"Is it that evil "inflation" or is it that the restaurants are finally paying their workers living wages?"

Companies can't (not won't) pay living wages if the customer is not willing to bear the cost.

And honestly, why does a 16-year-old high school kid need a living wage? Activists demanding that they do will ensure that high school kids are no longer able to get jobs.

To put it differently, mandating that employers pay a living wage ensures that those whose labor value is below that amount are no longer legally employable.

They totally can pay a living wage and not raise prices. Literally prices all over the country and in other countries prove it. See #4.

Hmm. How much time have you spent in Switzerland? I'm guessing none. Feel free to correct me.

"And how many people working there are 16? There are a TON of people working there who are adults and use it as their only source of income. We're talking 30, 40, 50 year olds."

OK. And the labor markets recognize age as being indicative of labor value? Walk me though that.

"And that last line is ridiculous. I can barely think of anyone whose labor value is worth less than a living wage. Maybe special needs individuals?"

Well, you'd need to understand economics to figure this out. You might need to go to college, but I'll try to explain this in a way you can understand.

You have a lawn. You have a driveway. If you don't, you are likely close to someone who does. Lawns require mowing, weeding, landscaping, etc. In winter, driveways require snow removal. The person who owns the lawn and driveways is almost always 100% qualified to do landscaping and clear snow. Most would prefer to pay someone to do it. But if the cost of doing so is sufficiently high that the monetary cost is higher than the time cost, then the people who would have been employed to do these tasks are unemployable.

For $n, I'd pay someone to mow my lawn. If the government mandates that I pay someone >$n for that service, then I will do it myself. And the potential employee gets nothing.

Minimum wage is a two-way street. It tells employers that if they want to employ someone, they must pay $n. It also tells employees that, if their labor is not worth $n, they are not legally employable. Market-wise, your opinions on labor value are irrelevant.