Fast-food workers in cities across the USA have gone on strike in support of higher wages.
They are hoping to build public support to raise the federal minimum wage of $7.25 – about $15,000 – for full-time work.
In New York City, about 100 protesters carrying signs, blowing whistles and beating drums marched into a McDonald’s at around 6.30am. One startled customer grabbed his food and fled as they flooded the restaurant, while another did not look up from eating and reading amid their chants of “We can’t survive on 7.25!”.
Community leaders took turns giving speeches for about 15 minutes until the police arrived and ordered protesters out of the store.
Tyeisha Batts, a 27-year-old employee at Burger King, was among those taking part in the demonstrations planned throughout the day in New York City. She said she has been working at the location for about seven months and earns $7.25 an hour.
She said she has not been retaliated against but that the manager warned that employees who did not arrive on time would be turned away for their shifts.
Ms Batts said she can get only between 10 and 20 hours of work a week because her employers do not want her to qualify as a full-time employee.
The fast-food industry competes aggressively on low prices and companies have warned that they would need to raise prices if wages were hiked.
Most fast-food outlets are owned and operated by franchisees, which lets companies such as McDonald’s and Burger King say they do not control pay.
But labour advocates have pointed out that companies control many other aspects of the operations through their franchise agreements, including menus, suppliers and equipment.