Heidi Mann, who with her husband owns a Subway franchise in Seattle near the Shoreline border, said she had seven employees, including her husband, two years ago. But she’s gradually had to let four of them go and is down to one full-timer, one part-timer and her husband, who’s working 60 hours a week and likely to take on more hours soon, she said.
Because she’s a franchisee, her Subway is considered a big business and must pay $15 an hour. “That’s why our prices are higher than the Subway in Shoreline or the mom-and-pop shop down the street,” Mann said.
She raised the prices of sandwiches an average of 86 cents to help offset the minimum wage boost, and said she’s lost customers because of the increases.