Advocates behind these campaigns, like the New York-based Restaurant Opportunities Centers United and the One Fair Wage campaign, are hoping that angry workers will mobilize to push through changes and that the owners may be willing to rethink business models.

Proposed by Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy, the five-year pilot program is intended to help with the cost of daycare and other expenses and replace wages for new parents who take a leave of absence from their jobs.

Only a small number of large companies have tied executive compensation to goals for hiring and promotion of workers from underrepresented groups.

It is still unclear how many students will return to college campuses this fall, but for those who do, mealtime will change dramatically.