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Wed Dec 04, 2024 4:40 pm

ALLWAGONS wrote: EverettB wrote: My first thought was if there are increases, how does it compare to areas where the minimum wage wasn't increased?

I think the general complaint is that fast food prices are crazy now EVERYWHERE so prove to me the $4/hr increase did anything abnormal in CA.

It reminds me of the Papa John's thing years ago where he was against providing Health Care benefits for his employees because it would raise the price of a large pizza by 14 cents. 14 cents... LOL. I wonder how much more their pizzas are now. :)

They have closed many locations including my local one,

Without knowing the direct reason, it could be various reasons.

I looked and their stock is basically at a 10 year low so maybe they are trying to cut costs or over-expanded in the 1st place.

Restaurants open and close in my town all the time.
They just fail - it's a tough business, maybe worse now because of various factors.

Wed Dec 04, 2024 5:10 pm

zerotofifty wrote: The inflation in restaurant food dont concern me much, I dont eat there much, but even less so now. The big problem is grocery store inflation, energy inflation, and everything else I buy.

At least with high fast food (junk food) prices, fewer folks will be eating that crap. That will be good for health. have an apple, it keeps the doctor away.

This answer is pretty close to correct.

I travel for a living all over the US. I can only really use two fast food restaurants on a regular basis for my evidence.

And I work in a WIDE range of manufacturing so I think I have a unique view of just what energy costs are doing to the price AND...availability ....AND...timely avalability (which makes a big difference)....of raw materials, chemicals, plastics metals...foods.

So....fuel alone accounts for about 15-18% average of the rise in costs of anything. Let me 'splain that before I go on.....what I mean is that if you see the price of product X is up by $1.00....about 15-18% of that increase of $1 is fuel alone. Thats just in certain products.

In other products where raw materials require petroleum or energy as a main INGREDIENT....I have seen that fuel/energy can be as much as 30% of that cost rise.

Two weeks ago I had to do a 30 minute sketch on just one food item chosen by one of my more liberal friends....to explain why fuel/energy....is such a killer.
Depending on where its grown....you have pumped irrigation = electricity or diesel.
You have fertilizer which is at an all time high and generally requires natural gas or propane for production = oil/gas.
You have harvesting (tractors, combines etc.) = diesel
Or if its hand picking = labor = higher wages.
If its a grain crop in a wet year it requires propane for drying for shipping and silage = propane/natural gas.
It requires processing (grinding, skinning, cooking, baking etc.) = electricity or natiral gas
It requires packaging (plastics, metal, a machine using electricity) = electrical power and oil/natural gas
It requires shipping to your store = diesel fuel
It requires refrigeration at the store = electricity/natural gas or coal

This is not even getting into really...labor....repair parts and maintenance for all of the machines and tools...the chemicals, oils , lubes etc....in the secondary and tertiary rings of production.

Energy is a high cost in the process and aquisition chain.

Then...back to the fact that I travel and I like my MacDonalds sausage mcmuffin about once a week. I like my chick filet about once a week.

Where in live in Oklahoma where the McDonalds and Chick filet wages have been fairly steady (around $13 an hour I think).....the cost of my two sausage mcmuffins and a large coffee have risen from $5.56 in 2021 to $9.30.

The Mcmuffin went from ~$2.28 to ~$3.89. The coffee went from $1.00 any size to $1.27 for a large.

NOW.....this same meal in Long Beach a few months back....about $13.80...IIRC. It was a little less than $14. So yes....wages are maing a difference in the total...but I suspect that taxes are making about half of that increase.

Ray

Wed Dec 04, 2024 6:45 pm

raygreenwood wrote:

Energy is a high cost in the process and aquisition chain.

Bingo

We are an energy driven economy...not just us, but globally energy HAS to be cheap otherwise this is the result.

And the problem is not just 1 energy source got expensive, they all did and here we are.

Food may have gone up some... but if it is costing the grocery store another 10-20k/mo to run those reefers...guess who is paying?

EverettB wrote:

zerotofifty wrote:
At least with high fast food (junk food) prices, fewer folks will be eating that crap. That will be good for health. have an apple, it keeps the doctor away.

not true. sadly "junk" food will always be "cheaper" than "good" food. It's just the way it is

Quote: If you are eating out - Yes.
If you are making your own stuff - No.

I should have been clearer. Dollar for dollar "good" food is more expensive than "bad" food in terms of what you get.

you can get a crate of Ramen for a nickel, but a bag salad is 4.00. So basically, you can get "more" Ramen......which is pretty bad shit on the best of days vs a serving or 2 of salad.

What I'm trying to say is when dollars count, food quality suffers, therefore high prices may stop people from eating out, but they are buying "bad" food for home because the dollar goes further.

Wed Dec 04, 2024 7:01 pm

skills@eurocarsplus wrote: TDCTDI wrote: Tram wrote:
In California in 1970, minimum wage was $1.65. That's worth $13.36 in today's money according to this inflation calculator.
https://www.minneapolisfed.org/about-us/monetary-policy/inflation-calculator
If this were 1970, we'd be talking about an 86c raise to get them to $20 in 2024.

A Big Mac in 1970 cost 65c. Guess what that is in 2004 dollars? Wait for it... $5.26! Guess what a Big Mac actually costs today?

https://www.thecentersquare.com/california/article_c60f4d72-f070-11ee-9326-3f0865779903.html

Exactly! What you see as justification for an increase in minimum wage, effectively proves that the overall market just self corrects through inflation. :roll:

You'll never get him to wrap his head around that. I know he likes to do a lot of virtue signaling

zerotofifty wrote:
At least with high fast food (junk food) prices, fewer folks will be eating that crap. That will be good for health. have an apple, it keeps the doctor away.

not true. sadly "junk" food will always be "cheaper" than "good" food. It's just the way it is

No signaling at all. Simple statistical fact.

Wed Dec 04, 2024 7:08 pm

skills@eurocarsplus wrote: raygreenwood wrote:

Energy is a high cost in the process and aquisition chain.

Bingo

We are an energy driven economy...not just us, but globally energy HAS to be cheap otherwise this is the result.

And the problem is not just 1 energy source got expensive, they all did and here we are.

Food may have gone up some... but if it is costing the grocery store another 10-20k/mo to run those reefers...guess who is paying?

EverettB wrote:

zerotofifty wrote:
At least with high fast food (junk food) prices, fewer folks will be eating that crap. That will be good for health. have an apple, it keeps the doctor away.

not true. sadly "junk" food will always be "cheaper" than "good" food. It's just the way it is

Quote: If you are eating out - Yes.
If you are making your own stuff - No.

I should have been clearer. Dollar for dollar "good" food is more expensive than "bad" food in terms of what you get.

you can get a crate of Ramen for a nickel, but a bag salad is 4.00. So basically, you can get "more" Ramen......which is pretty bad shit on the best of days vs a serving or 2 of salad.

What I'm trying to say is when dollars count, food quality suffers, therefore high prices may stop people from eating out, but they are buying "bad" food for home because the dollar goes further.

Bagged salad? You mean the stuff they're recalling for salmonella every other day? I'll take my chances with the Ramen, thanks! I doubt it's killed anyone yet.

But seriously- just get some produce and make a salad. Why pay extra for the privilege of a possible trip to the ER?

Wed Dec 04, 2024 9:41 pm

Tram wrote: skills@eurocarsplus wrote: raygreenwood wrote:

Energy is a high cost in the process and aquisition chain.

Bingo

We are an energy driven economy...not just us, but globally energy HAS to be cheap otherwise this is the result.

And the problem is not just 1 energy source got expensive, they all did and here we are.

Food may have gone up some... but if it is costing the grocery store another 10-20k/mo to run those reefers...guess who is paying?

EverettB wrote:

zerotofifty wrote:
At least with high fast food (junk food) prices, fewer folks will be eating that crap. That will be good for health. have an apple, it keeps the doctor away.

not true. sadly "junk" food will always be "cheaper" than "good" food. It's just the way it is

Quote: If you are eating out - Yes.
If you are making your own stuff - No.

I should have been clearer. Dollar for dollar "good" food is more expensive than "bad" food in terms of what you get.

you can get a crate of Ramen for a nickel, but a bag salad is 4.00. So basically, you can get "more" Ramen......which is pretty bad shit on the best of days vs a serving or 2 of salad.

What I'm trying to say is when dollars count, food quality suffers, therefore high prices may stop people from eating out, but they are buying "bad" food for home because the dollar goes further.

Bagged salad? You mean the stuff they're recalling for salmonella every other day? I'll take my chances with the Ramen, thanks! I doubt it's killed anyone yet.

But seriously- just get some produce and make a salad. Why pay extra for the privilege of a possible trip to the ER?

Mmmmm....no salad for me. I may eat one in a restaurant...but I do not even like veggies on my burgers. Why screw up a good piece of beef with veggies. I can eat a salad on teh side if I must... :lol:

Ray

Wed Dec 04, 2024 10:52 pm

Quit eating garbage fast food

Quit supporting corporate greed.

If you shop at at Walmart and eat fast food you are supporting this nonsense. Stop. Just stop going there

Thu Dec 05, 2024 2:40 pm

skills@eurocarsplus wrote: raygreenwood wrote:

Energy is a high cost in the process and aquisition chain.

Bingo

We are an energy driven economy...not just us, but globally energy HAS to be cheap otherwise this is the result.

And the problem is not just 1 energy source got expensive, they all did and here we are.

Food may have gone up some... but if it is costing the grocery store another 10-20k/mo to run those reefers...guess who is paying?

EverettB wrote:

zerotofifty wrote:
At least with high fast food (junk food) prices, fewer folks will be eating that crap. That will be good for health. have an apple, it keeps the doctor away.

not true. sadly "junk" food will always be "cheaper" than "good" food. It's just the way it is

Quote: If you are eating out - Yes.
If you are making your own stuff - No.

I should have been clearer. Dollar for dollar "good" food is more expensive than "bad" food in terms of what you get.

you can get a crate of Ramen for a nickel, but a bag salad is 4.00. So basically, you can get "more" Ramen......which is pretty bad shit on the best of days vs a serving or 2 of salad.

What I'm trying to say is when dollars count, food quality suffers, therefore high prices may stop people from eating out, but they are buying "bad" food for home because the dollar goes further.

"pretty bad shit on the best days"
lol wtf i thought I was bored until there was a samba thread on ramen reviews

Thu Dec 05, 2024 3:38 pm

iamdonquixote wrote:

"pretty bad shit on the best days"
lol wtf i thought I was bored until there was a samba thread on ramen reviews

yea, go feed it to your kid :roll:

From the web:

ramen can be bad for you because it's high in sodium, saturated fat, and processed ingredients, and low in nutritional value

it's pretty much a known fact it's not really good for you, especially in large doses. But, I'm sure you and the family live a soy based lifestyle so this shouldn't concern you

Thu Dec 05, 2024 4:25 pm

skills@eurocarsplus wrote: iamdonquixote wrote:

"pretty bad shit on the best days"
lol wtf i thought I was bored until there was a samba thread on ramen reviews

yea, go feed it to your kid :roll:

From the web:

ramen can be bad for you because it's high in sodium, saturated fat, and processed ingredients, and low in nutritional value

it's pretty much a known fact it's not really good for you, especially in large doses. But, I'm sure you and the family live a soy based lifestyle so this shouldn't concern you

I don't believe I have ever brought anyones family or personal info in to any of my posts or responses.
Everybody knows packaged ramen isn't good for you

Thu Dec 05, 2024 5:26 pm

iamdonquixote wrote: skills@eurocarsplus wrote: iamdonquixote wrote:

"pretty bad shit on the best days"
lol wtf i thought I was bored until there was a samba thread on ramen reviews

yea, go feed it to your kid :roll:

From the web:

ramen can be bad for you because it's high in sodium, saturated fat, and processed ingredients, and low in nutritional value

it's pretty much a known fact it's not really good for you, especially in large doses. But, I'm sure you and the family live a soy based lifestyle so this shouldn't concern you

I don't believe I have ever brought anyones family or personal info in to any of my posts or responses.
Everybody knows packaged ramen isn't good for you

The NOODLES....in packaged Ramen are not any better or worse than pasta.....or fresh Ramen from a Ramen house. It's just dried noodles....and there is no "soy" in the noodles.

The noodles are made from flour, kansui (a mixture of sodium carbonate and potassium carbonate in water to adjust background PH which affects hardness or softness of noodles) and salt. That's it.

Regular pasta is made from flour, eggs, water, salt and sometimes milk.

Other than a little more salt in ramen noodles....pasta is actually as bad or worse for you.

Now....if you are stupid enough to pour in that little foil packet of death.... :lol: ....now your talking some bad stuff. I throw those packets away and just add chicken stock and meat or veggies.

Ray

Thu Dec 05, 2024 6:05 pm

iamdonquixote wrote:

I don't believe I have ever brought anyones family or personal info in to any of my posts or responses.
Everybody knows packaged ramen isn't good for you

What "personal info"? I assume you have a family, could be wrong.

ok, let me re-word it as I have seemed to offend you

*clears throat*

go feed it to your neighbors kid then :roll:

it's pretty much a known fact it's not really good for you, especially in large doses. But, I'm sure you and your circle of friends live a soy based lifestyle so this shouldn't concern you

Is that better?

Thu Dec 05, 2024 8:37 pm

raygreenwood wrote:

Now....if you are stupid enough to pour in that little foil packet of death.... :lol: ....now your talking some bad stuff. I throw those packets away and just add chicken stock and meat or veggies.

Ray

Wow, this brings back a memory!
FIrst time I ate Ramen was in '75, in Malaysia. Came with broth, half a hard boiled egg, spinach and a bit of chicken. Chopsticks and you slurped the broth out of the bowl.
Moved back to the US a year later, Ramen nowhere to be found in our Jersey suburb.
Best Xmas gift one year was from an uncle returning from duty in Japan who brought me a few bricks of Ramen. Id never seen the foil packet until then. I tasted it by dabbing a bit on a damp finger and licking it off, and went straight for some chicken brothers to boil the noodles in. Foil package into the trash.
I can add msg and salt on my own, thanks.

Thu Dec 05, 2024 8:41 pm

my59 wrote: raygreenwood wrote:

Now....if you are stupid enough to pour in that little foil packet of death.... :lol: ....now your talking some bad stuff. I throw those packets away and just add chicken stock and meat or veggies.

Ray

Wow, this brings back a memory!
FIrst time I ate Ramen was in '75, in Malaysia. Came with broth, half a hard boiled egg, spinach and a bit of chicken. Chopsticks and you slurped the broth out of the bowl.
Moved back to the US a year later, Ramen nowhere to be found in our Jersey suburb.
Best Xmas gift one year was from an uncle returning from duty in Japan who brought me a few bricks of Ramen. Id never seen the foil packet until then. I tasted it by dabbing a bit on a damp finger and licking it off, and went straight for some chicken brothers to boil the noodles in. Foil package into the trash.
I can add msg and salt on my own, thanks.

Also....there is cheap "brick" ramen...and there is not cheap brick ramen. The foil packs are still death-like.....but there are some much better noodles in packs from Asia. Ray

Thu Dec 05, 2024 9:38 pm

I ate noodles, to my hearts content in China.

Thu Dec 05, 2024 9:51 pm

When I food shop, I buy the sale items, rare to have a plan to buy a certain thing for dinner until I see what is on sale. Steak on sale, I will get that, chicken on sale I get that. eggs on sale, I get them grapes on sale I get that, peaches o sale I get that. I shop looking for the sale items. If it aint on sale, forget it. I stock up on sale items too, non perishable things or if meat I freeze it.
I avoid the processed junk, the cookies, the rolls, the sodas, the crackers, etc... Them things cost a lot, and usually aint good for health.

If I want a snack my go to is popcorn, I buy the raw kernels, and cook on the stove top, not expensive, no chemical laced microwave popcorn for me.

Been doing this for decades, saving tens of thousands of bucks, and eating well too. I learnt this from my folks, and did it as I worked my way through collage, paying my own way. because of this life style, I always have enough money. Live below your means, waste nothing. Heck I never will buy a new car either, waste of money.

Fri Dec 06, 2024 7:17 am

zerotofifty wrote: Live below your means, waste nothing. Heck I never will buy a new car either, waste of money.

Bingo !!!

I worked 4 decades in industry, never have had a brand-new vehicle, have two homes and 6 vehicles (only 2 VWs).

I do almost all of my home and vehicle repairs and maintenance myself, I keep learning.

Fri Dec 06, 2024 12:25 pm

my59 wrote: raygreenwood wrote:

Now....if you are stupid enough to pour in that little foil packet of death.... :lol: ....now your talking some bad stuff. I throw those packets away and just add chicken stock and meat or veggies.

Ray

Wow, this brings back a memory!
FIrst time I ate Ramen was in '75, in Malaysia. Came with broth, half a hard boiled egg, spinach and a bit of chicken. Chopsticks and you slurped the broth out of the bowl.
Moved back to the US a year later, Ramen nowhere to be found in our Jersey suburb.
Best Xmas gift one year was from an uncle returning from duty in Japan who brought me a few bricks of Ramen. Id never seen the foil packet until then. I tasted it by dabbing a bit on a damp finger and licking it off, and went straight for some chicken brothers to boil the noodles in. Foil package into the trash.
I can add msg and salt on my own, thanks.

I survived on cheap Ramen and peanut butter & jam sandwiches for about 10 years straight through University, travelling, and the first few years of working..... and I'm mostly normal....I think, except for the VW dependency habit thing.

As others have said, throw out the silver flavour packets or buy just the noodles and make it yourself. Ramen can be healthy if you add vegetables, nori, meat or seafood and season it yourself.

My favourite is Miso Ramen and the best Ramen I've ever had is at a small shop that has been around for over 50 years called Kokuya located in the underground, under Fujisawa Station in Kanagawa Japan. We go back every time we are there.

This was pretty good too. Now I'm hungry!

Fri Dec 06, 2024 1:08 pm

I read the list of ingredients on manchurian raman and it aint looking too good.

besides wheat....canola, palm, and cotton seed oils, TBHQ (what ever the heck that is) potasium carbonate, soy beans, maltodextrin, sodium hexmetaphosphate, sodium tripolyphosphate, monosodium phosphate. and that is only the noodles!

It also states that one 3 oz pack contains 70% of the daily dose of sodium.

Be afraid, very afraid of the stuff in junk food.

Plus it has a warning for children under 15 that it is hot and should only be eaten at a table under adult supervision!!!
Good golly are 14 year olds these days that helpless?

At least when we die, if we consume this garbage, our bodies wont decay in the coffin, preserved better than Egyptian Pharaohs.

Fri Dec 06, 2024 1:15 pm

zerotofifty wrote:
Plus it has a warning for children under 15 that it is hot and should only be eaten at a table under adult supervision!!!
Good golly are 14 year olds these days that helpless?

and curling irons have a warning that says "for external use only"

let that sink in....

people are just not that bright anymore, and getting worse by the day