Burger King Founder Says Higher Wages Could Kill Off ‘Dollar Menus’
By Matthew Lyle • April 17, 2015
Burger King co-founder David Edgerton says fast food workers pushing for higher wages could spell the end of the “dollar menu,” and usher in an era of higher-quality, more expensive convenience restaurants.
The push for higher wages will be reflected in menus, Edgerton said. A few companies will stick to making “a small cheap hamburger,” he said, but most fast food chains will experience “a slow and gradual” shift toward pricier menu options.
Edgerton believes fast food workers will see increased wages as a result of their demonstrations, but he doesn’t think they’ll achieve the $15-an-hour rate they’re asking for. “They’re not really going to get $15, but they’ll set [the goal] high enough that there won’t be any doubt about $13 or $12,” Edgerton said. “That’s a wild figure, whoever got that thing going.”