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Fast-Food CEOs Make 1,200 Times as Much as One of Their Workers—and They Want to Keep it That Way

David Novak is the chief executive of Yum! Brands, the parent company that runs Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and KFC. Last year, while Yum! Brands and other restaurant companies lobbied against raising the minimum wage, Novak made at least $22 million—more than 1,000 times what the average fast-food worker makes in a year. In return for paying him so much, Yum! got a tax break.

In the media
Zoë Carpenter

Reflecting on $1 Trillion in Student Debt, and Why We're Headed for $2 Trillion

States have disinvested in public higher education and students have been stuck paying the tag.

Blog
Mark Huelsman

When So Many Workers Hate Their Jobs, We're All Miserable

It's no secret that American consumers are fed up with the quality of service they get from any number of retail and restaurant establishments. Going to a fast food joint is especially unpleasant, as Demos documents in its new report, Fast Food Failure.
Blog
David Callahan

Fast Food CEO Pay Report Highlights Disparity Between Common Worker's Earnings

The news has not been kind to the fast food industry over the past few years. From labor strikes to claims of wage theft, companies like McDonald's and Burger King have taken increasing criticism for treatment of workers and their low wage jobs. Now a new report from New York-based think tank Demos has added fuel to the fire.

In the media
Eric Reed

Demos President on Importance of Diversity in Higher Education

In response to yesterday’s Supreme Court ruling, which upheld a Michigan state law banning the consideration of race or ethnicity as a factor among state college admissions, Demos President Heather McGhee issued the following statement:

The country should be recommitting to diversity and inclusion, not retreating.

Press release/statement

Why Don't Corporations Care More About Their Image on Economic Fairness?

This week, Apple loudly touted its fealty to environmentalism, rolling out an updated website on what it's doing to be a greener company and playing up its progress in reducing its carbon footprint and removing toxins from its products. This blitz included expensive full-page newspaper ads in places like the Wall Street Journal. 
 
Apple, of course, is just one of many companies that has put a lot of effort into improving its environmental record. Most famously, Walmart has been talking this talk since 2005.
Blog
David Callahan

Pay Inequality Is a Threat to McDonald's Bottom Line

McDonald’s is losing customers.

Blog
Catherine Ruetschlin

Fast Food CEOs Make 1,000 Times More Than Their Typical Workers: Report

David Novak, the CEO of YUM! Brands, which owns Taco Bell and KFC, took home more than $22 million last year after exercising stock options, according to proxy statements. The average full-time fast-food worker, by comparison, would have made about $19,000 on the year. [...]

In the media
Dave Jamieson

Study: Fast food CEOs paid millions more than workers

Fast food CEOs were paid more than 1,200 times the average fast food worker in 2012, according to a new study released Tuesday by Demos, a public policy group.

On a conference call to discuss the report New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer said such a wide income disparity could affect the city's pension fund, which holds millions of shares in several fast food companies. And it could trickle down to affect every day New Yorkers, he said. [...]

In the media
Alison Fox