> We forget about the veritable sea of average workers underneath us on the income scale.
If you ever need a reminder, hang around a McDonald's in the early morning and watch the number and kind of people that are obviously eating it every day.
That was one of the most shocking things about NYC for me, coming from another country.
I wouldn't jump to conclusions that it is due to income. There are many other reasons why that might be the case, such as convenience. It's the Starbucks, Duane Reade, Chase, etc. model of retail -- put one every 2 blocks, sometimes on the same block across the street -- because people are lazy and will go somewhere convenient, even if it isn't in their best interests. If people were truly concerned about budget, they would cook at home and not pay McDonalds to cook their food. (http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/09/12/does-cooking-at-ho...)
If you ever need a reminder, hang around a McDonald's in the early morning and watch the number and kind of people that are obviously eating it every day.
That was one of the most shocking things about NYC for me, coming from another country.