Not sure if coffee and snacks will get through TSA! Coffee surely won't and snacks are discovered in carryon they are taken out and searched.

This is likely to be a big problem with those on long flights that do not have food service or have long delays to their flights. Imagine not being able to buy food and drink for several hours and TSA confiscating any. Not good.

"...Vivien, who has worked at the airport for a decade, and holds two jobs. She said one pizza and one drink at Pie Five Pizza, where she works, costs $21.46, while her hourly pay is $17.65."

^ As a standard business model, one's hourly pay should generate at least 10 times that amount in revenue within the same timespan.

Realistically, not every food/beverage sale Vivian rings up is $21.46...some might be higher while others are lower.

$17.65 is a reasonable hourly wage given her job duties + it is $2.00 above the minimum wage.

Speaking as an MBA student, it is imperative to keep operating costs down to ensure a sound corporate profit margin...one which will satisfy stockholders and provide capital for future expansion efforts.

The employees are essentially replaceable worker bees and as a result, there are always job openings for such positions

Advanced training/skills and/or higher education levels represent the constructive path to higher pay and position.

One exception...college graduates who majored in 'soft subjects' (i.e. the humanities) and are now working in jobs such as Starbucks 'partners'.

There is no need to attend college if all it leads to is a menial job and the same pay as a non-college graduate.

The business world exists to promote profits, not humanity.

When traveling by air, we bring our own food as airplane meals leave much to be desired.

As for the 'underpaid' food service vendors at SFO...considering the job skills involved, $17.65/hour isn't a bad wage when one includes the proceeds from the tip jar.

Everyone wants to make more money regardless of their job. It's only natural.

My grandson who majored in a useless subject (Russian Literature) while in college now works as a 'partner' at Starbucks and is clamoring about the emerging unionization efforts currently underway.

If the union efforts are successful, we will be paying $12.00+ for a cup of coffee merely to sustain the masses of undereducated workers and overeducated 'barristas' with useless college degrees.

Is this where we are headed?

Buy a Keurig.

Please don't buy a Keurig.

Keurig = plastic waste.

"Please don't buy a Keurig."

"Keurig = plastic waste."

WRONG...just don't use or buy the disposable pods.

We use a refillable pod on our Keurig...cheaper + a broader choice of coffee.

Wages & salary should be relative to one's actual job skills.

Being a Starbucks 'partner' requires some basic training but both college educated & non-college educated employees seem to pick up the required job duties quite quickly.

Compared to the job skills required of a heavy-equipment operator, automotive/aeronautical technician, doctor/dentist etc. anyone can brew/pour coffee or slap together a deli sandwich.

As a result, most food service workers should be paid less than those in a highly skilled profession.

The only exception might be some city and county administrative employees.