Word on the street is the McDonald’s franchise store nearest to my home is inexplicably closing permanently. Quite a rapid turn, too. Today - June 23rd, the year of our lord 2024 - is the final day of operation after many decades in business. The cynical part of me thinks the workers there were equally as surprised as the general public. That is a sucky situation indeed to suddenly be out of work - and the financial security that comes with it - just like that.
I can still remember going to the Stonestown McDonald’s as a high school student. Back when a few dollars can get you quite a bit of food. These days? You’d need three of those dollars to buy just the apple pie. As much as it is lamentable to see the restaurant close down, I have to be honest: I’ve stopped patronizing that McDonald’s ever since food prices started inflating like crazy. If I’m going to spend $12 to $15 for a burger/sandwich meal, I rather go to an In-N-Out, or the Shake Shack that recently opened at the same mall.
But it seems I’m amongst the minority of price sensitive restaurant goers. The Stonestown McDonald’s remains busy, at least it looks like so every time I walk past it. If revenue isn’t the issue, then perhaps it’s the newly instated California fast-food workers minimum wage law? One month of this increase in payroll cost and the franchisee is already crying uncle? As much as it's en vogue to besmirch owners as evil, profit-hoarding fat cats, I think often times the math simply isn’t math-ing. It’s not like restaurants aren’t already infamous for ultra low margins and frequent failure.
According to this article, the owner also points finger at the Stonestown mall for the store’s demise. To put it most succinctly: the rent is too damn high. This I can definitely believe. McDonald’s would not be the first food establishment to be chased out of Stonestown due to exorbitant rent.
Not this one, though.