Comment on McDonald’s CEO is grappling with a ‘two-tier economy’ as he slashes prices on value meals—and signals backing for a minimum wage increase

forrgott@lemmy.zip ⁨2⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

• Nougat@fedia.io ⁨2⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

  Over $100K ain't chump change, but that also isn't the line where "upper income" starts.

  https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/heres-minimum-salary-required-be-considered-upper-class-2025

  The Pew Research Center defines upper-income households as having incomes greater than $169,800, based on three-person households. For a household with a single earner and no additional income, that $169,800 is the minimum salary required to be upper class. With two earners, each with the same salary, that minimum would be $84,900 each.

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  • Reyali@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

    And the difference between that level of “upper class” vs the truly wealthy is insane.

    Unless you’re in places like CA or NYC, $170k allows for a very comfortable life. It’s nothing to scoff at and it is absolutely beyond what most people in this country have.

    But when thinking of the “upper class,” I think most people picture lush lives. Mansions, yachts, foreign vacations, private schools, house staff, etc.

    I don’t think most people imagine someone who lives in a nice suburban neighborhood, saves enough money for retirement that they actually expect to retire in their 60s, and takes a modest vacation every year. But that’s closer to what $170k gets you. It’s comfortable and it’s a life most people would kill to have. But it’s a whole lot closer to a stereotyped “middle class” experience than it is to what most people imagine “upper class” to look like.

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    • MajorasTerribleFate@lemmy.zip ⁨2⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

      I was curious how many U.S. households earn at least $170k, and this website responded to asking about 170k by saying that the 80th percentile is $165,068.

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      • yeather@lemmy.ca ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago

        So the top 20%, seems a reasonable metric to consider wealthy.

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    • Zorsith@lemmy.blahaj.zone ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago

      You lost me at “vacation”, like that’s a real thing? (/s)

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  • chunes@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago

    uh there are still loads of people living on like 30k/yr. you 100k people will fucking live

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    • Nougat@fedia.io ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago

      I never suggested otherwise. I was pointing out how disconnected from reality the really “upper income” CEO is.

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    • SoftestSapphic@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago

      The only people you should be concerned about are the ones in the 270k/yr and up tax bracket.

      100k/yr isn’t enough in a lot of places.

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  • DireTech@sh.itjust.works ⁨2⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

    This has gotta be some AI drivel. It even tried to say upper class in San Francisco starts at $69k so unless they’re talking about 1930 this is nonsense.

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