Just go to Aspen, CO and walk into the McDonald’s. The prices are higher and the workers aren’t making minimum wage. The free market will figure out the correct balance of number of businesses, wages, rent, and prices. It’s only when the government tries to help that you end up with imbalances and hand picked winners and losers. In many respects the single mom getting food stamps, housing assistance, tax credits, and child care making the 7.25 minimum wage is better off than the same person make $18/hr.