Newsom's Minimum Wage Hike Cost California Thousands of Fast Food Jobs, Sent Prices Soaring

When California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a law in 2023 that increased the state's minimum wage for fast food workers to $20 per hour, he pledged that they would enjoy a "stronger voice and seat at the table." But the California fast food industry has lost more than 19,000 jobs since the law went into effect on April 1, 2024, according to a recent analysis by the Employment Policies Institute. Since Newsom signed the law in September 2023, California has been responsible for more than a quarter of America's fast food job losses.