Even when you make good tips that doesn't come out of their pocket so they're still saving on payroll. It's no different from Walmart having employees on food stamps. They could argue that when you factor in the food stamps their employees actually make a living wage but the point is they aren't the ones paying it.
And for all the memes about big evil corporations vs mom and pop start ups... I see Walmarts and McDonalds around here starting people at $12-15 an hour while mom and pop corner stores pay $8-9. Meanwhile the owners of those same stores go to Walmart or Costco or Sam's club to buy the products they stock their shelves with! If not then they use corporate vendors like Coke and Pepsi. And then you pay twice as much for it in their store as you would in Walmart while patting yourself on the back for "supporting local business." A sucker is born every day.
As for my sister, she's been managing this particular line of fast food for years and before that she worked as a regular employee at the same company. She understands their business model better than she understands how to open a sole proprietor restaurant, plus she doesn't have the capitol to start one. Most new businesses operate in the red for at least the first 2 years.
That being said becoming a franchise operator isn't easy either. The application process alone has taken over a year already with multiple interviews, a credit check, etc. Most people who apply don't make it to where she is at in the process and even still it's not a sure thing. Plus you have to be able to put up $20k just to apply (I think you get it back if you don't get accepted) and you need a bachelor's degree which she incurred a good $30k in debt getting.
So I have no sympathy for your boy scout moralizing, Bat. You gotta break a few eggs to make an omelet.
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