What popular restaurant unable to survive even one day of the new $20.76 minimum wage law?

While no major chain closed instantly, Seattle's Bebop Waffle Shop in West Seattle was a well-known local spot that shut down right as the city's minimum wage hit $20.76/hour in January 2025, with owner Corina Luckenbach citing increased labor costs from the wage hike as a major factor, along with other struggling businesses like Jackson's Catfish Corner.

Why did Bebop Waffle Shop close?

Bebop Waffle Shop closed its doors for good on Monday after a new minimum wage hike made operating costs unsustainable. Corina Luckenbach, the owner of a West Seattle waffle shop, lamented that she had no choice but to close down her business when the city's new minimum wage law went into effect on Jan.

How will the minimum wage increase affect restaurants?

Harvard Study on the Bay Area

A study focusing on California's Bay Area found that each $1 increase in the minimum wage raised the likelihood of a restaurant closing by 4% to 10%. With a $1 wage increase, lower-rated restaurants faced a 14% higher risk of closure, while top-rated establishments were less affected.

What is the minimum wage in Seattle restaurants?

By law, Seattle servers and restaurant staff must now be paid at least minimum wage (currently $20.76/hr). Other workers who typically earn the same include retail clerks, grocery store employees and janitors/cleaning staff, just to name a few.

What is the origin story of Bebop Waffle Shop?

Bebop Waffle Shop is a queer and woman-owned café on the corner of California and Admiral in West Seattle. Corina Luckenbach opened the shop (originally called Admiral Bird Café) with her business partner, Heidi Herr, in 2014.

Popular Restaurant Unable to Survive Even One Day of New $20.76 Minimum Wage Law #trump #seattle

Did Corina Luckenbach close bebop waffle shop due to Seattle's new $20 minimum wage?

Because, just for me, the increase would cost me $32,000 more dollars a year," said Corina Luckenbach. For more than a decade, Luckenbach provided both breakfast and community to the people of the West Seattle neighborhood. On Monday, Luckenbach closed the doors to her restaurant, Bebop Waffle Shop, for good.

Why do British people say waffle?

The term likely derives from the Scots verb waff, meaning "to wave" or "fluctuate," which aligns with the meandering and aimless nature of waffling speech. Another theory suggests that the term emerged from the idea of waffle batter spreading in an irregular, non-linear pattern, much like incoherent talk.

Who still pays $7.25 an hour?

Employers in states that haven't set their own higher minimum wage, or have set it at the federal level, still pay $7.25/hour, including states like Alabama, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Wisconsin, and Wyoming, though few workers actually earn this due to local laws or employer choice, as many states have higher rates and local ordinances often mandate more, notes OnPay. 

Is $20 an hour good in Washington state?

$20 an hour in Washington State is generally decent but often not a robust living wage, especially in high-cost areas like Seattle, where the single adult living wage is much higher (around $26+), but it can be manageable with roommates, careful budgeting, and by avoiding major debts, though it might mean prioritizing expenses over significant savings or luxury. It's well above the federal minimum but struggles to cover costs for families or living alone in expensive cities, varying greatly by location (e.g., higher in Seattle/King County than rural areas) and personal expenses. 

How much does McDonald's pay for minimum wage?

McDonald's minimum wage varies significantly by location because most U.S. restaurants are franchised, but the corporation raised wages at its company-owned stores to $11-$17/hour (entry-level) by 2021, while some states like California mandated $20/hour for fast-food workers by April 2024, influencing overall trends. Expect pay based on local minimums, state laws, and franchisee decisions, with figures often ranging from around $11 to over $20 per hour, depending on the role and place. 

Who benefits the most from minimum wage?

Most of the direct beneficiaries of a new minimum wage are women (57.9%) and minority men (6.3% are black men, 7.3% Hispanic).

Why are fast food workers getting paid $20?

One reason: Higher pay means fast food workers quit less often, reducing turnover and vacancies or “increasing the number of filled jobs.” Lower turnover also raises productivity and lowers costs for recruitment and training.

Why is Barbara Lynch closing all of her restaurants?

Barbara Lynch closing all her restaurants was a multi-stage process in 2024, driven by a combination of post-pandemic financial pressures (high rents, landlord issues, and investment needs), allegations of a toxic workplace, a lawsuit over withheld tips, and personal lifestyle changes, leading to the closure of most locations, with the flagship No. 9 Park and B&G Oysters later following suit at the end of the year. 

What diner is closing after 72 years?

Several diners are closing after long runs, with recent news highlighting Denny's shutting dozens of locations nationwide due to tough economics and competition, alongside local spots like California's Zwieg's Grill, ending decades-long histories, signaling challenges for traditional diners despite their nostalgic appeal, with some attributing closures to high costs, vandalism, and changing consumer habits.
 

Which state has the lowest minimum wage?

There isn't one single state with the absolute lowest minimum wage because many states either lack their own law or set it below the federal rate, defaulting to the $7.25 federal minimum wage for most workers; however, Georgia and Wyoming have the lowest state-level rates ($5.15), while Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Tennessee have no state minimum wage, meaning the federal $7.25 applies.
 

Is 40k a year poverty?

$40k a year isn't universally poverty; it's low-middle class for a single person in the US, but can feel like poverty in high-cost cities or for families, while being comfortable in cheaper areas, heavily depending on location, household size, and lifestyle, as the federal poverty line for a single person is much lower (around $15k) but a family of four needs over $30k just to meet poverty thresholds. 

What is $100,000 a year hourly?

$100,000 a year is approximately $48.08 per hour, calculated by dividing the annual salary by 2,080 working hours (40 hours/week * 52 weeks/year), but it can vary if you work more or fewer hours, such as $38.46/hour for 50 hours/week or $64.10/hour for 30 hours/week. 

What is the lowest paying job in America?

1: Shampooer. The worst-paying job on the list is shampooers. They work in hair salons washing and rinsing customers' hair. Mean hourly wages are $14.07 and mean annual wages are $29,260.

What is the lowest a 16 year old can get paid?

The lowest a 16-year-old can be paid depends on federal, state, and local laws, but under federal law, they can earn $4.25/hour for their first 90 days (the "youth minimum wage"), after which they must get at least the $7.25/hour federal minimum wage; however, their state or city might have a higher rate, which the employer must pay. 

What is waffling in British slang?

It often describes someone who is rambling on about unimportant or nonsensical topics. For example, if someone is making a speech that skirts around the main point without delivering valuable information, you might say they are "waffling".

Are potato waffles British?

Potato waffles are a potato-based savoury dish in a waffle shape. They are common in the United Kingdom and Ireland and are also available in some other countries, including Australia, Canada and United States.

What do the French call waffles?

The French word for waffle is gaufre (pronounced "goh-freh"), but "French waffles" also refer to thin, crispy varieties like galettes (sometimes called gaufrettes or rosettes) and the yeast-leavened gaufre à la flamande, while the popular North American "Belgian waffle" is a type of gaufre.