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You're talking about margin and fast food is definitely a low margin business (barring soda).

If salaries increase, the business will literally have to raise the price of goods sold or go out of business. That's different than raising the price to achieve a higher margin (and opening your self up to competition from people who can operate with a lower margin).

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If a rational business owner could raise prices and make more revenue, they would, regardless of what their costs are. Why would they wait for their costs (salaries) to increase?

Because your competition's costs are increasing by the same amount at the same time, and their ability to compete on price is hindered by the increase in costs to the same degree yours is.

Margins of fast food industry businesses are somewhere between 6 and 9% in the median. So ... I call bullshit on "have to raise"

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