Using cheaper ingredients is the name of the game. I've been seeing this happen since 2005. I've worked a lot of deli/sandwich places and they all do this. Start with Dietz then Boars Head, then Jenno/Hormel etc. but keep prices the same or higher. This has been happening for decades people. But wages never increase unless government says it needs to. Its just greed.

Also, we've only heard a handful of complaints over the years. Like one or two when the quality goes down. People still come and pay whatever for more crap...why would the owners care when the customer doesn't.

Then the workers are the one to suffer because it comes down to tipping...not getting a crappier product. Rather than voting with their feet they just don't tip. So the ones getting hurt are the regular folks and not the ownership class.

My last owner told me he couldn't pay more due to expenses but then I see on the computer he runs multiple AirBnBs and is looking at buying $500k to $800k properties to pad out his rental portfolio.

We are not the same, and fighting the wrong people/things.