Past The Tipping Point: Lee Schalk in The Washington Times
As more Americans feel pressured to keep up with pandemic tipping practices, fast food prices have outpaced wage growth.
Lee Schalk, ALEC Vice President of Policy, was quoted in a Washington Times article on the impact of inflation on restaurants and the pandemic-era surge in tipping for fast food and casual dining.
While fast food was once cheap fare of poor Americans, it has become a luxury for that demographic as pressure mounts on small businesses to raise prices.
Last week, a survey from PublicSquare and Idaho-based jobs board RedBalloon found that 75% of small business owners reported their supplier prices had increased over the past 30 days.
Inflation has left restaurant owners with no good alternatives, said Lee Schalk, vice president for policy at the American Legislative Exchange Council, a network of conservative private investors and state legislators.
“They can raise menu prices, slash payroll or close their doors,” Mr. Schalk said.