After New Owners Took Over A Fast Food Restaurant, Their Whole Staff Walked Out Leaving A Brutal Note Behind
Last week the customers who stopped by Circleville’s Sonic burger place were greeted with a warning put up on the door. Apparently, the place was left empty, with doors locked and lights on as all of the staff have walked out. The only thing they left behind was a handwritten note addressed to the customers which stated that due to terrible treatment from the new management, the whole staff has quit.
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Turns out that this place wasn’t the only which was forced to make such difficult decisions. Both Grove City’s and Lancaster’s Sonic staff did the same thing. One of those locations had notes saying “thank you, next” and “goodbye”.
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An anonymous source told Sciotopost that the new management reduced their wages to $4 per hour, plus tips. However, Sonic communications manager Kyle Lankford told MUNCHIES, that there were no pay cuts. “No wage rates at any level have decreased in this transition. Of course, Sonic carhops often receive tips in addition to their wages, ” he said.
The note reads: “Warning, due to terrible management the whole store has quit. The company has been sold to people that don’t give a f*** about anyone but themselves. Sorry for the inconvenience, but our team refuses to work for a company that treats their employees like they are s*** when they have put everything into this story. We have worked too hard for too long. We are all off to better things. So to the new owners f*** you! Sincerely Ex Sonic crew
It has been reported that 8 Sonic location reopened on Monday with a new staff, and two have been permanently closed. A Sonic spokesperson made a statement saying: “Under new management, guests and the community can look forward to improved service and the famous food, beverages and treats for which Sonic is known. Employees working for the local drive-in can look forward to fun, fast-paced work on which they can build a career, if they choose. Most current employees will have the opportunity to continue to work at the drive-in under the new ownership.”
Here’s how people reacted to the note
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What is the point of having minimum wage if you don't actually have to pay it to your employees?
It varies Some states require minimum wage for tipped employees. Others set a much lower minimum--it can be in the just-over $2 range and assume the tips make up the rest. That should not be allowed. I wonder if customers realize they are actually tipping the employer so he can use the tips as part of the basic wage.
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Good for them for standing up for themselves! It can be a scary thing sometimes.
This motivates me to tip fast food employees more.
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I am reading a lot of people make comments about how the workers hold the power. If that were true, why did they open the next day with a complete new staff. Instead of having mediation with the staff and increasing their pay to an amount that is able to be agreed upon by both sides.
And this folks is why a separate, lower, minimum wage should NOT exist for wait staff. They deserve real paychecks just like everyone else.
Legally they have to pay them min wage. Even if they are getting tips, if it is less than min wage, they have to make up the difference
Correct, that is the law. But many businesses, especially franchise owners (who don't inform corporate they're doing it) and mom & pop places either ignore that part of the law, or don't realize it exists.
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We had a convenience store near to where I live that was bought by a family of Pakistanis; they fired all of the staff and gave the jobs to their family members ( big family ). The whole local community boycotted the store and it went bust within a few months- it's now a completely different business and the family left town.
Turns out there was an update to this reported by CBS. "Sonic confirmed that employees had walked off their jobs at the three restaurants the night of Friday, Feb. 22, but blamed the impromptu protests on a misunderstanding that spread ahead of a change in ownership on Monday, Feb. 25, from a franchisee to Sonic's operating affiliate, SRI Holdings. Workers were reportedly led to believe that their hourly wages were being cut to $4 an hour plus tips, which would be a drastic drop from the $8.55 an hour minimum paid to non-tipped workers in Ohio. The minimum for tipped workers in the state is $4.30 an hour. "Whatever hourly rate they were making last week, they are making this week," a spokesperson for Sonic told CBS MoneyWatch. All Sonic workers in the state earn at least the non-tipped minimum wage, with tips given to car hops at its restaurants coming in addition to that, said the spokesperson, who blamed a disgruntled manager who lost their job in the transition for spreading rumors.
I have seen that happen before. Ridiculous to leave a job because of rumor
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Here in France, fast food employees have our minimum wage (10.03€ per hour), and it's ILLEGAL to pay them less than that. But they don't have tips. If they do, they have to give them to the managers. And you'll never see those again.
In restaurants and bars, it's the minimum wage too. But there's no requirements about what's to be left as a tip, so usually it varies from 20ct to 2€ per person. Except in palace hotels where you can easily have 90€ tip per client or table.
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Workers of the world unite, you have nothing to lose but your chains!
To clarify, tipped employees are only supplemented the deficit they lack from making the state minimum wage for hours worked in most companies. It's how they get away with paying little to nothing. If the employee is technically making $10/hr with their tips and the state minimum is $12/hr, the company kicks in $2 to bring their pay up to the state minimum. It's disgusting how that works, but it's not something that will change anytime soon. Some companies require mandatory "tip out" to other staff from the collected tips around an average of 15% - 20%. Having been on both sides of the restaurant staff, kitchen and service, it sucks all around.
I didn't realize Sonic workers were only getting 'tipped' minimum wage...I'll have to remember to tip when I eat there.
Unfortunately this is basically click bait now, OP should fact check or update. The articles broke and were quickly corrected. The walkout was because of a rumor surrounding pay cuts spread by a disgruntled manager. The official statement: "No wage rates at any level decreased in this transition, although SONIC carhops often receive tips in addition to their wages. Additionally, with the ownership change employees may now have their paycheck direct deposited and general managers are now eligible for a new bonus program. SRI has increased the total number of employees at the eight drive-ins in the Columbus market and will continue to invest in employees, technology and infrastructure at these drive-ins in order to deliver outstanding guest service." https://www.fastcompany.com/90313451/ohio-sonic-drive-in-staff-quit-after-wages-were-reportedly-reduced-to-4-hour
Great stuff, the owners need us more than we need them and the sooner they realise this the better. How is can it be fair that the workers do all the work, are the public face of the company yet get treated like they are worthless while some faceless investors reap the rewards the staff worked for? Time for real change so the workers are put first
Good for them! Their experience brings new meaning to the company's slogan (from their TV commercials with two guys eating Sonic's food in a car) "This is how you Sonic."
Tips adding up to the minimum is illegal. Minimum wage is the base pay + tips. These ex-employees should sue.
This was at a Sonic burger joint. There's no way the workers would make enough in wages and tips to make $60,000 per year.
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They wrote it quickly on their way out... I'm sure they could care less bout grammar or spelling or their penmanship.
Load More Replies... What is the point of having minimum wage if you don't actually have to pay it to your employees?
It varies Some states require minimum wage for tipped employees. Others set a much lower minimum--it can be in the just-over $2 range and assume the tips make up the rest. That should not be allowed. I wonder if customers realize they are actually tipping the employer so he can use the tips as part of the basic wage.
Load More Replies... Good for them for standing up for themselves! It can be a scary thing sometimes.
This motivates me to tip fast food employees more.
Load More Replies... I am reading a lot of people make comments about how the workers hold the power. If that were true, why did they open the next day with a complete new staff. Instead of having mediation with the staff and increasing their pay to an amount that is able to be agreed upon by both sides.
And this folks is why a separate, lower, minimum wage should NOT exist for wait staff. They deserve real paychecks just like everyone else.
Legally they have to pay them min wage. Even if they are getting tips, if it is less than min wage, they have to make up the difference
Correct, that is the law. But many businesses, especially franchise owners (who don't inform corporate they're doing it) and mom & pop places either ignore that part of the law, or don't realize it exists.
Load More Replies... We had a convenience store near to where I live that was bought by a family of Pakistanis; they fired all of the staff and gave the jobs to their family members ( big family ). The whole local community boycotted the store and it went bust within a few months- it's now a completely different business and the family left town.
Turns out there was an update to this reported by CBS. "Sonic confirmed that employees had walked off their jobs at the three restaurants the night of Friday, Feb. 22, but blamed the impromptu protests on a misunderstanding that spread ahead of a change in ownership on Monday, Feb. 25, from a franchisee to Sonic's operating affiliate, SRI Holdings. Workers were reportedly led to believe that their hourly wages were being cut to $4 an hour plus tips, which would be a drastic drop from the $8.55 an hour minimum paid to non-tipped workers in Ohio. The minimum for tipped workers in the state is $4.30 an hour. "Whatever hourly rate they were making last week, they are making this week," a spokesperson for Sonic told CBS MoneyWatch. All Sonic workers in the state earn at least the non-tipped minimum wage, with tips given to car hops at its restaurants coming in addition to that, said the spokesperson, who blamed a disgruntled manager who lost their job in the transition for spreading rumors.
I have seen that happen before. Ridiculous to leave a job because of rumor
Load More Replies... Here in France, fast food employees have our minimum wage (10.03€ per hour), and it's ILLEGAL to pay them less than that. But they don't have tips. If they do, they have to give them to the managers. And you'll never see those again.
In restaurants and bars, it's the minimum wage too. But there's no requirements about what's to be left as a tip, so usually it varies from 20ct to 2€ per person. Except in palace hotels where you can easily have 90€ tip per client or table.
Load More Replies... Workers of the world unite, you have nothing to lose but your chains!
To clarify, tipped employees are only supplemented the deficit they lack from making the state minimum wage for hours worked in most companies. It's how they get away with paying little to nothing. If the employee is technically making $10/hr with their tips and the state minimum is $12/hr, the company kicks in $2 to bring their pay up to the state minimum. It's disgusting how that works, but it's not something that will change anytime soon. Some companies require mandatory "tip out" to other staff from the collected tips around an average of 15% - 20%. Having been on both sides of the restaurant staff, kitchen and service, it sucks all around.
I didn't realize Sonic workers were only getting 'tipped' minimum wage...I'll have to remember to tip when I eat there.
Unfortunately this is basically click bait now, OP should fact check or update. The articles broke and were quickly corrected. The walkout was because of a rumor surrounding pay cuts spread by a disgruntled manager. The official statement: "No wage rates at any level decreased in this transition, although SONIC carhops often receive tips in addition to their wages. Additionally, with the ownership change employees may now have their paycheck direct deposited and general managers are now eligible for a new bonus program. SRI has increased the total number of employees at the eight drive-ins in the Columbus market and will continue to invest in employees, technology and infrastructure at these drive-ins in order to deliver outstanding guest service." https://www.fastcompany.com/90313451/ohio-sonic-drive-in-staff-quit-after-wages-were-reportedly-reduced-to-4-hour
Great stuff, the owners need us more than we need them and the sooner they realise this the better. How is can it be fair that the workers do all the work, are the public face of the company yet get treated like they are worthless while some faceless investors reap the rewards the staff worked for? Time for real change so the workers are put first
Good for them! Their experience brings new meaning to the company's slogan (from their TV commercials with two guys eating Sonic's food in a car) "This is how you Sonic."
Tips adding up to the minimum is illegal. Minimum wage is the base pay + tips. These ex-employees should sue.
This was at a Sonic burger joint. There's no way the workers would make enough in wages and tips to make $60,000 per year.
Load More Replies... They wrote it quickly on their way out... I'm sure they could care less bout grammar or spelling or their penmanship.
Load More Replies...
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