California’s latest move to implement a staggering $20 minimum wage for fast-food workers has sent shockwaves through the restaurant industry, with critics decrying the decision as reckless and economically unsustainable. As businesses brace for the impact, reports of mass layoffs, particularly among major chains like McDonald’s, have begun to surface, casting a shadow over the state’s ambitious policy.

Chef Andrew Gruel, a prominent restaurateur and vocal opponent of the wage hike, minced no words in his assessment of the situation. “This is a recipe for disaster,” Gruel remarked. “The government is effectively driving businesses into the ground by mandating such exorbitant wages.”

Indeed, California’s wage mandate already has repercussions across the state, with fast-food establishments grappling with the stark reality of paying their workers double the minimum wage. For industry giants like McDonald’s, the burden is hefty, leading to widespread layoffs as they struggle to stay afloat in an increasingly challenging economic landscape.

“We’ve seen layoffs and price increases—that is inflation,” Gruel pointed out. “And who does it hurt the most? This new $20 minimum wage is supposed to help those very people.”

The fallout from the wage hike extends beyond job losses, with small businesses also feeling the squeeze as they scramble to adjust to the new mandate. With razor-thin profit margins, many find it impossible to absorb the additional costs, leading to closures and layoffs that further exacerbate the state’s unemployment woes.

“This bill was marketed as something to help workers and hurt corporations, but it’s doing the opposite,” Gruel emphasized. “It’s helping the corporations by driving out competition and hurting the workers by putting them out of a job.”

Of course, the $20 minimum wage impacts many restaurants—except, it seems, for employees at establishments owned by Governor Gavin Newsom himself.

The revelation has reignited accusations of hypocrisy against Newsom, with critics pointing to a glaring inconsistency between his rhetoric and actions. Gruel minced no words in his condemnation, calling it “classic Newsom” and accusing the governor of embodying the hypocrisy he claims to oppose.

“This reminds me of pandemic, restaurant, Newsom, and hypocrisy,” Gruel remarked. “He can’t stand behind all things he virtue signals. This is typical, not just of Newsom, but of all politicians who talk about the need for a $50 minimum wage while government workers make $15 an hour. It’s absurd and typical of California.”

As the debate rages on, the future remains uncertain for California’s restaurant industry, with the $20 minimum wage casting a long shadow over its viability. For Chef Andrew Gruel and others like him, the stakes couldn’t be higher as they sound the alarm on what they see as a misguided and detrimental policy that threatens to upend the very foundation of the state’s economy. As the dust settles, the actual cost of California’s wage experiment may become painfully clear, leaving many wondering if the price of progress was worth the toll it has taken on businesses and workers alike.