2009 Federal Minimum Wage Increase Creates a Burden for Restaurant Workers and Owners Here in the U.S.A

Unfortunately, U.S. restaurant owners have had to "simply cut back on labor cost" regarding this 70 cent increase in pay for minimum wage employees which took place on July 24, 2009 from $6.55 per hour to $7.25 per hour. Gigantic corporations like McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's, Krystal, Pizza Hut, Domino's and Papa John's etc. have taken a loss because of this years 2009 bad economy.

Thus in return, creating a tremendous problem which restaurant owners call? "sales vs. labor". Because of operation expenses, these corporations MUST maintain a certain amount of revenue just to keep their doors open to the public for daily business which stock holders are always concerned about. In almost any business nationwide, the number one expense is always labor cost vs. profits paid to company employees.

Ironically? Because of this NEW 2009 minimum wage increase, workers are "actually making less weekly pay than before". These huge restaurant corporations are reluctantly having to cut back on their regular minimum wage workers time worked each week? A lot of workers that worked 40 hours before July 24, 2009, have been cut back to approx. 35 hours per week or less. Making less money than they did before this increase.

After this minimum wage increase on July 24, 2009, the majority of these gigantic U.S. fast food restaurant corporations are expecting the on-staff managers to make up the difference in labor or shortage of employees? Meaning that they can be in two places at the same time? "If your McDonald's hamburger or pizza delivery takes longer than normal, this is the reason why".

"Some year after year staff employees have actually been cut to the bone because of this minimum wage increase in pay!" With very little left on their weekly hourly schedule(s) from possibly 40 hours per week to 30 hours per week. Shift managers will have to work this much harder everyday and night to cover the difference in labor, because they are operating on a "skeleton crew of employees". "These huge corporations must make up the difference in employment pay somehow?"

The majority of these "fast food" shift managers only make $9.00 per hour if they are lucky? This is only an increase of $1.75 per hour versus the minimum wage workers hired daily off the street of $7.25 per hour. "Are these hard-working shift managers honestly willing to work this much harder just so they can keep their jobs? "Or will they seek other employment elsewhere and quit their jobs?"

Even gigantic U.S.A. restaurant corporations like Waffle House, IHOP, Ryan's, Golden Corral, and Cracker Barrel have forced to place signs in the kitchen and waitress staff section for restaurant servers after this minimum increase on July 24, 2009 stating: "If you can't claim at least $5.00 per hour on your tips, then you need to clock out and go home or find another job".

This simple fact meaning by federal U.S.A corporation laws, any restaurant server must make and claim beyond the minimum wage at this present time and history of 2009, which includes your $2.13 per hourly pay. This creates a huge problem for restaurant servers, managers and owners, and even customers that are "left in the dark" while trying to place an order or to get better service even at a buffet restaurant.

Originally, the U.S.A. government NEVER anticipated these problems whenever they voted on this increase of minimum wage pay increase for daily workers throughout the U.S.A. "Whom would ever thought that the economy would be this bad in the year 2009?" After a (3) three year increase of minimum wage pay beginning in 2006. Unfortunately, restaurant servers making $2.13 per hour will most likely NEVER see an hourly increase in pay until the nationwide economy gets better.