Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem&#8217;s handbag, containing about $3,000 in cash, her DHS badge, passport, and other sensitive items, was <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/21/politics/homeland-security-kristi-noem-purse-stolen/index.html">reportedly</a> stolen by a man wearing a medical mask at a Washington, D.C. restaurant on Sunday night.
Noem confirmed the incident on Monday while attending the White House Easter Egg Roll, but indicated that the matter remains unresolved.
Secret Service agents reviewed security camera footage at the Capitol Burger restaurant, which showed an unknown white male wearing a surgical mask stealing her unattended bag before quickly exiting the establishment.
Other stolen contents include Noem&#8217;s driver&#8217;s license, apartment keys, medication, makeup, and blank checks.
A DHS spokesperson <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/why-kristi-noem-had-3000-cash-purse-when-it-was-stolen-2062146">told</a> Newsweek that Noem had such a large amount of cash on hand to &#8220;treat her family to dinner, activities, and Easter gifts.&#8221;
&#8220;We can confirm this occurred last night. Her entire family was in town including her children and grandchildren,&#8221; DHS said.
A law enforcement source confirmed that the Secret Service has initiated an investigation to trace any potential unauthorized use of Noem&#8217;s financial instruments.
“This is a security breach that actually has high consequences, and it needs immediate and further review by the Secret Service and DHS, and other law enforcement partners,” former Secret Service agent Jonathan Wackrow told CNN.
“If necessary, the Secret Service will need to make operational changes on how they deal with these types of private events moving forward,” Wackrow said.
He added that Noem remains “at higher risk for targeted threats, both by foreign and domestic actors, and just her public profile alone makes her a symbolic target.”

Connecticut Democrats And Survivors And Families Of Gun Violence Victims Mark 12th Anniversary Of Sandy Hook School Shooting

Kristi Noem’s Purse — With DHS Badge, Passport, $3,000 Cash Inside — Stolen

Crime

Kristi Noem

Restaurant

Theft

U.S.

Washington D.C.

Hooters, a restaurant chain most famous for its all-female staff serving wings in skimpy clothing, is filing for bankruptcy, the company announced on Monday.
Hooters of America is filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in Texas after accumulating $376 million in debt, and through the bankruptcy process, plans to sell off all 100 of its company-owned restaurants to two franchisee groups that operate Hooters locations in Tampa, Florida, in an effort to keep the chain afloat.
“Today’s announcement marks an important milestone in our efforts to reinforce Hooters’ financial foundation and continue delivering the guest-obsessed hospitality experience and delicious food our customers and communities have come to expect,” <a href="https://www.hooters.com/about/news/hooters-of-america-takes-strategic-action-to-continue-its-iconic-legacy">said</a> Sal Melilli, chief executive officer of Hooters of America, in a Monday press release.
The company plans to exit bankruptcy in “approximately 90-120 days.”
The bankruptcy process comes with an attempt at a rebrand, or “re-Hooterization,” of the company, Neil Kiefer, the CEO of a company that runs a group of original Hooters restaurants, told Bloomberg.
The leadership is moving toward a more PG-13 vision of the company: no more “bikini nights,” as Bloomberg put it.
“You go to some parts of the country and people say, ‘Oh I could never go to Hooters, my wife would kill me,”’ Kiefer <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2025-03-27/hooters-bankruptcy-founders-to-welcome-families-end-bikini-nights">said</a>. “That’s depressing to us. We want to change that.”
Hooters was founded in 1983 and became famous for its chicken wings and its female staff wearing orange short shorts and low-cut tank tops.
The chain has been the subject of numerous scandals in recent years that have severely impacted the company, including lengthy legal battles over racial and gender discrimination.
Most famous was a 1996 lawsuit where Hooters was <a href="https://www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/sex-discrimination-does-refusing-hire-men-food-servers-violate">accused</a> of “employment discrimination based on sex in hiring only female food servers, bartenders, and hosts, with the intent of providing a sexually stimulating aura for male patrons.”
In addition to scandals, casual dining as a whole suffered in 2024, with &#8220;TGI Fridays, Red Lobster, Bucca di Beppo, and Rubio’s Coastal Grill all filing for bankruptcy last year,” the New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/04/01/business/hooters-files-for-bankruptcy-as-chains-founders-seek-control/">reported</a>.
According to court filings, Hooters has approximately 5,957 employees in 151 directly owned stores in 22 states, in addition to 154 franchise locations in 19 states and 17 countries, per <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-03-31/hooters-files-bankruptcy-in-texas-as-brand-mulls-turnaround-plan">Bloomberg</a>.
The company confidently <a href="https://www.hooters.com/our-future">asserted</a> in an FAQ announcing the bankruptcy: ”Is Hooters going out of business? No. Hooters is here to stay.”

Hooters

No More ‘Bikini Nights’: Hooters Goes Bankrupt, Pivots To PG-13 Vision In ‘Re-Hooterization’

Culture

Discrimination

Economy

Gender

Women

A California-based delivery driver on Friday was awarded $50 million from a lawsuit against Starbucks after he was burned by a hot beverage that spilled in his lap at a drive-thru.
Michael Garcia sued the popular coffee chain after having to undergo skin graft procedures on his legs and penis, which he says was caused by a scalding hot tea not being properly situated in the cardboard drink carrier. Garcia was burned from one of three venti-sized “Medicine Ball” beverages that he was picking up, per <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/16/delivery-driver-injury-lawsuit-california-starbucks">The Guardian</a>. According to the outlet, a Medicine Ball is an off-menu item consisting of &#8220;steamed lemonade, hot water, Jade Citrus Mint green tea, Peach Tranquility tea and honey.&#8221; 
Garcia’s attorney, Nick Rowley, said in a press release that Garcia’s “life has been forever changed” by the accident.
“No amount of money can undo the permanent catastrophic harm he has suffered, but this jury verdict is a critical step in holding Starbucks accountable for flagrant disregard for customer safety and failure to accept responsibility,” Rowley said.
The attorney also <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/man-awarded-50-million-starbucks-hot-tea-rcna196616">noted</a> that “Starbucks offered $30m to settle but wanted confidentiality. We said we would settle for $30m without confidentiality and only if Starbucks agreed to publicly apologize and promise to change policy to prevent this from happening again.”
Starbucks also issued a statement, saying they were sympathetic to Garcia’s pain but also that they planned to appeal the decision. The company said they have “always been committed to the highest safety standards in our stores.”
“We sympathize with Mr. Garcia, but we disagree with the jury’s decision that we were at fault for this incident and believe the damages awarded to be excessive,” Starbucks said in a statement.
The case is reminiscent of the famous 1990s case of a New Mexico woman who burned her legs with a hot cup of McDonald’s coffee. The late Stella Liebeck, who was 79 years old at the time, sustained third-degree burns in her pelvic region and was hospitalized for eight days while undergoing skin grafting, plus endured two additional years of medical treatment. 
Liebeck originally petitioned to settle with McDonald&#8217;s for $20,000 to cover her medical expenses, but the fast food chain declined, which led to her attorney suing for gross negligence. Liebeck was awarded $160,000 for medical expenses and $2.7 million in punitive damages, but that amount was later reduced by the judge. Liebeck and McDonald’s eventually settled for an undisclosed amount.

Starbucks

Delivery Driver Wins $50M In Lawsuit Against Starbucks After Hot Tea Spilled On His Genitals

Delivery Driver Awarded $50M In Hot Tea Lawsuit Against Starbucks

California

Courts

Lawsuit

United States

An <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/onlyfans">OnlyFans</a> content creator was recorded propositioning a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/restaurant">fast food</a> employee for sex, but she was turned down after the worker told her he was “a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/christianity">Christian</a> man.”
Bonnie Blue, 25, is a controversial OnlyFans creator who targets 18 and 19-year-olds to have sex with her. 
Viewers had mixed reactions when Blue shared the video on her TikTok account. In the clip, the content creator enters a Five Guys branch and asks an employee where she can find “five guys” and inquires whether he’s “on the menu.”
&#8220;I can’t see it on the menu, but where are the five guys from?&#8221; she asks.
The worker replies, &#8220;The… huh?&#8221; 
She clarifies her statement, saying, &#8220;I didn’t know if it was like a special room, or you can take me out back?&#8221;
The worker again responds with confusion and says, &#8220;Uh, I don’t know what’s happening.&#8221;
&#8220;What about after your shift? I mean, I’d want to give you, you know, a good rating,&#8221; she says. 
The worker responds, &#8220;I’m a Christian man, and I’m waiting until marriage.&#8221; 
Bonnie Blue says, &#8220;I’m asking what’s on your menu, that’s all.&#8221; He responds, &#8220;Genuinely, I feel like I’m dreaming right now. I can hand you the menu if you want.&#8221;
The OF star doesn’t give up, saying, &#8220;Are you on it?&#8221; to which he replies, &#8220;No, I’m not.&#8221; 
She replies, &#8220;Oh, that’s a shame.&#8221;
The employee later shared the exchange on his X account, writing, “Bonnie Blue recording me at work was not on my bingo card for this year, but here we are, I guess.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Bonnie blue recording me at work was not on my bingo card for this year but here we are I guess <a href="https://t.co/klBsJk0wyb">pic.twitter.com/klBsJk0wyb</a>
&mdash; •ola• (@harry_1514) <a href="https://twitter.com/harry_1514/status/1876414293996151062?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The comments were filled with support and praise for the Five Guys worker refusing her overtures.
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“Good for you for standing your ground and saving yourself for marriage! Not many are like that,” one person <a href="https://x.com/GodIsGood116_/status/1876744780530471181">wrote</a>. “My wife and I both waited for marriage too and it was definitely a lot better than being used products for others.”
“this is so predatory &#8211; if this was a man, everyone would be outraged,” another commenter <a href="https://x.com/taylor_vahey/status/1876719815890464884">said</a>. “not acceptable to do to someone at their job.”
“Well done brother. God has better plans for you, have faith,” another said.
In an <a href="https://metro.co.uk/2024/11/05/bonnie-blue-sex-barely-legal-teens-predatory-educational-21928983/">interview</a> with Metro last November, Blue said: “People are calling me a predator anyway. So it makes no difference if I’m a guy or a female, because my hate has been through the roof in terms of death threats and non-stop abuse.”
“If I was forcing them off the street, dragging them up, then yeah, call me a predator, but it’s not the case,” she added, claiming that 18-year-olds “choose to contact her.”

Five Guys

Five Guys Employee Goes Viral For Turning Down OnlyFans Creator: ‘I’m A Christian Man’

Five Guys Employee Goes Viral For Turning Down OnlyFans Creator: 'I'm A Christian Man'

Christianity

OnlyFans

Social Issues

TikTok

viral video

World

In-N-Out Burger President Lynsi Snyder opened up about why she made the decision to close the company&#8217;s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/oakland" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Oakland</a> location, detailing how crime and violence made the restaurant staff unsafe.
California has seen a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/desantis-rips-newsom-over-california-exodus-newsom-refuses-to-address" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mass exodus</a> from the state since 2020, over a host of reasons, including the spike in crime linked to failed soft-on-crime policies. The closure of the Oakland location was the first time the company had to shutter a store, Snyder said.
&#8220;It was just absolutely dangerous. In, out of 365 days, I think 300 days there was some type of event,&#8221; Snyder <a href="https://www.prageru.com/video/in-n-out-president-lynsi-snyder-on-how-god-gave-her-the-strength-to-lead-one" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> PragerU host Marissa Streit. The president cited burglaries, violence, fights, theft, and a stabbing, and said there was even an incident of gunshots fired through the store.
The president of the popular fast food chain also noted the lengthy wait time for police to show up when called. The city is notorious for slow 911 response times. Oakland 911 wait times were worse than any other city in the state, with an average wait time lasting three to four times longer than the state mandate, a 2023 NBC <a href="https://www.nbcbayarea.com/investigations/oakland-deadline-911-response-times/3582739/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> found.
&#8220;It was huge,&#8221; Snyder said of the decision to shut down the store. &#8220;But, for the safety of our associates, we just felt like, this is not okay.&#8221;
The company announced in January that they&#8217;d be closing the location. As highlighted by <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/in-n-out-burger-to-close-its-only-location-in-oakland-due-to-crime" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Wire</a> at the time, crime in the city spiked from 2022 to 2023, with robberies increasing by 38% and burglaries by 23%.
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Chief Operating Officer Denny Warnick said in January that the company took &#8220;repeated steps to create safer conditions,&#8221; but their customers and associates are still &#8220;regularly victimized by car break-ins, property damage, theft, and armed robberies.”
“We are grateful for the local community, which has supported us for over 18 years, and we recognize that this closure negatively impacts our Associates and their families,” Warnick said. “Additionally, this location remains a busy and profitable one for the company, but our top priority must be the safety and well-being of our Customers and Associates – we cannot ask them to visit or work in an unsafe environment.”
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
NEW: In-N-Out owner says she was forced to close their Oakland location because there was a crime almost every day, says the closure was the only one in 75 years.
Oakland is a great litmus test for what happens when you let liberals control an entire city for an extended period… <a href="https://t.co/tPpydx8zdP">pic.twitter.com/tPpydx8zdP</a>
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) <a href="https://twitter.com/CollinRugg/status/1871743786562514970?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 25, 2024</a></blockquote>
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/donotcomply-praise-erupts-online-for-in-n-out-burgers-anti-vax-mandate-stand" target="_blank" rel="noopener">‘#DoNotComply’: Praise Erupts Online For In-N-Out Burger’s Anti-Vax Mandate Stand</a>

American regional chain of fast food restaurants In-N-Out

‘Absolutely Dangerous’: In-N-Out Burger President Explains Why She Shut Down Oakland Restaurant

In-N-Out Burger President Lynsi Snyder Explains Why She Shut Down Oakland Restaurant 

Food

Oakland

A <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/washington-d-c" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Washington, D.C.</a>-based server has been fired after boasting in an interview that she would not be willing to serve <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/donald-trump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trump</a> officials from the incoming administration. 
The server was previously employed by <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/restaurant">Beuchert’s Saloon</a> on Capitol Hill. She took part in a report by Washingtonian magazine about how the service industry would respond to President-elect Donald Trump&#8217;s team if they patronized her place of employment. Most individuals who were interviewed remained anonymous, but Suzannah Van Rooy provided her real name. 
“I personally would refuse to serve any person in office who I know of as being a sex trafficker or trying to deport millions of people,” the server told the outlet, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dc-restaurant-workers-say-they-wont-serve-trump-officials-or-will-make-dining-unpleasant">reported</a>. “It’s not, ‘Oh, we hate Republicans.’ It’s that this person has moral convictions that are strongly opposed to mine, and I don’t feel comfortable serving them.”
“People were a lot more motivated the first time around to do those kinds of shows of passion. This time around, there is kind of a sense of defeat and acceptance,” Van Rooy added. “But I hope that people still do stand up to this administration and tell them their thoughts on their misbehavior.”
Beuchert&#8217;s Saloon denounced Van Rooy’s comments and confirmed she was no longer employed there, per <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/d-c-restaurant-server-fired-after-comments-about-refusing-service-some-trump-officials-horrified">Fox News Digital.</a> The neighborhood restaurant and bar called her statements “reprehensible” and “unforgivable.”
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“Recent comments made by a member of staff who had no authority to speak on behalf of our entire restaurant have been, quite rightly, flagged as inappropriate, hostile, intolerant, and unacceptable. This staff member does NOT speak for us as a restaurant,” Beuchert&#8217;s Saloon said in a statement.
A follow-up statement confirmed Van Rooy’s dismissal from her part-time position and claimed she logged on to the establishment&#8217;s social media accounts, speaking on behalf of the restaurant without approval.
&#8220;Not only do Ms. Van Rooy’s comments clearly violate our zero-tolerance policy on discrimination, but her decision to sign into our social media accounts in the middle of the night to post her own rhetoric in wildly offensive responses to comments is a further breach of conduct and protocol. She has no authority to speak on our behalf, and her comments do not reflect the positions of over twenty other people who make up our staff,&#8221; the statement said.
&#8220;For these reasons as well as the sheer dismay and disgust we feel at her unforgivable behavior, Ms. Van Rooy has been dismissed immediately. Our staff and families (many of whom are personally offended by Ms. Van Rooy’s comments about them) are still reeling from what Ms. Van Rooy said and did, and we as a restaurant are simply horrified to be associated with base prejudice.&#8221;

Beuchert’s Saloon

D.C. Waitress Fired For Saying She Wouldn’t Serve Trump Officials

D.C. Waitress Fired For Saying She Wouldn't Serve Trump Officials

Donald Trump

General

Politics

Trump Administration

Some <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/washington-d-c" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Washington, D.C.-based</a> restaurant workers reportedly say they will refuse service to certain Trump officials, or make dining uncomfortable for them. 
These service industry employees voiced their opinions while speaking with the <a href="https://www.washingtonian.com/2024/12/11/clashes-are-coming-for-trump-officials-dining-out-in-dc/">Washingtonian</a>. 
&#8220;You expect the masses to just ignore RFK eating at Le Diplomate on a Sunday morning after a few mimosas and not to throw a drink in his face?&#8221; Zac Hoffman, a D.C. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/restaurant">restaurant</a> veteran and current manager at the National Democratic Club, told the outlet. He is reportedly concerned about potential safety risks for not only members of Team Trump but also unaffiliated diners and restaurant staff.
&#8220;This person theoretically has the power to take away your rights, but I have the power to make you wait 20 minutes to get your entrée,&#8221; a fine-dining bartender who requested anonymity said of potentially serving members of Trump’s staff.
&#8220;There’s a lot of opportunities for us as workers to feel like we’re taking our power back, while not necessarily ruining someone’s life,&#8221; the bartender added. &#8220;Giving them a subtle inconvenience feels like a little bit of a win for us.&#8221;
The bartender also said she would quit if restaurant management took issue with her tactics. 
&#8220;There is power in making it known that you’re not comfortable with a situation, and it doesn’t necessarily have to be this big dramatic show,&#8221; she told the outlet. &#8220;It’s just little bits of resistance that add up, and little bits of resistance that other people will see and hopefully feel empowered to stand on those convictions as well.&#8221;
Suzannah Van Rooy, a server and manager at Beuchert’s Saloon on Capitol Hill, said she would refuse service to those &#8220;trying to deport millions of people.&#8221; 
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&#8220;It’s not, ‘Oh, we hate Republicans.’ It’s that this person has moral convictions that are strongly opposed to mine, and I don’t feel comfortable serving them,&#8221; Van Rooy said.
Another anonymous interviewee said she would serve Trump officials but intentionally make their dining experience unpleasant. 
&#8220;I’ll only give them a bad table but will otherwise guarantee decent and polite service,&#8221; she explained. &#8220;I feel like them getting a bad table is nothing compared to the harm they’ll be inflicting.&#8221;
Not every person interviewed was unhappy about an incoming Republican administration, however. A bartender named Joseph, who voted for Kamala Harris, said that in his experience, Republicans tip better.
&#8220;I think my tip average from Republicans—at least ones that I or a coworker has recognized—is close to 30 percent. With Dems, I’m surprised if it’s over 20,&#8221; he said.

fine dining

DC Restaurant Workers Say They Won’t Serve Trump Officials, Or Will Make Dining Unpleasant

DC Restaurant Workers Say They Won't Serve Trump Officials, Or Will Make Dining Unpleasant

Retired tennis pro <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/serena-williams">Serena Williams</a> claims she was denied service at a restaurant in a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/paris">Paris</a> hotel, but a rep for the establishment says that’s not exactly what happened.
Williams, 42, shared her version of events in a post on X. “Yikes @PeninsulaParis I’ve been denied access to rooftop to eat in a empty <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/restaurant">restaurant</a> of nicer places but never with my kids,” she wrote on Monday, August 5. “Always a first. #Olympic2024.”
After the athlete posted the complaint, a Community Notes update was added: &#8220;Serena was not ‘denied access.’ Rather, the restaurant was fully booked.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Yikes <a href="https://twitter.com/peninsulaparis?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@peninsulaparis</a> I’ve been denied access to rooftop to eat in a empty restaurant of nicer places 🫠 but never with my kids. Always a first. 🙄<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Olympic2024?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Olympic2024</a> <a href="https://t.co/lEGJR5WoEn">pic.twitter.com/lEGJR5WoEn</a>
— Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) <a href="https://twitter.com/serenawilliams/status/1820507655250850058?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 5, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
A spokesperson from The Peninsula Paris also reacted to Williams’ accusations.
“Dear Mrs. Williams, Please accept our deepest apologies for the disappointment you encountered tonight. Unfortunately, our rooftop bar was indeed fully booked and the only unoccupied tables you saw belonged to our gourmet restaurant, L’Oiseau Blanc, which was fully reserved,” the restaurant’s official account <a href="https://x.com/peninsulaparis/status/1820533467358371858">posted</a> to X on Monday. 
“We have always been honored to welcome you and will always be to welcome you again. The Peninsula Paris,” a follow-up post said.
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One restaurant employee explained the situation in a statement to <a href="https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/serena-williams-slams-paris-restaurant-olympics-1236095987/">Variety</a>. “When [Williams] came there were only two tables available and they had been reserved by clients of the hotel,” Maxime Mannevy told the outlet. “My colleague didn’t recognize her and feels terrible, but he told her what he would have told any other client, which is to wait downstairs in the bar for a table to become available. That was absolutely nothing personal.”
The hotel also issued a statement to Today on the situation.
“In response to Mrs. Williams’ tweet, for whom we have the utmost admiration and respect, as we do for all our esteemed guests; we can only reiterate our deepest apologies for her perception of tonight’s situation,&#8221; it said.
The statement added, “Today, August 5th, our rooftop bar was indeed unfortunately fully booked, and the only unoccupied tables at that time belonged to our gourmet restaurant, L’Oiseau Blanc, which was also fully reserved tonight. She has always and will always be more than welcome with her family to The Peninsula.”

Serena Williams

Paris Restaurant Responds To Serena Williams Complaining It ‘Denied’ Her Service

Paris Restaurant Responds To Serena Williams Complaining It 'Denied' Her Service

Celebrities

France

Paris

A <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/mexico">Mexico City-</a>based taco stand has been awarded a Michelin star, a first for that type of establishment.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/restaurant">Tacos El Califa de León</a> is the only <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/food">taco stand</a> in the world that can boast the highly coveted honor. The establishment’s head chef, Rivera Martínez, reacted to receiving the award, saying, “It’s neat, it’s cool,” per a translation, according to the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/mexico-taco-stand-michelin-star-6a4a89f27aa13d46246030b94bcffa56">Associated Press</a>.
The Michelin Guides are a series of books published by the French tire company since 1900. The highly respected guides award up to three Michelin stars for excellence, and only the top restaurants in the world are selected for the honor. Gaining and losing stars often affects a restaurant&#8217;s popularity. 
The outlet noted that chef Martínez didn’t immediately put on the full-sleeved white chef&#8217;s jacket he received as a gift from the Michelin rep because his 10-foot by 10-foot cooking area gets very hot.
Martínez says the secret to the taco stand&#8217;s success is keeping the menu simple and concentrating on quality. Customers have one option – beef tacos. “The secret is the simplicity of our taco. It has only a tortilla, red or green sauce, and that&#8217;s it. That, and the quality of the meat,” he said. He would not reveal where the meat comes from, the outlet noted, but did say he cooks the meat at a very specific temperature.
When asked what he recommends customers to eat with the tacos, the chef said, &#8220;I like a Coke.&#8221; 
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The establishment has been operating since 1968 and is massively popular among locals and tourists despite being slightly more expensive than competitors in the area. They’re known for the Gaonera taco, apparently named in honor of Mexican bullfighter Rodolfo Gaona.
“This taqueria may be bare bones with just enough room for a handful of diners to stand at the counter but its creation, the Gaonera taco, is exceptional,” the Michelin Guide <a href="https://guide.michelin.com/us/en/ciudad-de-mexico/cuauhtemoc_1995126/restaurant/taqueria-el-califa-de-leon">says</a>. 
“Thinly sliced beef filet is expertly cooked to order, seasoned with only salt and a squeeze of lime. At the same time, a second cook prepares the excellent corn tortillas alongside. The resulting combination is elemental and pure.”

Taqueria El Califa de Leon

Mexican Taco Stand Becomes First Ever To Receive Prestigious Michelin Star

Mexico

Red Lobster, the largest U.S. seafood restaurant chain, is expected to file for bankruptcy after offering customers an all-you-can-eat shrimp deal that ultimately cost the company millions of dollars.
Red Lobster currently boasts roughly 650 locations nationwide and has its headquarters in Orlando, Florida; it recently closed dozens of its outlets. Thai Union Group, Red Lobster’s majority owner, said they were through funding the chain.
“We’re going to exit. We are not going to inject any more money into Red Lobster,” Thai Union Chief Executive Thiraphong Chansiri said in February.
“The company aims to use the bankruptcy process to negotiate concessions from landlords and strike a deal with creditors to continue operating, moves that could trim hundreds of millions of dollars in debt,” Red Lobster said, according to <a href="https://www.wsj.com/business/hospitality/red-lobster-preparing-to-file-for-bankruptcy-protection-this-month-b1198173" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Wall Street Journal</a>, which noted that the company’s sales dropped 8% from 2022 to 2023.
The Journal pointed out that restaurant chains are suffering because typical consumers, who have incomes less than $50,000, cannot afford to eat out because the current economy has forced them to cut spending. Another factor crippling the chains is the high interest rate they are dealing with when it comes to their debt.
Among chains hit hard by the economy, Tijuana Flats and Sticky’s Finger Joint both filed for bankruptcy in the last 30 days; past month. Dom’s Kitchen &amp; Market and Foxtrot Market, which have prepared-food sections, both closed in April.
In mid-April, the National Gardening Association reported that with the rising costs of groceries, many Americans have taken to growing food at home. It reported that 43% of Americans are now growing food at their homes, up from 33% of Americans in 2019.
“According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, at-home food prices increased by 11.4% in 2022. In 2023, it increased by another 5.8%,” <a href="https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nc/charlotte/news/2024/04/18/more-people-growing-food-at-home-as-grocery-costs-remain-high#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20U.S.%20Department,you%20see%20the%20financial%20benefits." target="_blank" rel="noopener">Spectrum News</a> noted.
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In March, for the third consecutive month, the core consumer price increased. It advanced 0.4% from February and 3.8% from the year before. Core inflation <a href="https://www.barrons.com/livecoverage/inflation-april-cpi-report-today-news/card/core-inflation-cools-to-3-6-from-3-8--8DpsdMJRAQMWglPmgF8s" target="_blank" rel="noopener">grew</a> by 0.3% in April.

Red Lobster Abruptly Closes Many Locations

Red Lobster To File For Bankruptcy After All-You-Can-Eat Shrimp Deal Cost The Company Millions

bankruptcy

Inflation

Red Lobster

For several years now, Democrats in the state of California have enjoyed all the perks of one-party rule. With supermajorities in the state assembly, they don&#8217;t have to deal with an opposition party. They certainly don&#8217;t need to provide any kind of transparency to the public. They&#8217;re completely free to enact the Democratic Party&#8217;s grand vision — just like the leaders of notorious utopias like Baltimore, Selma, Detroit, or Oakland. If states are the laboratories of democracy, then California is the laboratory of the Democratic Party. Whatever Democrats want, they get.
That&#8217;s why hundreds of thousands of people flee California every year and it&#8217;s why a lot more are about to leave the state. California, without much discussion or debate, just raised its minimum wage for certain fast-food workers to $20 an hour. This is a 25% wage hike, up from $16 an hour. The law applies to chains with 60 or more locations in California, including franchises — many of which are family-owned.
The totally foreseeable and inevitable followed, and a bunch of fast-food chains announced mass layoffs. Others started raising prices, and at least one restaurant so far has closed down completely. Watch:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="005 Lemoore Foster&#039;s Freeze" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Mgi_Z-cmNyU?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Those employees at Foster&#8217;s Freeze went from $16 an hour to zero dollars an hour, thanks to the minimum wage hike which California declared a &#8220;win for workers.&#8221; And they&#8217;re not alone.
When this law was signed, two large Pizza Hut franchisees <a href="https://www.nrn.com/top-500-restaurants/two-california-pizza-hut-franchisees-lay-delivery-workers-ahead-minimum-wage" target="_blank" rel="noopener">laid off</a> more than 1,200 delivery drivers. In San Jose, The Wall Street Journal reports that two small Vitality Bowls restaurants have <a href="https://www.wsj.com/business/hospitality/california-restaurants-cut-jobs-as-fast-food-wages-set-to-rise-eb5ddaaa" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cut their workforce</a> in half. Restaurants like Jack in the Box are &#8220;testing fryer robots and automated drink dispensers&#8221; so they can fire more employees soon. Hours are being cut and of course, prices are going up too, across the board. 
The New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2024/04/02/us-news/californias-20-fast-food-wage-raises-prices-by-up-to-1-80/#" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>, at one Los Angeles-area Burger King, prices for a Texas Double Whopper went from $15.09 on March 29 to $16.89 on April 1, once the law went into effect. That&#8217;s an increase of nearly $2 for the same exact — already horrifically overpriced — food in just two days. The Big Fish meal went up by $4, from $7.49 to $11.49. That&#8217;s the precise increase in hourly wage, passed directly onto customers. Several other menu items went up &#8220;anywhere from 25 cents to a dollar,&#8221; the Post found. 
From what I’ve seen, some of the advocates of the minimum wage hike on social media have tried to dismiss the concerns over the price hikes by saying that 25 cents to a dollar isn’t a very steep increase. But what they’re ignoring is that, first of all, as a percentage of the overall price of the item, these hikes are already significant. And second, this law has been in effect for less than two days and this is what has happened only in that time frame. We can assume that prices will continue to go up.
<h4><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/ep-1339-the-matt-walsh-show" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WATCH: The Matt Walsh Show</a></h4>
One of the many fast-food companies raising prices is the fried chicken restaurant Raising Cane&#8217;s. The CEO of the company went on CNBC recently to talk about the impact of this legislation on his business.
Now, based on everything you&#8217;ve just read, you might assume that the CNBC anchor conducting the interview would have a dim view of this new legislation. After all, you&#8217;d expect someone at a business-oriented network to understand that higher prices and fewer jobs are generally a bad thing. But here&#8217;s how she frames her question:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="006 Raisin Canes" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OpDLVLZAE8w?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
The CEO doesn&#8217;t really answer the question, probably because he&#8217;s there for a nice PR opportunity and he doesn&#8217;t get adversarial or maybe he wasn&#8217;t paying attention. But it&#8217;s an incredible question to ask in earnest, which she appears to be doing. If you give minimum wage workers a raise, but in the process make it more expensive for them to live and eat, you have not really given them a raise. You haven&#8217;t made it easier for them to purchase more chicken fingers.
This is especially the case for the many workers who have already lost their jobs because of it, and the many more who will in the near future.
The fact that this is apparently difficult to say out loud — even for the CEO of Raising Cane&#8217;s — tells us a lot about how California got in this position. Very few people in the state seem to understand basic principles of economics — or at least, they don&#8217;t want to talk about them. But the fast food workers themselves understand what&#8217;s going on here. They realize that they didn&#8217;t actually get a raise.
Here’s an employee from Jack in the Box explaining a basic economic reality that the governor of her state doesn’t seem to comprehend:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="001 Minimum Wage Increase" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hjafi_exbb4?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
How does a fast-food worker understand the economics of this situation better than the CNBC anchors? Why is she raising issues that California politicians don&#8217;t seem to understand? Whatever the answer is, this is getting to be a running theme in California.
A couple of years ago, California sent out millions of &#8220;inflation relief checks,&#8221; which accomplished <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/09/30/politics/inflation-relief-checks/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">nothing</a> except making inflation even worse. But there was no opposition party that could block those checks, just like there&#8217;s no opposition party to block this minimum wage increase.
In fact, in California, the labor unions <a href="https://www.kcra.com/article/california-fast-food-law-panera-newsom-nda/60117858" target="_blank" rel="noopener">obtained</a> nondisclosure agreements during the negotiations for the minimum wage bill. So no one can talk about how exactly this bill came about. There&#8217;s never going to be a full explanation for why Gavin Newsom&#8217;s friend and donor at Panera Bread managed to secure an exemption for fast-food restaurants that make bread, for example. (Not that we really need an explanation for that. It&#8217;s the kind of naked corruption that one-party states are well known for).
But you don&#8217;t need an insider&#8217;s look into the legislative process to know how poorly conceived this law is. That&#8217;s because, after the bill was passed, legislators went back and <a href="https://news.bloomberglaw.com/in-house-counsel/california-airports-stadiums-now-exempted-under-fast-food-law" target="_blank" rel="noopener">added</a> a bunch of other exemptions, including fast-food locations in airports and stadiums. That&#8217;s how you know you&#8217;re dealing with a very well-thought-out law — the legislators just go back and redo it a few weeks later. These are the people manipulating the economy in the most populated state in the country. They&#8217;re doing it as haphazardly as you&#8217;d expect.
The truth is that raising the minimum wage (by 25%, which is obviously a very sizable hike) in the midst of inflation and a struggling economy is incredibly stupid. There&#8217;s really no other word for it. It attempts an end-run around the actual problems facing Californians. Except, really, it&#8217;s worse than that. They aren&#8217;t just avoiding the problems, but actively making everything worse. They’re trying to solve problems by creating more of the problems they’re allegedly trying to solve. And they aren’t done. 
In fact, some leaders in California think that $20 an hour is still too low. It’s not even half of what they think the minimum should be. Here’s Rep. Barbara Lee:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="004 CA Senate Race Debate" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UZswdhUXkB4?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Just do the math. Do the math, says the woman who apparently can’t add two plus two. She wants to mandate six-figure incomes for the people who run the cash register at McDonald’s. You notice that she was asked about the economic sustainability of such a plan and did not pretend to even address that concern. That’s because it is, of course, not sustainable at all. $20 an hour isn’t even sustainable. $20 an hour has already caused a bloodbath of layoffs and price hikes. $50 an hour would simply be the end of commerce in California, which means the end of California itself. So, on second thought, maybe her plan has some benefits.
But you notice what Lee said in that clip. She said that a family of four needs a six-figure income just to get by. That’s not really true — you can get by on less, my family did at one time — but think about how that applies here. She’s saying that minimum wage workers need a massive, mandatory raise because that’s what’s necessary for families of four to survive. This obviously implies that there are a lot of single-income households of four where the breadwinner makes minimum wage. But that’s not generally the case, and this is really, perhaps, the most important point here. Minimum wage jobs are not meant to be careers. These are supposed to be jobs for teenagers working part-time while they finish high school. These aren’t jobs that grown adults with kids and mortgages are supposed to be doing for years on end. So if you’ve been working at a job for five or ten years and you still make minimum wage, there’s obviously a serious problem — and it’s not one a minimum wage hike can solve.
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Personally, I want every minimum wage worker to get a hefty raise. But that can be achieved, and should be achieved, by earning a raise. It can also be achieved by getting some work experience under your belt and then finding a better job somewhere else. Minimum wage is supposed to be a stepping stone. Not a foundation to build your life on.
It’s a bit like if lawmakers passed a law declaring that all tent manufacturers must make their tents big enough and sturdy enough that they can be lived in for six months at a time. But that’s not what tents are supposed to be used for. That’s not what a tent is. A tent is something you stay in for a few days at a time. Now, lawmakers in California might respond, “No that’s not true. In our state lots of people live in tents for years. They set them up right on the sidewalk!” Yes, but the problem there is not that the tents are insufficient homes. The problem is that those people are trying to turn tents into homes. The problem is with how the tent is being used. Minimum wage is like the tent of salaries. It’s meant to be very temporary.
The advantage of working a minimum wage job is that the bar is pretty low. Show up on time, look presentable, put in the effort, be reliable, be moderately competent, cover all the basics, and you’ll be on the fast track to a better job — either at your current place of work or somewhere else. You don’t need to wait around for the government to force your employer to give you a raise.
As I’ve said plenty of times before, the best way for a minimum wage worker to make more money is to not be a minimum wage worker anymore. That’s a basic truth that you won’t hear from politicians like Barbara Lee. Instead they’ll promise you the pie in the sky. The bad news is that they probably won’t deliver on that promise.
The worse news is that they might. And then everyone’s problems will get much worse.

California Minimum Wage Rises To $20 For Fast Food Workers

California Triggers Bloodbath By Raising Minimum Wage To $20 An Hour

Democrats

Gavin Newsom

Minimum Wage

Opinion

Readers Pass

Governor Gavin Newsom (D) pushed back last week on accusations that Panera Bread is exempt from California&#8217;s new $20 minimum wage for fast-food restaurant employees.
Republicans have accused Newsom of giving the chain special treatment because a high school classmate and donor to Newsom&#8217;s campaigns, Greg Flynn, runs two dozen Panera Bread restaurants in California. Bloomberg News first reported that Panera appeared to be exempt from the new minimum wage law, which takes effect in April and raises the minimum wage for fast-food workers from $16 to $20.
The law carves out an exception for businesses that produce their own bread on the premises. The exemption was added late in the bill&#8217;s process, and Newsom&#8217;s administration has not explained the reason for it — but now his team contends that Panera won&#8217;t be exempt from the law.
“The Governor never met with Flynn about this bill and this story is absurd. Our legal team has reviewed and it appears Panera is not exempt from the law,” Newsom spokesman Alex Stack <a href="https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article286132126.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>.
Previously, Assembly Republican Leader James Gallagher called for an investigation and accused Newsom of setting his special interests up with “favors at the expense of regular Californians.”
“This type of crooked dealmaking is wrong and exactly why our constituents think the government isn’t looking out for them,” Gallagher said.
“Campaign contributions should not buy you exemptions in legislation. The public deserves to know the truth about the allegations of Governor Newsom’s crony capitalism,” Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones (R) said in a statement.
Bloomberg reported that Newsom had fought for Panera&#8217;s exemption.
Newsom&#8217;s office <a href="https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article286131426.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">argued</a> that Panera is not exempt since the restaurants do not technically &#8220;produce&#8221; their own bread. The law says the minimum wage increase does not apply to businesses with a bakery that “produces for sale on the establishment’s premises bread.”
Panera locations do not make their own dough on the premises, although they do bake their own bread.
Bloomberg&#8217;s reporting also named Paris Baguette and Great Harvest Bread Co. as exempt from the minimum wage hike. It is unclear whether those companies produce their own bread entirely on the premises.
Flynn <a href="https://fox40.com/news/california-connection/newsom-now-says-panera-bread-is-not-exempt-from-californias-minimum-wage-hike/amp/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> donated $100,000 to Newsom in 2021 to help him fight a recall effort, as well as $64,800 in 2022 for Newsom&#8217;s re-election campaign.
Flynn said that while he opposed the minimum wage bill, he never asked for special treatment.
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“To be clear, at no time did I ask for an exemption or special considerations. In fact, the idea never even occurred to me and I was surprised when the exemption appeared in the final legislation. I also never met with Governor Newsom about this bill, though I did meet with his staff in a group meeting with other restaurant owners,” Flynn <a href="https://fox40.com/news/california-connection/newsom-now-says-panera-bread-is-not-exempt-from-californias-minimum-wage-hike/amp/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>.
Thanks to the law, some fast food will become more expensive in California. McDonalds and Chipotle, which are not exempt from the minimum wage increase, have already <a href="https://ktla.com/news/california/fast-food-in-california-is-about-to-get-more-expensive/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> plans to raise prices.

A Panera Bread Restaurant As Panera Brands Prepares For IPO

Newsom Pushes Back On Pay-To-Play Accusations, Says Panera Is Not Exempt From Minimum Wage Hike

Business

Menu