I know I've pretty much stopped going to certain fast food outlets as they've simply become too expensive. In this area, at least, there are 3 or 4 which still send out monthly coupons and I tend to take advantage of that.
The problem is, even with the coupons, it's getting too expensive to indulge. A 'regular' restaurant as an alternative? Only rarely. I can still get 2 Whoppers, 2 Fries, and 2 drinks at Burger King for under $16, while a burger, fries, and a taco salad at a local establishment runs around $30. More food, but almost twice the cost.
While Taco Bell used to be a 'cheap' alternative vs. Chipotle or another locally owned burrito place, now, however, the amount of food vs. the price is quite noticeable.
I haven't tried the pizza alternatives for quite awhile due to the fact that the price of pizza went to the ridiculous a long time ago.
Even with the increase in grocery prices, I can still put together a decent meal, often with leftovers, for considerably less.
This is the 'squeeze' the $20/hr. law has put these places in. Charge more to cover the increased labor costs, you tend to lose customers. Accept a lower profit margin and you run the risk of not having 'enough' to hire/grow or make necessary repairs while still making what you consider a living worth the time and effort it takes when you own such an operation.
Eating out, whether at a fast food outlet or a sit-down restaurant, is still a 'luxury.' During inflationary periods, luxury purchases are usually the first thing to go for most people. For those who can still afford it (and they are the ones often creating such inflation), it ensures the 'right kind of people' are the only ones going out to eat -
And, if you have the 'right people,' you don't even need a mask when you mandate that everyone else is required to wear one.
