RIPLEY, N.Y. — Meeder’s, a cozy diner nestled in New York’s southwest corner, has seen its labor bill skyrocket in recent years amid steady increases in the state’s minimum wage.

To cover the costs, its owners have lifted menu prices and bought new equipment, including a mixer that allows them to churn out their 26 varieties of pie more efficiently. But with business booming, they have avoided laying off workers or cutting back on hours.

As the federal push for a $15 minimum wage gains momentum, local examples offer insight into how a hefty wage increase might work and whether concerns that higher pay could lead to job or income losses for vulnerable workers are justified.

Unemployment is at a half-century low, yet wage growth remains moderate and inflation is muted, making this a unique — and potentially optimal — environment in which to test higher wage floors.