I ate at a McDonald's last night. The food was very good, and most of the staff conducted themselves as they should. However, there was one employee there who was on his break or it wasn't time for him to clock in yet, in which I'm sure the manager had a good conversation with after I finished and left. It was unusually slow for a Saturday night. Anyway, I guess a friend of his brought him to work, and they were engaged in horseplay all throughout the dining area. I swear to God they were running around and chasing each other, and taking mock swings at each other. I also heard the word "fuck" from both of them quite a bit. Before you say "Hey! They're young! Whaddya expect?!", stop and think for a moment. I'm not saying the kid should be fired, and he may very well do a good job, but this isn't good for a store's image. If I was the manager there, I would have a talk with him in private, and tell him this is going to stop from this minute forward. Which I'm sure the manager did after I got in the truck and left. The manager seemed to be on the ball and take his job seriously.
Another thing. I know he only intended the following as a joke, but that doesn't excuse it: He told the young lady working the register "Clock me in!" When she said "No way!" he said "Bitch!" I'm not joking!!! He was at that point advised by either his friend or the manager that there was a customer (me) present. I would also have, and I'm sure the manager did, had this guy apologise to this lady for that. I would also have told him that this technically constitutes verbal abuse and she could file a complaint on him or legally sue the store. An important reminder for him to carry in the near future when he has a full time job at a major office somewhere.
To close, I can't help but wonder if some of the employees who are on the union bandwagon and/or are bitching about the "mean, strict" managers were chastised for conduct similar to the above, or advised on several occasions to "stop the horesplay and get on that grill! We have CUSTOMERS waiting!" You may say I'm assuming here, but again I have overheard a manager or supervisor tell one fast food employee "I want you on that grill NOW!!!" at least twice!!
I might get a lot of flack for posting this, but consider this an account from an unbiased observer. Btw, I had 2 Double Quarters there. On the second one, I asked them to delete the ketchup and keep everything else, ...and they did! It didn't take long at all either! Just a thought for all of you whining about the "stupid, goddam customers" and their "fucking special orders".
Yours truly, Mike.
