this post was submitted on 27 Feb 2024
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A Boring Dystopia
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I cannot fathom how no one else sees this. They're trading low-value customers for high-value customers. Sometimes this makes sense. I did it when I had a little PC repair business. Low-value customers were a PITA and didn't make me any money, not worth my time.
But maybe they're smarter than you and I? Lemmy tells me cheap fast food is a right, as if there's no other choice. If that's how people are thinking and acting, instead of shying away from fast food prices? Fuck 'em. Let them pay.
PC repair is a low volume, high touch, high skill business. If you set aside a single $100 customer for a $500 one, it can work since both exist.
Hamburgers of the Wendy's grade are a volume and convenience game. For every thousand $4 customers, can they replace them with 667 $6 customers?
I've noticed an interesting phenomenon in the last couple years. The cheapest options and biggest chains ramped their prices much faster than the places a notch or two better. The gap has closed enough that suddenly those "notch or two better" places are more competitive than before-- if it will be $50 instead of $30 to take the family to Wendy's, why not stretch to $65 for get Five Guys or a local place instead.
What the fuck do you think you're going to get for 4 bucks that will be anything close to a decent meal at Wendy's?
Or I could just eat at a proper restaurant.
I hate to tell you this, but...
People are even less price sensitive at restaurants. They've been doing this longer than fast food has.
Last week I spent $21 on two California rolls and a miso soup. I felt scammed and won't go back there.
I spent half an hour today searching my area for good lunch specials. Ended up getting a cup of soup and a scoop of chicken salad for $12.
I'll have to travel about 20 minutes to another side of the city to try some lunch specials at a Chinese place and see if that's any better.
This situation IS getting ridiculous enough that someone can come along with an actual good deal and make money on volume again. But in this decade that's a radical, risky business plan.
Sushi is expensive in general. I can't really comment on soup and chicken salad since I'm not much of a fan of either. I usually go for Chinese or Thai for the best deals. When fast food is charging $6 just for a burger, I'd rather pay $10 for Pad Thai. Yes it's more expensive, but the value is much better.
I think we need to seperate the ability for a corporation to make decisions of its own free will from the notion of fairness and equity for a society which allowed a franchise like Wendy's to be created. They're giving many of their supporters the middle finger after thinking they found a winning lottery ticket.
I can understand being pissed off about it as someone who isn't rich, but I also understand it's a system I have no control over other than what I choose to buy myself. I won't support Wendys if they want to choose profits over people. It's sad to see more of the world turn into a heartless corporate hellhole.
I personally hope they got their numbers wrong and they fail.
Do you really think the world is ready for a luxury fast food chain?
Shit I remember when Wendy's had the best dollar menu of all the chains...