Fast food is a staple of American culture, but some of its workers struggle to survive

kAm%96 cc\J62C\@=5 D:?8=6 >@> @7 E9C66 H@C<D g_\9@FC H66<D E@ AC@G:56 7@C 96C 49:=5C6?[ 286D g[ `c 2?5 `g] sFC:?8 E96 52J[ D96 :D 2 5C:G6C 7@C !:KK2 wFE[ H96C6 D96 62C?D Sh]d_ 2? 9@FC 367@C6 E:AD] pE ?:89E[ D96 4=62?D EC2:?D 7@C w@FDE@?’D |6EC@ DJDE6>[ H96C6 D96 62C?D 23@FE S`f 2? 9@FC]k^Am

kAm%96 E:>6D E92E D96 AF==D 3@E9 D9:7ED[ *6=56== D=66AD 7@C ;FDE EH@ E@ E9C66 9@FCD 367@C6 86EE:?8 96C <:5D FA 2?5 C625J 7@C D49@@=] %96? D96 5@6D :E 2== @G6C 282:?]k^Am

kAm*6=56== :D 2>@?8 E96 >:==:@?D @7 72DE 7@@5 H@C<6CD 24C@DD E96 &]$] D4C2A:?8 E@ 86E 3J] p3@FE EH@\E9:C5D @7 E96> 2C6 H@>6?[ 244@C5:?8 E@ E96 &]$] qFC62F @7 {23@C $E2E:DE:4D[ 2?5 >2?J 2C6 DFAA@CE:?8 E96:C 72>:=:6D @? >:?:>F> H286D D6E 2E E96 7656C2= 8@G6C?>6?E’D 7=@@C @7 Sf]ad 2? 9@FC] u2DE 7@@5 H@C<6CD 2C6 5:DAC@A@CE:@?2E6=J w:DA2?:4[ >2<:?8 FA ac]eT @7 E96 :?5FDECJ’D H@C<7@C46 4@>A2C65 H:E9 `g]gT @7 E96 @G6C2== H@C<7@C46] p?5 >@C6 E92? 92=7 @7 2== &]$] 72DE 7@@5 H@C<6CD 2C6 a_ @C @=56C]k^Am

kAm!C6D:56?E s@?2=5 %CF>A[ H9@ H@C<65 2E 2 7CJ DE2E:@? 2E 2 |4s@?2=5’D :? !6??DJ=G2?:2 H9:=6 @? E96 42>A2:8? EC2:= =2DE J62C[ 24<?@H=65865 E92E E96 7656C2= >:?:>F> H286 :D “G6CJ =@H” 2?5 96 H@F=5 4@?D:56C C2:D:?8 :E[ 3FE E92E 5@:?8 D@ H@F=5 36 “4@>A=:42E65]”k^Am

kAm|62?H9:=6[ 2 8C@H:?8 ?F>36C @7 DE2E6D 92G6 AFD965 E@ :?4C62D6 E96:C >:?:>F> H286 :? E96 7246 @7 C64@C5\9:89 :?7=2E:@? :? C646?E J62CD] u@C 6I2>A=6[ r2=:7@C?:2 — H9:49 92D @?6 @7 E96 9:896DE 4@DED @7 =:G:?8 :? E96 4@F?ECJ — :? pAC:= C2:D65 H286D 7@C 72DE 7@@5 H@C<6CD DA64:7:42==J[ E@ Sa_ 2? 9@FC 7C@> S`e 2? 9@FC] qJ E96 6?5 @7 E9:D J62C[ ab DE2E6D 2?5 ed 4:E:6D 2?5 4@F?E:6D H:== C2:D6 E96:C >:?:>F> H286 7=@@CD[ 244@C5:?8 E@ 2 s646>36C a_ac }2E:@?2= t>A=@J>6?E {2H !C@;64E C6A@CE E92E 4@>365 E9C@F89 =68:D=2E:@? 24C@DD E96 4@F?ECJ]k^Am

kAmqFE ?@E %6I2D[ H96C6 *6=56== 2?5 96C 72>:=J =:G6] xE :D @?6 @7 a_ DE2E6D 2E E96 Sf]ad 7656C2= >:?:>F> H286 7=@@C[ 2?5 E92E C2E6 92D?’E 3F5865 D:?46 a__h] s6>@4C2E:4 =2H>2<6CD :? %6I2D 92G6 C6A62E65=J AC@A@D65 =68:D=2E:@? E@ C2:D6 E96 >:?:>F> H286 :? E96 DE2E6 E@ ?@ 2G2:=] !C66>AE:@? =2HD[ H9:49 6I:DE :? %6I2D 2?5 >2?J @E96C DE2E6D[ 3=@4< 4:E:6D 2?5 4@F?E:6D 7C@> 25@AE:?8 E96:C @H? >:?:>F> H286 =2HD[ AC6D6?E:?8 2?@E96C 32CC:6C]k^Am

kAm%@52J[ 2 =:G:?8 H286 7@C @?6 25F=E C2:D:?8 E9C66 49:=5C6? :? E96 w@FDE@? >6EC@ 2C62 :D Sdf]ed 2? 9@FC[ 244@C5:?8 E@ |x%’D k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^=:G:?8H286]>:E]65F^Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qm{:G:?8 (286 r2=4F=2E@Ck^2m] u@C *6=56==[ :E’D ?@E A@DD:3=6 E@ 86E 3J @? 96C 72DE 7@@5 ;@3 2=@?6[ H9:49 :D H9J D96 >FDE H@C< 2 D64@?5 ;@3]k^Am

kAm$E:== H62C:?8 96C G:D@C 2?5 8C2J “}@ ~?6 ~FE !:KK2D %96 wFE” D9:CE[ D96 D=F>AD D:56H2JD 27E6C 2 C646?E H@C< D9:7E] $96 E2<6D 2 >@>6?E E@ C6DE 367@C6 492?8:?8 :?E@ {@@?6J %F?6D DH62EA2?ED 2?5 2 J6==@H %\D9:CE[ D4@@A:?8 72;:E2D @?E@ A=2E6D 7@C E96 <:5D’ 5:??6C 2?5 A24<:?8 FA E96 =67E@G6CD]k^Am

kAm“x 5@?’E H2?E E@ H@C< EH@ ;@3D — x’> C62==J E:C65] qFE x 92G6 E@[ 3642FD6 E96 ;@3D 5@?’E A2J 6?@F89[” *6=56== D2:5] “x H@F=5 ?@E 36 23=6 E@ AC@G:56 2 C@@7 @G6C >J <:5D’ 9625]”k^Am

kAm%96 pDD@4:2E65 !C6DD C624965 @FE E@ !:KK2 wFE[ 2D H6== 2D :ED A2C6?E 4@>A2?J[ *F> qC2?5D[ 7@C 4@>>6?E @? H286D 7@C 72DE 7@@5 H@C<6CD 3FE 5:5 ?@E 86E 2 C6DA@?D6]k^Am

kAm(286D 2C6 ;FDE @?6 @7 >2?J :DDF6D 72DE 7@@5 H@C<6CD 7246] &?AC65:4E23=6 9@FCD[ =:>:E65 2446DD E@ A2:5 D:4< =62G6 2?5 492==6?8:?8 4FDE@>6C :?E6C24E:@?D 2== D92A6 E96:C 6IA6C:6?46D[ D2:5 s2?:6= $49?6:56C[ 4@\5:C64E@C 2?5 4@\7@F?56C @7 E96 $9:7E !C@;64E[ 2 ;@:?E w2CG2C5 2?5 &?:G6CD:EJ @7 r2=:7@C?:2[ $2? uC2?4:D4@ AC@;64E C6D62C49:?8 E96 4@?5:E:@?D @7 D6CG:46 D64E@C H@C<]k^Am

kAm(286 E967E 2?5 @E96C =2H G:@=2E:@?D 2C6 2=D@ 4@>>@? :? E96 :?5FDECJ[ 25565 =23@C D49@=2C s2G:5 |25=2?5[ 2 D6?:@C 76==@H 2E E96 r6?E6C 7@C p>6C:42? !C@8C6DD]k^Am

kAm“%96 72DE 7@@5 :?5FDECJ :D ?@E@C:@FD 7@C =@H A2J 2?5 A@@C H@C<:?8 4@?5:E:@?D[” |25=2?5 D2:5] “xE’D D66? 2D 2=>@DE E96 D@CE @7 EJA:42= E9C@H2H2J ;@3 E92E A@=:4J 92D 42C65 G6CJ =:EE=6 23@FE]”k^Am

kAm*6=56==’D !:KK2 wFE 56=:G6C:6D D@>6E:>6D 8@ F?E:= `` A]>] $96 42CC:6D 2 <?:76 :? 96C A@4<6E[ 2D H6== 2D 2 7=2D9=:89E[ E@ <66A 96C D276]k^Am

kAms6DA:E6 E96 492==6?86D[ *6=56== >2:?E2:?D 2 A@D:E:G6 @FE=@@< 23@FE 96C ;@3[ H9:49 D96 DE2CE65 23@FE 2 J62C 2?5 2 92=7 28@ 2D 2 56=:G6CJ 5C:G6C 2?5 92D D:?46 =62C?65 E@ 5@ “AC6EEJ >F49 6G6CJE9:?8” 2E 96C uC6D?@[ %6I2D[ DE@C6]k^Am

kAm“!:KK2 wFE :D 2 C62==J 62DJ ;@3 2?5 E96 ;@3 :D @?=J 92C5 :7 J@F >2<6 :E 92C5[” D96 D2:5] “p?5 x’> 2 72DE =62C?6C[ D@ :E 5@6D?’E 3@E96C >6]Qk^Am

kAmr@?EC2DE %6I2D E@ r2=:7@C?:2[ H9:49 ?@H 92D E96 9:896DE 72DE 7@@5 >:?:>F> H286 @7 2?J DE2E6 D:?46 =2H>2<6CD A2DD65 2 >:?:>F> Sa_ 9@FC=J H286 7@C E9@D6 H@C<6CD]k^Am

kAmp?86=:42 w6C?2?56K[ d`[ H9@ 92D H@C<65 2E G2C:@FD |4s@?2=5’D C6DE2FC2?ED 7@C a_ J62CD[ 2?5 ?@H H@C<D 7@C 2 |@?E6C6J !2C< =@42E:@? :? {@D p?86=6D r@F?EJ[ D2:5 E96 C2:D6 96=A65 96C A2J C6?E 2?5 3:==D @? E:>6[ 2G@:5 =2E6 766D 2?5 3FJ “2 3:E >@C6” 2E E96 8C@46CJ DE@C6] qFE >F49 @7 E96 :?4C62D6 H2D DH2==@H65 3J 2 C646?E Sa__ C6?E :?4C62D6]k^Am

kAm“(6 ?665 2 =:EE=6 >@C6 E@ 36 23=6 E@ D2G6 >@?6J 2?5 3FJ 4=@E96D H:E9@FE 36:?8 E:89E 6G6CJ EH@ H66<D @C 92G6 E@ FD6 4C65:E[” D96 D2:5]k^Am

kAmrC:E:4D @7 E96 ?6H =2H D2J 4@?E:?F:?8 E@ :?4C62D6 E96 >:?:>F> H286 :D ?@E E96 2?DH6C[ 2C8F:?8 E92E :E 92D C2:D65 AC:46D 2?5 C65F465 ;@3 @AA@CEF?:E:6D 7@C J@F?8 A6@A=6[ A:?49:?8 7C2?49:D66D :? 2? :?5FDECJ H:E9 2=C625J D=:> >2C8:?D]k^Am

kAm“(96? J@F D66 2 DA:<6 :? @A6C2E:?8 4@DED AC6EEJ 5C2>2E:42==J :? 2 D9@CE A6C:@5 @7 E:>6[ :E 4C62E6D 492==6?86D[” D2:5 y@E r@?5:6[ AC6D:56?E 2?5 rt~ @7 E96 r2=:7@C?:2 #6DE2FC2?E pDD@4:2E:@?[ H9:49 @AA@D65 E96 =2H] w6 25565 E92E 7C2?49:D66D[ H9@ 2C6 6DD6?E:2==J D>2== 3FD:?6DD @H?6CD[ 2C6 >@DE 92C>65]k^Am

kAmqFE 2 $6AE6>36C C6A@CE 7C@> &?:G6CD:EJ @7 r2=:7@C?:2[ q6C<6=6J’D x?DE:EFE6 7@C #6D62C49 @? {23@C 2?5 t>A=@J>6?E 42==65 E96 67764ED @7 E96 9:896C H286D “36?:8?[” 2?5 7@F?5 E92E E96 A@=:4J 5:5 ?@E 27764E 6>A=@J>6?E 25G6CD6=J 2?5 :?4C62D65 AC:46D 23@FE b]fT[ @C 23@FE `d 46?ED @? 2 Sc 92>3FC86C]k^Am

kAmu@C *6=56==[ :?4C62D:?8 E96 >:?:>F> H286 :? %6I2D “H@F=5 36 >@C6 72:C]”k^Am

kAm”x7 @E96C DE2E6D 4@F=5 492?86[ J’2== 42? 492?86[ E@@[” D96 D2:5]k^Am