It’s a Saturday afternoon at McDonald’s, and people stand, clustered together by the counter, shifting in anticipation as they wait expectantly for their orders — but they don’t realize that the cheap prices and easy convenience of this fast food restaurant mask poor working conditions and low salaries for employees.
People should make an effort to do a little research on fast food restaurants with noticeably or unrealistically cheap fast food, as often a cheaper price means the worker is being paid very little.
While it is true that being able to choose ethical places to eat is a privilege, people should still strive to avoid fast food restaurants with poor working conditions, whenever possible, in order to avoid supporting these practices.
In addition to several health and safety hazards, many well-known fast food restaurants rely on child labor, very long hours and low wages, which is especially problematic considering that many popular fast food restaurants can afford to improve working conditions but instead choose to use money in other ways.
According to The Washington Post, McDonald’s has had 1,981 child labor violations since 2020, while Wendy’s and many other fast food places have had several hundred.
By being aware of the real cost behind the cheap food at many fast food restaurants, people can make an effort to support ethical restaurants instead. Today, people can choose to eat somewhere promoting fair working practices.
