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Guy Whitey Corngood

(26,501 posts)
Tue Sep 10, 2013, 05:41 PM Sep 2013

Radical Fast Food Joint Doubles Down on High Wages


In August, I spoke with the owners of Moo Cluck Moo, a Detroit-area burger and chicken fast-food joint that is aiming to do something revolutionary: pay far more than the minimum wage. In an industry that treats labor as a commodity, co-owners Brian Parker and Harry Moorhouse decided to turn the conventional wisdom on its head. They’d start workers at $12 an hour, and design their business so that it could run profitably at those wages. Rather than take advantage of the epic slack in the Detroit-area labor market, they’d aim to set a slightly higher standard.


In exchange for paying higher wages, Moo Cluck Moo’s owners got better service, more skilled and committed employees, and a lot of free publicity. After our article, Moo Cluck Moo was featured on outlets like Huffington Post and MSNBC. Meanwhile, executives at other chains were crouched in a defensive pose as workers walked out over low wages.



Now, Moo Cluck Moo is doubling down on its high-wage strategy. Brian Parker says that beginning October 1, the company will start employees at $15 an hour. That’s a 25 percent increase from $12, and it represents the living wage level that workers are demanding and that many critics regard as foolish.

............................


Now, a reality check. Moo Cluck Moo, which has been in business for less than a year, has a single restaurant. And while it is an improvement over $12 an hour, $15 an hour is hardly a princely sum. Annualized, it’s about $31,200. But it’s a start. And it is refreshing to see businesspeople designing companies that can accommodate above-market wages. Every day Moo Cluck Moo is open, it stands as a rebuke to an industry that says it can only function by paying crappy wages.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/09/09/radical-fast-food-joint-doubles-down-on-high-wages.html
33 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Radical Fast Food Joint Doubles Down on High Wages (Original Post) Guy Whitey Corngood Sep 2013 OP
Their food is as good as their policies. last1standing Sep 2013 #1
argh, to far away.. I am an east sider Motown_Johnny Sep 2013 #3
I drive about 15 miles to get there. last1standing Sep 2013 #4
Now I'm hungry Motown_Johnny Sep 2013 #5
I think I may head there tomorrow ybbor Sep 2013 #11
15 miles? It's about 8 miles just to drive all the way around our airport. Spitfire of ATJ Sep 2013 #12
It's almost like one follows from the other, isn't it? (nt) Posteritatis Sep 2013 #8
Tell them to come to west Texas! mbperrin Sep 2013 #10
If you get the combo it's only $6.00 for burger, fries and soda. $7.50 get you a combo with shake. last1standing Sep 2013 #23
McDonald and BK get more than that for THEIR combos here. mbperrin Sep 2013 #29
I am glad to hear this but I'm curious how are the prices on their food? n/t Uncle Joe Sep 2013 #19
The prices are very good for the quality and quantity. last1standing Sep 2013 #22
That sounds most promising, I hope they're successful. Uncle Joe Sep 2013 #24
From the lines, I'm guessing they will be. last1standing Sep 2013 #25
Du rec. Nt xchrom Sep 2013 #2
In an era of 2-earner families that $31,200 each makes for middle class 1-Old-Man Sep 2013 #6
Now this is a fast-food outlet that pays workers living wages meow2u3 Sep 2013 #7
And............. stewert Sep 2013 #9
great story Liberal_in_LA Sep 2013 #13
It's more than I make and many others.. making a min wage a living wage is the decent thing to do. glowing Sep 2013 #14
I work in an assisted-living facility Cairycat Sep 2013 #15
no brainer for me. idwiyo Sep 2013 #16
This is my neighborhood. I don't eat much fast food, so I'm just hearing about this. Romulox Sep 2013 #17
I'm the same way but if I lived nearby I'd check it out. nt Guy Whitey Corngood Sep 2013 #18
good on them! dionysus Sep 2013 #20
Obviously they set things up well from the start so they could afford these wages rl6214 Sep 2013 #21
I'm thinking $31k goes along way in Detroit. demwing Sep 2013 #26
Thanks for the good news. nt ZombieHorde Sep 2013 #27
One thing not mentioned in the article is their policy toward the undead. :-P nt Guy Whitey Corngood Sep 2013 #30
The living have of lots of lobyists, the dead, not so much. nt ZombieHorde Sep 2013 #31
Indeed. They spend lots of time scapegoating the dead. "They take all our jobs... They're brain Guy Whitey Corngood Sep 2013 #32
Yes!!!! TheDeputy Sep 2013 #28
I agree. nt bluestate10 Sep 2013 #33

last1standing

(11,709 posts)
1. Their food is as good as their policies.
Tue Sep 10, 2013, 05:44 PM
Sep 2013

I've been there a few times now and can say that I've had nothing that wasn't top quality and delicious. If you're in the area, make the trip.

www.moocluckmoo.com

 

Motown_Johnny

(22,308 posts)
3. argh, to far away.. I am an east sider
Tue Sep 10, 2013, 06:12 PM
Sep 2013

Telegraph and Joy is way the other side of town for me.


Next time I am out that way I will try to remember to stop in. Thanks for the input.

last1standing

(11,709 posts)
4. I drive about 15 miles to get there.
Tue Sep 10, 2013, 06:15 PM
Sep 2013

I don't eat out much but when I do, this is a very good choice and worth the drive. Do not go without trying their shakes. The black cherry dream was insanely good. they use a micro-brewed soda company from upstate and Calder's ice cream. Both are non-HFCS.

 

Motown_Johnny

(22,308 posts)
5. Now I'm hungry
Tue Sep 10, 2013, 06:17 PM
Sep 2013

Thanks!




It does sound good. I think I will bookmark the site on my phone to help me remember.

ybbor

(1,554 posts)
11. I think I may head there tomorrow
Tue Sep 10, 2013, 08:27 PM
Sep 2013

I live in Ann Arbor, and work in Brighton, but its menu looks amazing. My family is out of town for the week, and that sounds like my dinner tomorrow night. Now that Blimpy Burger is closed, I need to find a new burger joint.

mbperrin

(7,672 posts)
10. Tell them to come to west Texas!
Tue Sep 10, 2013, 08:03 PM
Sep 2013

I looked at the menu, and the prices are CHEAPER than the burger places here, and right in line with just about every other fast food. Burger, fries, and drink for $11 - good deal!


And I promise the ingredients here are not as good as the ingredients they describe!

last1standing

(11,709 posts)
23. If you get the combo it's only $6.00 for burger, fries and soda. $7.50 get you a combo with shake.
Wed Sep 11, 2013, 12:13 PM
Sep 2013

I strongly suggest the shakes.

As for coming to Texas, they do have investment opportunities on the site. If you're interested in what I think would be a good investment, contact them to start a franchise.

mbperrin

(7,672 posts)
29. McDonald and BK get more than that for THEIR combos here.
Wed Sep 11, 2013, 05:41 PM
Sep 2013

I seriously am going to pass this along to a friend who has the local Subways and McAlister's.

last1standing

(11,709 posts)
22. The prices are very good for the quality and quantity.
Wed Sep 11, 2013, 12:10 PM
Sep 2013

They don't overstuff your bag with fries like Five Guys but they give you a decent portion of high quality food. I hate to call it fast food because it's so much better.

I can get a burger with fries and soda (pop here in Michigan) for $6.00 which I believe would be comparable to anyplace else. But instead of getting a meal filled with hormones, high fructose corn syrup and a thousand other additives, the beef is 100% vegetarian fed without any hormones or anti-biotics, buns are made fresh onsite, the fries are cooked in red palm fruit/sunflower oil, and even the soda is a micro-brew (if that's what you call it) from northern Michigan made from real sugar. If you get a shake, the ice cream comes from a local dairy that I've been going to for years that's known for the best dairy products in the area.

Look over their site, you'll be impressed.

last1standing

(11,709 posts)
25. From the lines, I'm guessing they will be.
Wed Sep 11, 2013, 12:20 PM
Sep 2013

It's nice to find a place where the food actually tastes like food and the workers seem glad to serve you.

1-Old-Man

(2,667 posts)
6. In an era of 2-earner families that $31,200 each makes for middle class
Tue Sep 10, 2013, 06:29 PM
Sep 2013

Despite what you hear from people in New York a $63,000 family income will put you square in the middle class pretty much anywhere in the United States with plenty of room to spare.

meow2u3

(24,764 posts)
7. Now this is a fast-food outlet that pays workers living wages
Tue Sep 10, 2013, 07:48 PM
Sep 2013

Do you hear that, McDonalds? Do YOU hear that, Burger King? This is the right way to treat your employees!

 

stewert

(3,509 posts)
9. And.............
Tue Sep 10, 2013, 07:51 PM
Sep 2013

I would bet that they will get more business once the word gets out that they pay a decent wage, I believe most people would even pay a little extra, knowing their workers make good money.
 

glowing

(12,233 posts)
14. It's more than I make and many others.. making a min wage a living wage is the decent thing to do.
Wed Sep 11, 2013, 08:13 AM
Sep 2013

On Edit: BTW, don't tell me they are crap starter jobs for afterschool kids to take on. We already know this isn't true, Kids are going to school part of the day and only make up about 1/2 of the McJob's staff workers... Also, the last time I looked, tuition to go to college has skyrocketed; it's literally the next bust cycle now that college debt outweighs home loans, so obviously, these kids need more money to live off of, and if they aren't college bound, they still need money to live. I hate the argument that kids don't need that much money, BS, they do. Factoring in the cost of say a car, insurance, cell phone, entertainment, and savings, yeah, they do need it because their parents don't have it to give anymore after this latest depression like economy for "Main St" and things not really getting so awesome that people aren't counting all their pennies.

Cairycat

(1,706 posts)
15. I work in an assisted-living facility
Wed Sep 11, 2013, 08:23 AM
Sep 2013

If you had a choice, would you rather put your parents in a home that had people who were paid a living wage, or one where people were paid as little as possible? (This assumes them needing more care than can be provided at home.)

Don't you think that could make a big difference in the care provided?

Romulox

(25,960 posts)
17. This is my neighborhood. I don't eat much fast food, so I'm just hearing about this.
Wed Sep 11, 2013, 11:55 AM
Sep 2013

I will have to give it a try, just to support their policies.

 

rl6214

(8,142 posts)
21. Obviously they set things up well from the start so they could afford these wages
Wed Sep 11, 2013, 12:05 PM
Sep 2013

Well done, now give lessons to McDonald's.

 

demwing

(16,916 posts)
26. I'm thinking $31k goes along way in Detroit.
Wed Sep 11, 2013, 12:35 PM
Sep 2013

I only make 10% more than that, and am still fine in Florida, even though the rent is too damn high!

Guy Whitey Corngood

(26,501 posts)
32. Indeed. They spend lots of time scapegoating the dead. "They take all our jobs... They're brain
Wed Sep 11, 2013, 08:40 PM
Sep 2013

moochers.... Blah.. blah.. blah!!''

 

TheDeputy

(224 posts)
28. Yes!!!!
Wed Sep 11, 2013, 01:30 PM
Sep 2013

If you build it, they will come! Give us an alternative! I will gladly pay a little more for quality service. If my $6 meal becomes a $7.50 meal served with a smile, I am all for it.

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