$15 minimum wage could raise restaurant prices

SEATTLE — You may have to fork over more money for food at your favorite restaurant if Seattle’s minimum wage is increased to $15 an hour.

Researchers from the University of California, Berkeley have been studying other cities that have raised their minimum wage and found restaurants raised prices to make up for the extra payroll costs.

According to the Seattle Times, economists predicted diners in Seattle would see a 7 percent increase in menu prices if the minimum wage jumps up.

How much is that? A $100 dinner for two would go from $100 to $107.

Your lunch bill would jump from $15 to $16.05.

In another part of their research, the economists found most businesses in the cities that increased minimum wage did not layoff a lot of employees in response to the increase.  They absorbed the costs instead.

Supporters of the wage increase are rallying at the Space Needle at 6 p.m. Thursday in an effort to get the owner to take a position on the issue.

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