The year is 2054. Minimum wage is still $7.25. A soft taco costs $50. Taco Bell is having its annual state of the union.
“We got a big surprise for all Taco Bell fans!” says the reanimated corpse of Marcus Crassus, who now serves as CEO. He rubs his hands together as he grins. “We’re bringing back nacho fries!”
The crowd, which is largely made up of extremely wealthy looking investors and AI-fueled robotic journalists, goes so wild that some people start foaming at the mouth.
Marcus waits 10 minutes for the uproar to die down before tapping the mic a few times. He closes his eyes, grins harder, and raises his hand slightly. “… For the low, low price of $75 a serving!”
Paramedics rush in as several investors go into cardiac arrest from sheer excitement. The excitement in the room is so overwhelming that it was rumored people 100 miles away the San Francisco fentanyl dome could hear it.
Thousands of miles away, two emaciated parents and their child watch a stream of the event on their extremely outdated iPhone 40s. The father begins to weep.
“One day…” he pauses as he wipes away a tear running down his cheek. “One day, we will get to taste those salty fries and liquid cheese again.” He walks over to the fridge, nearly tripping over an eviction notice letter stating he owed two months of rent (approximately $1,200,000). “Tonight, though, we have this.” He pulls out a can of cold cat food.
