Community Chat

[Qwackertoo]

On 5/15/2015 terrier3 said:

On 5/15/2015 Qwackertoo said:

<br />

Owning a franchised fast food place, especially one like Mickey D's is VERY lucrative.

They aren't hurting.

800 are on tap to be closed world wide.

Cashiers will be replaced by customers and a kiosk type ordering system.

Replacing cashiers with kiosks will ADD to the owners bottom line.

800 are closing...out of how many?????

Doesn't matter how many.

Apparently 800 locations have been deemed not profitable or profit margin of such amount that is considered acceptable.

Yes it will ADD to the owners bottom line. Point was you can demand 15.00 an hour until the cows come home . . . but they will find a way to replace it and do it for less. Incentives to lay them off and innovate ways in which to do it. Nice. Not.

[Qwackertoo]

On 5/15/2015 CrazyDaisy said:

On 5/15/2015 Lucibee said:

On 5/15/2015 evelomaddict said:

On 5/15/2015 CrazyDaisy said:

On 5/15/2015 terrier3 said:

On 5/15/2015 Isobel Archer said:

I think the real measure of economic health will be when the Medicaid, Food Stamp, and welfare rolls show significant decrease in numbers.

If people can't get jobs - or jobs that pay enough to keep them from needing these benefits - then it doesn't really matter how the unemployment numbers are portrayed as clearly, that is not a true indicator of economic well being.

Only 10% of SNAP recipients are able bodied adults who also get welfare.

The vast majority of Medicaid & SNAP recipients are working poor & their kids, disabled, and seniors.

Until we demand higher minimum wages that will allow people to make enough to be above poverty levels - this form of corporate welfare will continue.

Shoppers have put the heat on Walmart, McDonalds and others to share their all time high profits with their employees.

I would much rather see high paying jobs be brought back to the US. Throwing money at low skill jobs does no good.

FYI - 80% of McDonalds are owned by franchise local owners. Not much of those "high profits" available for your spread the wealth mantra.

many manufacturing jobs are sadly gone for good.

Agree!

Not really, there are some plants that are expanding in my area and installing new equipment. There are several trades that are begging for workers. We just need to do it smarter. Low paying jobs are low for a reason, the skill set required to do the job.

Agree. Tell that to Volvo, BMW, Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Mercedes, Volkswagon, Kia And Hyundai. Add Boeing and Air Bus too.

[evelomaddict]

On 5/15/2015 CrazyDaisy said:

On 5/15/2015 terrier3 said:

On 5/15/2015 CrazyDaisy said:

So you are saying that ALL of these McDonald franchises are gold minds???? Try again, while many make a comfortable living, they are by no means "VERY luctrave".

I don't believe we have to worry about the average McDonald's franchisee.

They pay huge franchise fees because the stores gross so much money.

People don't invest a minimum of $500,000 to get a franchise if they don't expect a good return.

Expecting and getting are two different things. There is no guarantee of success. Then again if they are investing the money should they not get the rewards?

no one hands over a winning franchise either. they're offered to other successful franchise owners first. you start out with a non producing store first and then you move up. funny, just like in the real world.

[ROMARY]

Let's remember, folks who are receiving funds of all types are indeed spending that money on services, food, apts., and whatever else. That right there is keeping businesses (grocers, etc.) fairly healthy. What goes around (given around) comes around, in a good way.

[CrazyDaisy]

On 5/15/2015 evelomaddict said:

On 5/15/2015 CrazyDaisy said:

On 5/15/2015 terrier3 said:

On 5/15/2015 CrazyDaisy said:

So you are saying that ALL of these McDonald franchises are gold minds???? Try again, while many make a comfortable living, they are by no means "VERY luctrave".

I don't believe we have to worry about the average McDonald's franchisee.

They pay huge franchise fees because the stores gross so much money.

People don't invest a minimum of $500,000 to get a franchise if they don't expect a good return.

Expecting and getting are two different things. There is no guarantee of success. Then again if they are investing the money should they not get the rewards?

no one hands over a winning franchise either. they're offered to other successful franchise owners first. you start out with a non producing store first and then you move up. funny, just like in the real world.

Many of these owners work very hard and invest a lot of money into the business. It takes a long time to pay off loans, franchise licenses, annual fees as well as day to day operation costs. Guess their hard work does not count.

[Surfnturf]

Actually, in the case of SOME franchises, hard work isn't enough. The corporation is the only one making a decent amount of money, and all the hard work in the world won't change that fact. I have very personal knowledge about this. My best friend owns 3 Subways.

[CrazyDaisy]

On 5/15/2015 wookie said:

Actually, in the case of SOME franchises, hard work isn't enough. The corporation is the only one making a decent amount of money, and all the hard work in the world won't change that fact. I have very personal knowledge about this. My best friend owns 3 Subways.

My point was that these franchise owners work very hard and deserve the profits they get from the business, without being told they have to share them with the employees.

Would your friend be able to stay in business if all his employees were paid $15.00 an hour? From your comments, I would say no.

[raining_1]

On 5/15/2015 CrazyDaisy said:

On 5/15/2015 Lucibee said:

On 5/15/2015 evelomaddict said:

On 5/15/2015 CrazyDaisy said:

On 5/15/2015 terrier3 said:

On 5/15/2015 Isobel Archer said:

I think the real measure of economic health will be when the Medicaid, Food Stamp, and welfare rolls show significant decrease in numbers.

If people can't get jobs - or jobs that pay enough to keep them from needing these benefits - then it doesn't really matter how the unemployment numbers are portrayed as clearly, that is not a true indicator of economic well being.

Only 10% of SNAP recipients are able bodied adults who also get welfare.

The vast majority of Medicaid & SNAP recipients are working poor & their kids, disabled, and seniors.

Until we demand higher minimum wages that will allow people to make enough to be above poverty levels - this form of corporate welfare will continue.

Shoppers have put the heat on Walmart, McDonalds and others to share their all time high profits with their employees.

I would much rather see high paying jobs be brought back to the US. Throwing money at low skill jobs does no good.

FYI - 80% of McDonalds are owned by franchise local owners. Not much of those "high profits" available for your spread the wealth mantra.

many manufacturing jobs are sadly gone for good.

Agree!

Not really, there are some plants that are expanding in my area and installing new equipment. There are several trades that are begging for workers. We just need to do it smarter. Low paying jobs are low for a reason, the skill set required to do the job.

We have several friends and acquaintances from DH's professional organization who own electric motor repair shops. They can't find employees. Either they can't pass the drug test, or they don't want to start at minimum wage until they get the skill set to be worth a higher salary. Or they take the job but then rarely show up in the morning. Business owners are very frustrated. DH's cousin owns a HVAC company and has the exact same issues.

[ROMARY]

raining: Yes, there's lots of similar talk around here, too. Very frustrating.

[Surfnturf]

On 5/15/2015 CrazyDaisy said:

On 5/15/2015 wookie said:

Actually, in the case of SOME franchises, hard work isn't enough. The corporation is the only one making a decent amount of money, and all the hard work in the world won't change that fact. I have very personal knowledge about this. My best friend owns 3 Subways.

My point was that these franchise owners work very hard and deserve the profits they get from the business, without being told they have to share them with the employees.

Would your friend be able to stay in business if all his employees were paid $15.00 an hour? From your comments, I would say no.

In her case, they employee family members, and yes, they definitely earn a living wage ...not an over the top wage mind you, but one that allows them to provide food and shelter for themselves. That's it. Unless one bought into the franchises when they were first offered, there is no real money to be made. Those franchise opportunities are long gone. The profiable locations are already taken. Subway opens new restaurants on just about every corner, forcing their franchises into competition with each other.