California’s $20 Wage DISASTER — McDonald’s Closes After 30 Years

A McDonald's that served San Francisco for 30 years just closed forever. Scott Rodrik's heartbreaking note said "the economics just don't work anymore." This isn't an isolated story—it's the devastating result of California's $20/hour fast food minimum wage law.
Assembly Bill 1228 was supposed to help workers. Instead, it triggered an economic disaster that destroyed the very jobs it promised to protect. Between 10,000-23,000 fast food positions vanished in 18 months, according to multiple studies.
What this investigation reveals:
• Pizza Hut fired 1,200 delivery drivers before the law even started
• Rubio's closed 48 locations in a single day, filed bankruptcy twice in 4 years
• 89% of remaining workers had their hours severely cut
• Monica Navaro: "Workers would rather stay at $16 than $0"
• McDonald's menu prices doubled since 2014
• Franchise owners now count ketchup packets to survive
The human cost is staggering. Edgar Ramos at Wing Stop went from $17.25 to $20/hour but now only gets 20 hours per week instead of full-time. Foster's Freeze workers thought the April 1st closure was an April Fool's joke.
California restaurant prices jumped 14.5% vs 8.2% nationally. Customers making under $45,000 stopped eating at McDonald's entirely. The law that promised to lift workers up ended up pricing them out of both jobs and meals.
This is what happens when good intentions meet economic reality—and working families pay the price.
Sources and employment data referenced in comments.