Fast food workers have demonstrated in several cities over the last few months for a $15 minimum wage, often referred to as a living wage.

Fast food workers have demonstrated in several cities over the last few months for a $15 minimum wage, often referred to as a "living wage." Lately McDonalds has previewed plans for automated customer ordering which will give the customer more ability to customize their order. These two events may be coincidence; however, use the concepts for cost minimization (graphically, isocost and isoquant curves) to argue that McDonald's automated ordering springs directly from the possibility of a substantial wage increase for its workforce. A graphical analysis is certainly welcome, but not required.