Boston Market CEO Says Minimum Wage Will Rise

Restaurant food chains have skewered the federal government and the regulatory environment it creates. Boston Market CEO George Michel joined FOX Business Network’s Cavuto: Coast-to-Coast on National Rotisserie Chicken Day to discuss how additional rules and regulations affect businesses.

“We focus on the customer and the customer experience and providing great food in our restaurants. We look at regulations. As long as they are rational, we are OK with them. It’s when sometimes regulations are irrational, that’s when we start to worry,” Michel told host Connell McShane.

Michel questioned New York City’s sodium regulation, requiring chain restaurants with 15 or more locations to post sodium warnings on certain items on their menus.

“Why not all the restaurants because 50% of meals consumed in New York City are consumed in small restaurants and not in restaurants like Boston Market. So, what’s good for us is good for everyone else and customers need to know what they are eating in every restaurant they go to,” Michel said.

He also touched on the $15-an-hour minimum wage debate the country has been having, especially after California became the first state to commit to raising the minimum wage to $15 by the end of 2022.

“The minimum wage is going up, we are all for it. We actually pay more than the minimum wage at Boston Market, about $1.18 more than the minimum wage as a blended state rate,” Michel said.

The Boston Market CEO says he expects regulations implemented by the government to be rational and make sense for everyone.