In 2014, the city of Seattle unanimously approved an increase in the city's minimum wage to $15 per hour, the highest in the nation. While citywide minimum-wage laws offer local governments a tool for helping low-income workers, such laws affect restaurant businesses financially and operationally. Amy McMillian, the owner of Amy's Café located in the heart of downtown Seattle, is now concerned with the future viability of her restaurant. She is contemplating actions to minimize the financial impact of the mandatory minimum-wage hikes. This case study scenario addresses this dilemma from multiple perspectives and factors and explores possible actions for mitigating the impact of minimum-wage increases on full-service restaurants
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Originally Published InCollins, G. (2017). Surviving minimum-wage hikes at a Seattle restaurant. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Cases, 6(1), 57-69
