Ten US companies that pay employees least

[No Elephants]

Starbucks (#10 on the list), WalMart (#1, of course), TJ Maxx and HomeGoods, Macy’s Inc, Darden Restaurants Inc (Olive Garden, Red Lobster, etc.), Sears Holdings Corp (owner of both Sears and Kmart), Yum! Brands Inc (KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell), The Kroger Co (Kroger, City Market, Dillons and others), Target Corp, Mc Donalds.

http://247wallst.com/special-report/2013/11/15/ten-companies-paying-americans-the-least/3/

At least some of Darden Restaurant employees presumably get tips in additon to their salaries--actually Starbucks has that cup by the register, too, so I am not sure it's entirely fair to put them in the same basket with WalMart and Taco Bell.) Which reminds me, please tip as generously as you can. Waiting tables is body and soul crushing work.

Starbucks pays $8.79 an hour. Howard Schultz, the CEO of Starbucks "earns" $28.9 million a year. (I put earns in quotes because I don't think its possible to actually earn that kind of dough. Maybe people can earn $28,800 a year, even perhaps $280,000 a year, but not $28.9 million.)


Are those who are also selling things at low prices, like Target and WalMart, less reprehensible than, say Macy's and Starbucks?

I am sorry to say that I've been semi-addicted to Starbucks Home Blend coffee beans for years and I like their baked items, too. Also, I do not drive and Starbucks is an easy walk from where I live. (Probably an easy walk from where anyone in Boston lives, but I have not tested that hypothesis.) And they open at 6 am, so picking up some beans in the morning if I've run out is easy for me. But, I think I finally have to switch over to the more costly and less inconvenient Peet's or something. Maybe I should try to check how they pay first.

On the bright side, Starbucks is still covering relatively good health insurance for its employees, so that's not nuthin.

[Enthusiast]

1. Another relevant post!

I have a story. The Olive Garden is the only restaurant I can eat at. Don't cry. But it's true. It's the gluten thing. Their gluten-free menu leaves a lot to be desired(understatement). But at least there is this single restaurant where we can go. And I tip the shit out of those people. Seriously. I feel that I must tip like that to make up for the greedy owners.

[No Elephants]

2. Thank you for tipping.

Because you are 100% correct that the greedy owners are leaving it up to you to compensate their employees, while they get rich on both their customers and their employees.

And everyone who works deserves a decent wage. Perhaps not stock, because that creates a voting nightmare, but they deserve at least a barely decent portion of the immense wealth their efforts and our taxes create for the owners.

Our taxes provide them: law enforcement, paved streets, parking places, water and sewage systems, traffic lights, etc. and all the other things that the restaurants uses and that make its customers feel comfortable going to the restaurant. Not to mention the public education system that taught their employees how to read and write. And on and on.

Oh, and no one charges them the full cost of the restaurant inspection that makes their customers feel relatively safe eating there.