Fast Food Minimum Wage In California To Be $20/Hour Thanks To Newly Passed Bill

Minimum wage in the early 90s was as low as $3.80. Now, fast food workers will be making as much as $20 an hour starting next year. We know what you’re thinking, where do we sign up?

Well, to get that $20 per hour paycheck, you’ll have to migrate to California, where there are over 30,000 quick service establishments. Famously known for fast food chains like In-N-Out, Carl’s Jr., Jack In The Box and more, California is the number one state in the United States with the most amount of fast food locations.

In fact, nearly half a million people in California work for a fast food chain, and that’s the highest amount of fast food employees in any state. So, how did California get to a minimum wage of $20?

The pay hike is part of deal between the restaurant industry and labor groups over controversial legislation in California. The battle will also be evaluated fairly among a nine-person council that will decide on future wage hikes for the fast-food industry in California through 2029. 

If approved, Assembly Bill 1228 would increase minimum wage to $20 per hour for workers at restaurants in the state that have at least 60 locations nationwide. The only exception applies to restaurants that make and sell their own bread, such as Panera Bread.

The biggest question is, does this mean prices will increase on the menu? Probably best to cater a little extra for your burrito at Chipotle because restaurant companies that don’t franchise will have to foot the bill for increased labor costs themselves.