> passing the cost of living of the employees on to the customers I see this trope a lot, but the point I think it misses is the customers of these businesses

> passing the cost of living of the employees on to the customers I see this trope a lot, but the point I think it misses is the customers of these businesses are often enough the ones making minimum wage. So raising the business’s prices to pay the higher wages just ends up in a self defeating loop for all involved. If the solution to poverty was “just give the poor people money”, it would’ve been done already I believe. Sadly, societal problems are generally not easy to solve.