Pepperdine and Beacon Economics Survey Finds Los Angeles City’s Fast Food Workers Strongly Oppose Mandatory In-Person Training Requirements Under Consideration by LA City Council
LOS ANGELES, CA – Pepperdine University’s School of Public Policy, in partnership with Beacon Economics, has released a new survey that finds fast food workers strongly oppose the training requirements under consideration by the Los Angeles City Council.
Beacon surveyed a randomized sample of 1,246 fast food workers across Los Angeles County, including a subsample of 800 fast food workers in the City of Los Angeles, to assess worker experiences with existing workplace training and their preferences for training length, training mode (in-person or virtual), and who conducts the training.
The survey found that a strong majority (70.6%) of workers oppose a 6-hour, in person training administered by a third party. Instead, the findings suggest that training policies emphasizing flexibility, accessibility, shorter training formats, and privacy protections are more aligned with the preferences and practical realities of the fast food workforce.
Key Findings Include:
- Most workers prefer shorter training formats: A plurality of workers (40.2%) prefer 1–2 hour trainings, and an additional 27.1% prefer 2–3 hour trainings, while relatively few prefer longer formats such as four hours (14.7%) or five or more hours (5.4%).
- Fast-food workers strongly prefer flexible, online training formats: A strong majority (76.5%) would choose an online option.
- Fast food workers report substantially greater trust in employer-linked training providers than in government agencies or external organizations: 71% prefer their employer or an employer-selected trainer to conduct the training.
- A large majority of workers are concerned about sharing personal information with outside organizations: Nearly 75% of respondents report concern about sharing personal information with outside organizations.
- Online training is both preferred and readily understood by workers: Most workers report being comfortable using digital devices, with 78.7% indicating they are confident completing training electronically, including 52.5% who report being very confident.
- Flexibility is a central consideration for workers: A large majority (83.8%) report that flexibility in when and how training is completed is important.
“As the Los Angeles City Council considers expanding workplace training requirements for fast food workers, understanding the experiences and preferences of these workers is crucial to evaluating whether the proposals align with the needs and realities of the workforce they are intended to serve,” said Stafford Nichols, Research Manager at Beacon Economics. “The empirical evidence is quite clear...workers do not want long, in-person trainings, and express significant concerns about sharing personal information with third parties.”
“At Pepperdine, we emphasize the importance of keeping the ‘public’ in ‘public policy,’ which means an essential element of good policymaking is listening to the voices that make up the communities we serve,” said Pete Peterson, Dean of the Pepperdine School of Public Policy. “This study does just that, bringing collective insights to the table so our leaders can make the best possible decisions.”
This study was supported by the California Alliance of Family Owned Businesses and the McDonalds’s Corporation. Beacon Economics independently designed and administered the survey methodology and analysis.
For access to the full survey and more information about Pepperdine University’s School of Public Policy and Beacon Economics, please visit the Alternative Viewpoints on California Policy webpage.
About Pepperdine School of Public Policy
The School of Public Policy (SPP) is built on a distinctive philosophy of nurturing public leaders to use tools of analysis and policy design to effect real change. Grounded in understanding policy's moral and distinctly American elements, SPP prepares graduates for careers as leaders by offering a master’s degree in public policy and three joint-degree programs. The school’s Davenport Institute for Public Engagement and Civic Leadership promotes citizen participation in governance through major conferences, trainings, seminars, and published research. Follow SPP on Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
About Beacon Economics, LLC
Beacon Economics, LLC is a non-partisan, independent research and consulting firm dedicated to delivering accurate, insightful, and objectively-based economic analysis that enables its clients to make informed decisions about investment, growth, revenue, and policy. The company is based in Los Angeles and is certified as a Small Business Enterprise (SBE) within the state of California. Learn more at www.BeaconEcon.com.
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