I work at a profitable suburban maccas franchise
Currently we make (in the kitchen):juniors n cheese
quarters n mcoz (they're like feasts or mcdlt)
filet
chicken
macs
bacon deluxe macs
Not including nuggets and pies, that's six different runs of things that all have to be thrown out after fifteen minutes. I worked today and it was fairly quiet so the two managers decided to throw product out on time for once. To keep up with the VERY slow demand we needed two experienced crew, two inexperienced and a manager. This was because we needed six runs every 15 minutes before we ran out of anything, just to stay ahead of the timers. I figure the crew we had today is equivalent to three experienced crew.
When you take into account that we are meant to wash our hands and change gloves every time we change station (for instance going from buns to lay meat), and also that product runs out for some things within the 15 minutes, and also that the kitchen must be kept cleaned and stocked, it becomes pretty obvious (at least i think so) that it is impossible to keep product up legally with fewer than two GREAT crew or three good crew (ie no trainees or 6month old crew) in the kitchen.
At least once a day at my (24 hr) store (from 10pm to 11pm) there is ONE (1) crew member rostered on for cooking in the kitchen, and i can't believe this isn't a widespread practice given that cutting back labour costs is one of the easiest ways to boost profits.
Surely some sort of television programme or newspaper could set up a camera (inside or telephoto lens from outside) to film product sitting in the production bin for WELL over the times imposed by maccas policy.
If this were done at enough stores then mcopco could not claim it was "only franchises" or "only one store". Perhaps more staff would be rostered on even for quiet times.
I would expect that the expense of more workers would be lower wages for all, but i'm already being paid the legal minimum for a 17year old worker in my industry.
It would make a good expose too, surely a lot better than the "look this big mac doesn't look as good as the one in the picture" that i saw on channel nine's "a current affair" last year.
None.
