[dmode]

I didn't grow up in the US, but is this because parenting changed around this time ? Where I grew up, we would hear stories about kids in the US leaving their homes at 15 and trying to figure things out. But when I moved here, i have never seen it. All the families I know take good care of their kids throughout college and even after. So there is no need for them to work at low paying fast food jobs. Their parents can cover their expenses. Savvier parents are even investing their kids future by helping them build startups, participating in hackathons etc. Far cry from a job at McDonad's.

[wavefunction]

Given your description of folks here in the US (which is positive and flattering) I think you're overlooking most of the population of the country, for which your description of college or building startups is not true.

[dmode]

I was referring specifically to what OP was hinting at - changing demographic at fast food stores in wealthy areas.

[pasquinelli]

Well, really the seem to be talking about an area that became more wealthy, right?

[DrScump]

  we would hear stories about kids in the US leaving their homes at 15 and trying to figure things out

I think that's a pre-WW2 concept at best. With the advent of child labor laws, a child has restraints on numbers of hours and time of day, especially during the school year.

When I was 16, we needed school-issued Work Permits to work at all and were limited to 4 hour shifts on "school nights" with a 10PM limit.