Minimum wage for fast food workers increases to $15 in WNY

HELP LOWER- WAGE WORKERS GOESINTO EFFECT TOMORROW.

PEOPWHO WORK AT FAST FOODRESTAURANTS WILL MAKE AT LEAST15 DOLLARS AN HOUR.

BUT ASLILIA WOOD REPORTS NEW AT 11-- THIS DOES NOT APPLY TO ALFAST FOOD RESTAURANT(01:11) (01:21) NEARLY EVERYFAST-FOOD CHAIN HAS A SIGNTHAT LOOKS LIKE THIS.

THEYNEED WORKERS.*PICTURES OFALL THE SIGNS ON TRANSIT ROADTHAT SAY THEY ARE HIRIN*STARTING THURSDAY-- THESEFAST-FOOD CHAINS MUST PAY THEWORKERS THEY DO HAVE 15DOLLARS AN HOUR.

THIS IS THELAST OF A SERIES OF ANNUALMINIMUM WAGE INCREASES THATSTARTED IN 2015.

THE MINUMUMWAGE THEN WAS 9-75 AN HOUR.HOLLY: "WE'VE KNOWN ABOUT THISFOR AWHILE WHICH MEANS IT'SNOT A SHOCK." THIS ONLYEFFECTS CHAINS THAT HAVE 30 ORMORE LOCATIONS.

BUT THE CO-OWNER OF ANDERSON'S FROZENCUSTARD SAYS HER CHAIN HAS TOSTAY IN THE WAGE GAME&ESPECIALLY DURING A WORKERSHORTAGE.

(((PHONER FULLSCREEN))) HOLLY: "WE BELIEVEWE'RE COMPETITIVE GOING TO$15.

WE KNOW THAT ARE OURFRIENDS AT BURGER KING,ARBY'S, CHIK-FIL-A AND ALLTHOSE ARE STICKING WITH THE15." ANDERSON SAYS THEINCREASE WAGE EFFECTS THEIMENU PRICES.

FOR EXAMPLE-- THEPRICE OF A CONE HAS GONE UPABOUT 6-PERCENT EACH YEAR.HOLLY: "THE COMMUNITY HAS TOBE AWARE OF THIS.

THEY MAYWANT THEIR CHILDREN,GRANDCHILDREN, AND FRIENDS TOGET THE 15 DOLLARS AN HOUR,BUT THEY ALSO HAVE TO KNOWTHEY HAVE TO PAY THE PRICEWHEN THEY GO TO BUY ANYTHING."STAND-UP: "SO, HOW ARE OTHERLOCAL RESTAURANTS COMPETINGWITH THE INCREASING MINIMUMWAGE?

HERE AT PICASSO'STHINK ONE EXTRA CENT WILL DOTHE TRICK." MARC: "IT ISWORKING.

UNBELIEVABLY.

ONECENT MADE A HUGE DIFFERENCE INPEOPLE NOTICING US.

IT PUTS USIN FRONT OF THE PUBLIC AHOPEFULLY THEY RECOGNIZE US.CO-OWNER OF PICASSO'S MARCDIGIORI SAYS IT'S HARD DEALINGWITH AN INCREASE IN MINIMUMWAGE DURING A WORKER SHORTAGE."THE TRADITIONAL MINIMUM WAGEIS NOT COMPETITIVE IN TODAY'SMARKET." ANDERSON'S IS ALSOSTRUGGLING TO HIRE WORKERS.HOLLY: "WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR OURCUSTOMERS WHO ARE DEALING WITHLONG LINES AND NOT ENOUGHSTAFF TO MAKE IT QUICKER."ANDERSON SAYS SHE WISHES THEYCOULD STAY OPENED PAST NINE ATNIGHT-- BUT THEY JUST DON'THAVE THE STAFF FOR IT.

HOLLY:PEOPLE SAY 'WHY CAN'T YOU STAYOPEN ONE EXTRA HOUR?

BUTREMEMBER, IT'S THOSE SKILLEDWORKERS THAT HAVE TO WORMORE, AND THEY'RE BECOMINGEXHAUSTED." IN WILLIAMSVILLE,LILIA WOOD, 7 EYEWITNESS NEWBUFFALO MAYOR BYRON BROWN MAUP SOME OF HIS D