Higher wages a surprising success for Seattle restaurant

originally posted by: Punisher75
a reply to: truthseeker84

On no you forgot the most important part... the Engineer who will also have to pay back all those student loan debts on top of having to try to life with valueless currency.

I wonder how far that engineer will make it without the farmer and their field workers who pick the crop.
I wonder how far that engineer will make it without the truck drivers who haul that produce.
I wonder how far that engineer will make it without the garbage driver who picks up their excess.

I could go on, and on, but my point is that regardless of whatever else I believe, I do know that we need each other and we need workers in every field. And no one deserves to live in poverty regardless of their occupation. We are past the point as a civilization where poverty should be a thing.

So until the engineer automates all the menial jobs in life, everyone is needed.

originally posted by: EternalSolace
I find it quite remarkable that society finds it acceptable for people to barely make ends meet just because they aren't a doctor or engineer.

I find it quite remarkable that society finds it acceptable to devalue the doctors and the engineers for political brownie points.

Whoops, I mean minimum wage increases.

We can continue to circle the toilet, before hitting the sewers, or we could stop circling the toilet! Bah, who am I kidding, as long as it makes good media tid bits and momentary 'good for me moments' we will continue to swirl.

a reply to: EternalSolace

For the record, Ivar's isn't exactly an "average" Seattle restaurant. They're very much a Seattle icon and the place traditionally has a line out the door. Their prices 10 years ago were extravagant, as well. Certainly not the type of restaurant frequented by customers concerned with making ends meet or getting value for their dining dollar.

I'd be far more interested in seeing how the mid-range Seattle restaurants fare. Places like all of the corner teriyaki joints scattered on virtually every street in downtown, or Gordito's, or Piroshky Piroshky in the Pike Place complex aren't going to have a customer base that simply absorbs a 21% increase.

I've still not seen anyone explain what will happen to the folks who were making $15.10 an hour prior to this minimum wage increase. Those are the families who were scratching to get by AND make the occassional restaurant date night. Their salaries aren't going to suddenly expand by 40% like everyone making less than $15/hr did, so are people really of the opinion that this move benefits those workers in any way whatsoever?

a reply to: EternalSolace

All of the above make significantly more than minimum wage...

www.usda.gov...
www.truckingtruth.com...
money.usnews.com...

However raising the minimum wage will effectively lower the salary of all those you mentioned.

originally posted by: burdman30ott6
For the record, Ivar's isn't exactly an "average" Seattle restaurant. They're very much a Seattle icon and the place traditionally has a line out the door. Their prices 10 years ago were extravagant, as well. Certainly not the type of restaurant frequented by customers concerned with making ends meet or getting value for their dining dollar.

There's the kind of insight I was looking for. That is an excellent point. I didn't know anything about the background of the restaurant or the patrons it caters to.

That's a fair point in saying that they'd be able to fare better than a mid-range establishment.

originally posted by: Mawiss
I know I wouldn't pay 20% more for my dinner just so my waitress could make more money.

I would and often do, if I get good service and the food is good, I am happy to tip my server 30% or better. You would not believe the wonderful service my wife and I receive in restaurants we visit often.

a reply to: EternalSolace

Ivar's Acres of Clams down under the Viaduct on the wharf is probably their most family oriented restaurant.
www.ivars.com...
If you get an appetizer and a drink other than water, a family of 4 can expect to spend a minimum of $100 for the experience. That's getting stuff like fish & chips or clams. If you want something a bit more fancy, and a beer, and desert, it's easy to drop $200 there.

a reply to: EternalSolace

didnt make it past the first line that said you dont even have to tip.
well, i dont have to tip now at any restaurant so, yup

originally posted by: Mawiss
I know I wouldn't pay 20% more for my dinner just so my waitress could make more money.

hahahahahha...awesome
im with you
i wish i had said this

a reply to: Punisher75

I can see your, and the other's point that

raising the minimum wage will effectively lower the salary of all those you mentioned.

Raising the Minimum wage isn't a solution.
Business owners and CEO's taking a cut isn't the solution.
Business cutting prices isn't a solution.

It seems like there's only three solutions:

Accept that you make what you make and just deal with being rich, being in the middle class, or being poor for the rest of your life.

Everyone become a doctor, pilot, engineer, lawyer, or judge.

Lower minimum wage in hopes that prices will fall everywhere and business owers won't be greedy and keep the differences.

Let's face it. Manufacturing jobs are not coming back to the United States. IT jobs are being outsourced on a pace that's akin to manufacturing. Automation is taking hold on an unprecedented level. How do we fix the problem?

originally posted by: burdman30ott6
a reply to: EternalSolace

Ivar's Acres of Clams down under the Viaduct on the wharf is probably their most family oriented restaurant.
www.ivars.com...
If you get an appetizer and a drink other than water, a family of 4 can expect to spend a minimum of $100 for the experience. That's getting stuff like fish & chips or clams. If you want something a bit more fancy, and a beer, and desert, it's easy to drop $200 there.

That's unreal. It's no wonder that they're doing good regardless of the wage increase.

a reply to: truthseeker84

druggssssss..

yeah, the world has gone crazy.
lets give people a near 100% wage increase for doing absolutely nothing at all.
just hand it to them....

of course the reason they cant make ends meet or dont make more than 9 bucks per is everyone elses fault. its the man. the economy. the this and the that.
can not possibly be their education. their skills. their motivation. their budgeting skills.
heavens no

originally posted by: burdman30ott6
a reply to: EternalSolace

Ivar's Acres of Clams down under the Viaduct on the wharf is probably their most family oriented restaurant.
www.ivars.com...
If you get an appetizer and a drink other than water, a family of 4 can expect to spend a minimum of $100 for the experience. That's getting stuff like fish & chips or clams. If you want something a bit more fancy, and a beer, and desert, it's easy to drop $200 there.

I do that maybe once a year. I much rather prepare my own food using as fresh ingredients as possible to do so. Don't even considering restaurant food a treat as much as a convience sometimes.

a reply to: EternalSolace

Well I think there is a 4th solution....

Tell the Federal Reserve to stop printing money.

Every new dollar printed lowers the value of every dollar already in circulation.
Think supply and demand here.
If you found $100 dollar bills every 5 steps you walked down the sidewalk how much do you think that $100 would be worth?

a reply to: Punisher75

i think it would be worth $100
i dont understand

originally posted by: Mugly
a reply to: Punisher75

i think it would be worth $100
i dont understand

It means that something widely available and found everywhere has no value.

They're right too. The Fed Reserve prints like there's no tomorrow. And this has, without a doubt, contributed to lowering the value of the dollar.

originally posted by: Mugly
a reply to: Punisher75

i think it would be worth $100
i dont understand

yes it would be "worth $100 dollars" but the money would have no buying power or value at all because it would take no effort for anyone to acquire it.

a reply to: EternalSolace

Correct it would basically be like walking into Walmart with a handful of gravel and saying, what can I get for this.

a reply to: Punisher75

i suppose.
buying power has been pretty constant in my life though.
things are more expensive in general than when i was say 18 but i make more than i did when i was 18.
its all been relative for me.
middle class my entire life.

originally posted by: Punisher75
a reply to: EternalSolace

Correct it would basically be like walking into Walmart with a handful of gravel and saying, what can I get for this.

yeah, i guess.
i cant buy as much at wal mart for $100 than i could 20 years ago.
thing is, i have more $100's than i did 20 years ago so i really feel no sting.