“They Live in Their Mom’s Basement”: Brooklyn Pizza Shop Owner’s Advice to Teens Demanding ‘Livable Wages’ Divides the Internet

A Brooklyn pizza shop owner’s advice to teenagers demanding livable wages has gone viral. Frank from Paesans Pizza had some thoughts about the current job market, wages, reality, and life that not many agreed with. 

@paesanvideo shared the entrepreneur’s advice on TikTok, generating over 45,000 views and counting. Frank was asked to share his opinions on teenagers working at establishments like Burger King and Hooters, asking for livable wages.

The business owner said, “They live in their mom’s basement, what livable wages?” He told the person recording that he found it amusing to get business advice from people who'd never owned a business. 

Next, he mentioned that there was one factor that controlled what people get paid: the market. To explain his reasoning, Frank shared examples from toll booth workers and a closed-down Hooters. 

According to Frank, toll booth workers originally lacked benefits like a 401(k) and healthcare until a group of them formed a union to secure them. 

As for a closed-down Hooters location, Frank said it failed after minimum wage increases drove up costs. 

Brooklyn Pizza Shop Owner’s Advice to Teens is Work Your Way Up 

Personally, Frank wished the minimum wage were $25 to $30 an hour since that would enable him to charge customers more money for pizza. Personal opinions aside, Frank had some advice for teenagers working entry-level jobs in the food industry. 

He told them the way forward was to start from the bottom, whether that meant doing the dishes or taking out the trash. Ultimately, they needed to prove to their managers that they were worth paying more, while also jumping up in the job ladder. 

Lastly, he said that jobs at fast food restaurants, specifically jobs like cashiers, aren’t meant to feed a family. They’re meant to help you get through things while working your way up through school or college. 

The Internet Was Split Over the Advice

@WallStreetApes shared the TikTok video on X and was viewed over 422,000 times. Many were split over the business owner’s perspective on livable wages. Several commenters argued that pushes for higher minimum wage have worsened economic conditions. 

A user resonating with Frank’s remarks about the design of entry-level jobs said, “Minimum wages were never meant to be careers." The user added, “No one I knew thought the job we got when we were 16 was going to sustain us for life…” 

While many agreed with the pizza shop owner’s statement about minimum wages, others were skeptical about his intent to actually increase it if he had the opportunity. They said, “So if he had an employee that has a mortgage and a family, he’d pay them more? Doubt it.”

Editor's Note: The details above are a reflection of the videos shared by @paesanspizza on TikTok and @WallStreetApes on X. The Daily Dot was unable to independently verify these claims.