattle Magazine, Anthony Anton, the head of the Washington Restaurant Association, says that each year, about 17 percent of Washington restaurants go out of business, or change owners. That amounts to about 400 restaurants “in a good year,” he says.'

http://www.ifyouonlynews.com/politics/sorry-righties-seattle-restaurant-closures-are-not-due-to-15-minimum-wage/

Okay RWnuts, proceed to deny the facts.

 

[Sonny Clark]

There is no desire to spend tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars on a college degree if the person stuffing french friends into a cardboard container is making what they had hoped to make after going to college. Just go flip burgers and make a killing. A living wage, according to liberals, is being able to buy ANYTHING you want. Cell phones, internet, TV, you fucking name it, that's a living wage. If you can use it while you're living, your burger flipping job should pay for it.

A little eye opener liberals: they won't have a job at all if the fast food they stuff into bags costs more than people are willing to pay.

A "living wage" is one that allows a worker to be self-supporting, without the need for assistance, especially government assistance programs. Of course, it's different depending on where one lives. It cost more to live in New York City than it does to live in Jackson Mississippi.

That's correct. Then add in all the toys that certain people believe to be entitlements.
Luxury items such as high speed internet, pay tv, cell phones, the ability to eat out, a second car....Yeah.
According to a study out of MIT, the living wage for a family of 5 living in Los Angeles County is over $23 per hour...So if a guy who has few marketable skills gets a job in a fast food rest, the living wage activists will look to that number as wage that is "fair".....Somehow I don;'t see a fast food worker making that kind of money.
The point is, those who work these entry level jobs must be made to realize the emphasis is on entry level.

A "living wage" is NOT based on family size. A "living wage" is based what it takes for a "single" person to be self-supporting. It has nothing to do with family or family size.

 

[Iceweasel]

Your theory rests on the employer chipping in for health insurance and the employee being honest about tips.

Health insurance doesn't really matter. You do raise a valid point about tip reporting, but any restaurant being run by anyone with half a brain cell won't allow employees to under report such that the company has to pay additional wages. There are many safeguards to prevent that. And in the past 5-10 years the IRS has become more and more aggressive in cracking down on unreported tips, which creates huge liabilities for the employers. If employees get caught under reporting, and subsequently not paying taxes, the IRS can levy huge fines against the restaurant, which has been known to happen in recent times.
The first safeguard is automatic reporting of all your credit card tips. This alone will almost always take the server above the threshold for the minimum wage requirements. For bussers and food runners, their tips from the servers are typically a percentage of total sales, so the employer knows exactly what they made and nowadays will usually automatically reports 100% of it. The second safeguard is the fact that the restaurant knows how much you sell every shift, in the off chance that a server has all cash tickets. If you sell $800 but only report $25, that's a huge red flag. It's going to prompt the manager to sit you down for a conversation where you're going to need to explain why you are either not reporting your tips, or why you're giving such shitty service that your tips suck this badly.

Nowadays most restaurants have a policy that makes reporting "low" tip amounts grounds for termination, because it indicates that you are either defrauding the employer, breaking the law, or just giving horrible service. Either way, the company does not want you.

What's your evidence that they rarely fail due to labor costs? That's a huge part of overhead, I'd like to know how you determined that.

I've worked in hospitality for well over a decade. I happen to know a thing or two...

Health insurance does matter since that's the way it's worded and your theory that tips are honestly reported isn't based on reality. Your employment in "hospitality" isn't evidence that labor isn't a major expense. Lots of bluffing and fluffing there.

 

[Iceweasel]

And Kaboom!!!!!! The myth gets busted:

Sorry Righties, Seattle Restaurant Closures Are NOT Due To $15 Minimum Wage

'Right-wing sites want everyone to believe that, come April 1, the minimum wage in Seattle will jump from the current level to $15 an hour. That’s not what’s happening at all. The new minimum wage will be phased in over several years. How quickly a business reaches the $15 an hour level depends on the size of the business, and whether or not the business offers employees health care benefits, as explained on Seattle mayor Ed Murray’s web page.

The current minimum wage in Washington state is $9.32 an hour. That wage goes to $11 an hour on April 1 for businesses with more than 500 employees.

For businesses such as restaurants, with fewer than 500 employees, who receive “minimum compensation,” that wage can be made up of a combination of wages, tips, and employer contributions to an employee health care plan, as long as the total of all the compensation equals at least $11 an hour.

The full $15 an hour minimum wage does not take effect for restaurants until 2019.'

...

'The right-wing sites mentioned above all latched onto a story in Seattle Magazine, that says that the impending wage increase is one of the reasons for the restaurant closures. However, Sara Jones, author of the story, acknowledges that not a single restaurateur she spoke to gave the wage increase as a reason for his or her restaurant being closed.'

'It is true that Seattle is seeing a large number of restaurants closing their doors. So, what exactly is going on, if it’s not the new minimum wage? It’s a variety of things. According to Seattle Magazine, Anthony Anton, the head of the Washington Restaurant Association, says that each year, about 17 percent of Washington restaurants go out of business, or change owners. That amounts to about 400 restaurants “in a good year,” he says.'

http://www.ifyouonlynews.com/politics/sorry-righties-seattle-restaurant-closures-are-not-due-to-15-minimum-wage/

Okay RWnuts, proceed to deny the facts.

What facts?

 

[jon_berzerk]

Nah, it won't. Folks will eat out regardless.

Sure but since it will cost more they will eat out less thereby making many employees unnecessary

that is easily solved by mandating that the peoples need to eat out a certain number of times per year

or face serious consequences from the government for failing to do so

 

[Mr Natural]

Every time the minimum wage has been raised in the past, the economy has gone into a tailspin.

You'd think they would learn by now.

 

[Iceweasel]

Nah, it won't. Folks will eat out regardless.

Sure but since it will cost more they will eat out less thereby making many employees unnecessary

that is easily solved by mandating the the peoples need to eat out a certain number of times per year

or face serious consequences from the government for failing to do so

They could call it the Affordable Eatery Act. "If you liked your restaurant you can keep your restaurant".

 

[Wyatt earp]

Fighting a civil war don't prove it is illegal, again what laws were passed that says it is,illegal?

I can't think of any

The Supremacy Clause of the Constitution makes it illegal.

Wrong. That clause has nothing to do with secession.

Of course it does. Secession by its very nature REQUIRES violating the Supremacy Clause.

Unfortunately, most 16 year olds do menial jobs nobody else is willing to do. Why? JOB EXPERIENCE.

And according to the lefties....they deserve 15 dollars an hour....for scooping ice cream....part time....on the weekend......

Nearly all jobs should pay a living wage. You can't afford to pay it then go out of business since you obviously shouldn't be in business in the first place.

And according to the lefties....they deserve 15 dollars an hour....for scooping ice cream....part time....on the weekend......

Nearly all jobs should pay a living wage. You can't afford to pay it then go out of business since you obviously shouldn't be in business in the first place.

Yes......exactly.......the government knows best how to run your donut shop........

In this case it does. If you make so little that you can't pay a decent wage, you can't run a donut shop. If I have a great business plan but I can afford to pay $4 a hour to adults, is that a good business? Nope.

What do you mean $4 an hour........the minimum wage is 15 dollars an hour.........that is what you guys want...for now......not 4.......and again....does a small mom and pop donut shop have to pay their guy handing out the donuts 15 dollars an hour?

And the bagger at the grocery store...15 dollars an hour....right? and the ice cream scooper....15 dollars an hour....right?

Most jobs should pay a living wage, period. Why is this so difficult for you to understand?

have you ever been any where ? Damn when I lived in the Chicago area and worked in Chicago you Couldn't even find a supermarket till you got out of the city limits, just super high priced mom and pop corner stores.

And a liberal on these forums never explained to us what a living wage is?

Welfare folks have 42 inch t.v.s just as much as folks making minimum wage.


You guys never understand profit margin, your only answer if someone can not pay burger flippers say $15 bucks an hour is let them go out of bussiness, so they have no job

 

[jon_berzerk]

Nah, it won't. Folks will eat out regardless.

Sure but since it will cost more they will eat out less thereby making many employees unnecessary

that is easily solved by mandating the the peoples need to eat out a certain number of times per year

or face serious consequences from the government for failing to do so

They could call it the Affordable Eatery Act. "If you liked your restaurant you can keep your restaurant".

"If you liked your restaurant you can keep your restaurant"-Period


the EAE for short

-LOL

 

[zeke]

And Kaboom!!!!!! The myth gets busted:

Sorry Righties, Seattle Restaurant Closures Are NOT Due To $15 Minimum Wage

'Right-wing sites want everyone to believe that, come April 1, the minimum wage in Seattle will jump from the current level to $15 an hour. That’s not what’s happening at all. The new minimum wage will be phased in over several years. How quickly a business reaches the $15 an hour level depends on the size of the business, and whether or not the business offers employees health care benefits, as explained on Seattle mayor Ed Murray’s web page.

The current minimum wage in Washington state is $9.32 an hour. That wage goes to $11 an hour on April 1 for businesses with more than 500 employees.

For businesses such as restaurants, with fewer than 500 employees, who receive “minimum compensation,” that wage can be made up of a combination of wages, tips, and employer contributions to an employee health care plan, as long as the total of all the compensation equals at least $11 an hour.

The full $15 an hour minimum wage does not take effect for restaurants until 2019.'

...

'The right-wing sites mentioned above all latched onto a story in Seattle Magazine, that says that the impending wage increase is one of the reasons for the restaurant closures. However, Sara Jones, author of the story, acknowledges that not a single restaurateur she spoke to gave the wage increase as a reason for his or her restaurant being closed.'

'It is true that Seattle is seeing a large number of restaurants closing their doors. So, what exactly is going on, if it’s not the new minimum wage? It’s a variety of things. According to Seattle Magazine, Anthony Anton, the head of the Washington Restaurant Association, says that each year, about 17 percent of Washington restaurants go out of business, or change owners. That amounts to about 400 restaurants “in a good year,” he says.'

http://www.ifyouonlynews.com/politics/sorry-righties-seattle-restaurant-closures-are-not-due-to-15-minimum-wage/

Okay RWnuts, proceed to deny the facts.

Not a single one of you right wing fuck heads want to touch this article now do ya?

Nice job of shutting them up NY.

 

[Iceweasel]

And Kaboom!!!!!! The myth gets busted:

Sorry Righties, Seattle Restaurant Closures Are NOT Due To $15 Minimum Wage

'Right-wing sites want everyone to believe that, come April 1, the minimum wage in Seattle will jump from the current level to $15 an hour. That’s not what’s happening at all. The new minimum wage will be phased in over several years. How quickly a business reaches the $15 an hour level depends on the size of the business, and whether or not the business offers employees health care benefits, as explained on Seattle mayor Ed Murray’s web page.

The current minimum wage in Washington state is $9.32 an hour. That wage goes to $11 an hour on April 1 for businesses with more than 500 employees.

For businesses such as restaurants, with fewer than 500 employees, who receive “minimum compensation,” that wage can be made up of a combination of wages, tips, and employer contributions to an employee health care plan, as long as the total of all the compensation equals at least $11 an hour.

The full $15 an hour minimum wage does not take effect for restaurants until 2019.'

...

'The right-wing sites mentioned above all latched onto a story in Seattle Magazine, that says that the impending wage increase is one of the reasons for the restaurant closures. However, Sara Jones, author of the story, acknowledges that not a single restaurateur she spoke to gave the wage increase as a reason for his or her restaurant being closed.'

'It is true that Seattle is seeing a large number of restaurants closing their doors. So, what exactly is going on, if it’s not the new minimum wage? It’s a variety of things. According to Seattle Magazine, Anthony Anton, the head of the Washington Restaurant Association, says that each year, about 17 percent of Washington restaurants go out of business, or change owners. That amounts to about 400 restaurants “in a good year,” he says.'

http://www.ifyouonlynews.com/politics/sorry-righties-seattle-restaurant-closures-are-not-due-to-15-minimum-wage/

Okay RWnuts, proceed to deny the facts.

Not a single one of you right wing fuck heads want to touch this article now do ya?

Nice job of shutting them up NY.

Huh? An op-ed works for you? LOL, y'all got folks laughing. Idiots.

 

[jon_berzerk]

And Kaboom!!!!!! The myth gets busted:

Sorry Righties, Seattle Restaurant Closures Are NOT Due To $15 Minimum Wage

'Right-wing sites want everyone to believe that, come April 1, the minimum wage in Seattle will jump from the current level to $15 an hour. That’s not what’s happening at all. The new minimum wage will be phased in over several years. How quickly a business reaches the $15 an hour level depends on the size of the business, and whether or not the business offers employees health care benefits, as explained on Seattle mayor Ed Murray’s web page.

The current minimum wage in Washington state is $9.32 an hour. That wage goes to $11 an hour on April 1 for businesses with more than 500 employees.

For businesses such as restaurants, with fewer than 500 employees, who receive “minimum compensation,” that wage can be made up of a combination of wages, tips, and employer contributions to an employee health care plan, as long as the total of all the compensation equals at least $11 an hour.

The full $15 an hour minimum wage does not take effect for restaurants until 2019.'

...

'The right-wing sites mentioned above all latched onto a story in Seattle Magazine, that says that the impending wage increase is one of the reasons for the restaurant closures. However, Sara Jones, author of the story, acknowledges that not a single restaurateur she spoke to gave the wage increase as a reason for his or her restaurant being closed.'

'It is true that Seattle is seeing a large number of restaurants closing their doors. So, what exactly is going on, if it’s not the new minimum wage? It’s a variety of things. According to Seattle Magazine, Anthony Anton, the head of the Washington Restaurant Association, says that each year, about 17 percent of Washington restaurants go out of business, or change owners. That amounts to about 400 restaurants “in a good year,” he says.'

http://www.ifyouonlynews.com/politics/sorry-righties-seattle-restaurant-closures-are-not-due-to-15-minimum-wage/

Okay RWnuts, proceed to deny the facts.

Not a single one of you right wing fuck heads want to touch this article now do ya?

Nice job of shutting them up NY.

yeah its not the 15 hour raise(which is on its way) it is the current 20 percent jump plus taxes plus insurance plus leftist add on +add on+add on +add on

 

[Wyatt earp]

This is just a small example when will you Leftys get it's through your thick heads, you make people leave through high taxes and raising the minimum wage? God damn you folks are dumb as shit when it comes to profit margins

More +

Thinkstock photo


A small manufacturer near Rockford will move to Wisconsin, citing tax incentives and other benefits.

Chicago Fittings will move to Beloit, about 25 miles north of its current headquarters in Belvidere. Plans are in place to break ground next spring on a 30,000-square-foot building in Beloit's Gateway Business Park.

The company would own the facility, which will initially employ about 20 people, up from 16 now, with growth expected through the next several years.

Chicago Fittings, which makes products for utilities and equipment manufacturers, will do $4 million to $4.5 million in business this year, said Joe Tarquini, the owner since 2004. He expects that to grow about 20 percent next year.

The company, founded in 1930 in downtown Chicago, gradually made its way west, moving to Belvidere in 2004. Chicago Fittings examined expanding in Illinois, but Wisconsin was the better choice, said General Manager Diane Thomas
Subscription Center ChicagoBusiness.com

 

[Wyatt earp]

God damn Leftys love trickle up poor, you raise it up to $15 bucks nationally I won't get a $7 dollar raise, you just made middle class folks $7 bucks an hour poor, but That's what you want .

 

[Iceweasel]

The other major flaw with libthink is that the minimum wage is just that. A starting wage for new workers. If you are trying to raise a family on starting wages you are probably stupid enough to not get too far in the workplace. Don't blame it on the employer.

 

[jon_berzerk]

This is just a small example when will you Leftys get it's through your thick heads, you make people leave through high taxes and raising the minimum wage? God damn you folks are dumb as shit when it comes to profit margins

More +

Thinkstock photo


A small manufacturer near Rockford will move to Wisconsin, citing tax incentives and other benefits.

Chicago Fittings will move to Beloit, about 25 miles north of its current headquarters in Belvidere. Plans are in place to break ground next spring on a 30,000-square-foot building in Beloit's Gateway Business Park.

The company would own the facility, which will initially employ about 20 people, up from 16 now, with growth expected through the next several years.

Chicago Fittings, which makes products for utilities and equipment manufacturers, will do $4 million to $4.5 million in business this year, said Joe Tarquini, the owner since 2004. He expects that to grow about 20 percent next year.

The company, founded in 1930 in downtown Chicago, gradually made its way west, moving to Belvidere in 2004. Chicago Fittings examined expanding in Illinois, but Wisconsin was the better choice, said General Manager Diane Thomas
Subscription Center ChicagoBusiness.com

did you happen to read the comments at the end of that article --LOL

 

[Wyatt earp]

No I didn't, let me check, I know it will be hilarious liberal nonsense

 

[kiwiman127]

It's not like the $15 dollars an hour for larger employers goes into effect immediately. Employers have seven years to until the $15 per hour is realized. It's a gradual increase.
After the Seattle Magazine article in full, one can see Townhall (the OP's main source and a seriously right wing leaning blog) greatly exaggerated the entire situation, naturally.
From the Seattle Magazine article:
==========================================
What the #*%&$* is going on? A variety of things, probably—and a good chance there is more change to come.
First, some old-timers report they’re simply ready for a change. Both Erickson(also of The Whale Wins, The Walrus and the Carpenter, Barnacle and two new upcoming projects on Capitol Hill) and Stratton have had their hands in many pies for some time, and they say it’s time to narrow focus on their other restaurants (Erickson) or to take a break and regroup (Stratton, after seven years at Spinasse).
“That’s a long time to put in anywhere,” Stratton told Eater.
Next, even great-tasting restaurants battle tough odds—especially new ones (Shanik and Pioneer Square’s Little Uncle location both reached two years; Grub reached two and a half). The National Restaurant Association doesn’t have exact failure rates for restaurants in their first few years, but media relations and public affairs director Christin Fernandez reports that according to census data, about 60,000 restaurants open and about 50,000 restaurants close in an average year.
Statewide, Anthony Anton, president and CEO of Washington Restaurant Association, says that each year in Washington, 17 percent of restaurants go out of business or change hands. In Seattle, with approximately 2,300 restaurants, that translates to approximately 400 closures or sells expected—“in a good year,” Anton says
Seattle Magazine Restaurants Why Are So Many Seattle Restaurants Closing Lately
===========================================
Now personally, I think $15 an hour is too big of a jump. But rest assured. the far right thinks raising the minimum wage a nickel is way too much.

 

[Iceweasel]

It's not the $15 dollars an hour for larger employers goes into effect immediately. Employers have seven years to the $15 per hour is realized.

After the Seattle Magazine article in full, one can see Townhall (the OP's main source and a seriously right wing leading blog) greatly exxagerated the entire situation, naturally.
From the Seattle Magazine article:


Now personally, I think $15 an hour is too big of a jump. But rest assured. the far right thinks raising the minimum wage a nickel is way too much.

Employers with over 500 employees. Which is what I said yesterday more than likely would be the case. Companies like Starbucks probably paid off the right politicians.

The far right doesn't want any government mandated wages, period. Let the market decide.