Costs are up for every single business.
Energy.
Minimum wage increases.
Rent.
Taxes.
What they’ve done and what Americans with a brain can see:
Shrunk everything. You’re paying more and getting less. For literally everything. From $4 bags of chips 20% smaller to that pathetic scoop of chicken at chipotle. They put a bunch of lettuce on tho!
Increased costs. You’re paying after taxes and other new fees close to $40 if you buy THREE “value” meals at McDonalds. Chick Fil A? That’s borderline unaffordable for what you get - and you notice asking for sauce is like pulling teeth? They give you one.
They are still hiring “migrants.” Hotels no longer clean your rooms daily. They have kept in place a lot of the Covid restrictions to keep costs down - this being one of them. More remote work, 4 day work weeks, or more part time workers (no benefits) - all impact other business especially in cities - especially the deep blue dumps.
And you the consumer, are absolutely buying everything on credit.
They knew the second they locked down the planet this was a 10 year problem - or deliberate plan to get Americans to consume less.