Just went to the local chicken shack to get a 4 piece tender meal, drink, and fries. It cost $9.99; nearly 11 bucks with tax.

25 years ago, I worked at the feed store in the same town and that same meal was $3.99; but with tax it cost $4.32. I made minimum wage at $4.25 an hour then at the feed store in high school. Basically, one hour of labor would pay for a lunch back then. That's not the case now; one hours pay won't even buy you a meal at the local chicken shack; instead it takes almost 2 hours of labor......What happened?

Just went to the local chicken shack to get a 4 piece tender meal, drink, and fries. It cost $9.99; nearly 11 bucks with tax.

25 years ago, I worked at the feed store in the same town and that same meal was $3.99; but with tax it cost $4.32. I made minimum wage at $4.25 an hour then at the feed store in high school. Basically, one hour of labor would pay for a lunch back then. That's not the case now; one hours pay won't even buy you a meal at the local chicken shack; instead it takes almost 2 hours of labor......What happened?

So you are saying the same meal is actually cheaper now. It's now only about 2xs the cost of 25 years ago; wages (even minimum) are much more than 25 years ago.

Around where I am now, no one pays minimum wage; everyone pays more, between $18 and $20 per hour minimum. My friend's son works at the concession counter at a local movie theater and is making $20 an hour.

Minimum wage here is $12.56 /hour. So could have super sized the chicken lunch!