Anyone who works in a restaurant has to endure the occasional “mandatory meeting” where your manager will gather you all around to discuss the need for arriving to work on time, the necessity of clean uniforms and the importance of the two-minute check back. Most of the time, these meetings are scheduled at the ungodly time of one-hour before-your-regular-time o’clock and if it happens to be your day off on the day of the meeting, too damn bad. If your manager has a sliver of soul, he or she might show up with a box of donuts to entice you to participate, but most of the time it’s just a cold impersonal meeting that you hope will end quicker than a prostate exam. And you know that moment when they ask if anyone has something they want to discuss? That’s the moment that you hope everyone will just keep their mouths closed because nothing that is ever brought up at one of these meetings ends up being changed. It doesn’t matter though to that one server who always has to raise her hand to complain that the closing crew isn’t doing their share of the sidework and the openers are getting screwed and blah blah, blah. These meetings always have and always will suck.
One of those meeting is happening today at 1:00 and the manager that called the meeting has officially had it. According to the picture that was sent to me, all the cooks and dishwashers are about to get their asses handed to them on a platter and if the sign is any indication, the ass will be half-cooked the platter it’s being served on will be filthy:
“I’m sick and fucking tired of the condition of the kitchen cleanliness and no fucking prep being done. The dish line is fucking disgusting the bathrooms never get cleaned. You guys sit on the server line on your fucking phones and I’m done with it. If your late or not here your fired. I don’t give a shit if you have probation or if your in jail or your car won’t start. I have fucking had it with you people.”
Well, where to start, where to start? This manager is about to have a fucking conniption and his head is about to pop off his shoulders with rage. I imagine there was steam shooting from his ears as he pounded away on his keyboard to print that note. He’s so angry that he forgot the difference between “your” and you’re.” I like how he took the time to highlight the whole sign with a pink marker, because everyone knows that highlighting something means that you really really mean it. And what is up with these cooks and dishwashers who are either in jail or probation? But my main question about this sign is this: who’s going to be cooking the food and washing the dishes at the height of the lunch rush?? This meeting is at 1:00, so hopefully this restaurant is only open for dinner.
I want to send out good positive thoughts to all those cooks and dishwashers who are at that meeting today. Be prepared for the wrath of your manger and you’d better get cracking on cleaning that dump up. Don’t worry about it too much though. We all know that these meetings are just a band-aid for the real problem. Sure, the bathrooms will get cleaned today and the dish line will be a smidgen less disgusting, but in about a week things will go right back to the way they were and you can all go back to the server line and sit on your phones again.
Karma Girl
I like how most of these comments are about the dude’s grammar/spelling. Not that I’m judging or anything. 🙂
Ashley Malagant
#1 Learn to grammar.
#2 You pay them the least amount of money allowed by law. How hard do you expect them to work for it? I’ll give you a hint. They’ll give you minimum work for minimum pay. When you fire them, they’ll go to work next door for the exact same amount of money. I guess that means they get the last laugh, huh?
Rachel Jordan
Excellent comment. Minimum wage is a fucking joke and to expect anyone to bust their ass for a ~$450 a biweekly paycheck is madness
Tina
I agree he misspelled words. He was pissed. Yea he shouldn’t of used so many bad words.
Can you imagine if all restaurants had employees who did this an didn’t keep up with cleanliness!
I for one wouldn’t want to eat there. Can you say salmonella?
They need to do their jobs, and stay off their phones. That’s what breaks are for, unless it is an emergency.
Peggy
Yeah for the manager, I get sick of working with these people. Don’t show up on time and then they pass there work to someone else. They take breaks for smoking and get more breaks than non smokers and thats not fair.
Tina
I agree with you Peggy 100 percent. I’ve worked with a lot of people like that.
Phe
Ok, so let’s set grammar aside here because that’s not really the issue. The issue is a store in complete dis-array. So much so that the manager felt it necessary to use vulgarity while addressing their staff. Which is bare minimum unprofessional, but could also be considered verbal abuse. While your staff may be responsible for completing their assigned tasks each day, it is your responsibility to see to it that your staff is both aware of those tasks and the consequences should they fail to complete them. As a manager it is your duty to set a reasonable workload for EVERY SINGLE EMPLOYEE. That means knowing each job inside and out. How long the assigned tasks take if they’re being done at a reasonable and not break-neck pace. Have you done these tasks personally? Don’t you think you should have a solid grasp of what you’re asking someone to do, before you ask them to do it? Once you have a clear and reasonable standard with which to work from it is then your job “as the manager” to make sure that each employee is performing to the set standard. If you have employees that aren’t working within the realm of what is acceptable then you correct the behavior. If you find that upon repeated correction there is no improvement then you need to ask yourself this question, do I have an employee who is trying? If the answer to that is yes, then maybe consider moving them to a task they can perform better on. If the answer is no, then consider disciplinary action. If after that course is taken there is no improvement then you should probably fire this individual. They are wasting both their time and yours. They are contributing to a stressful work environment that might cause otherwise good employees, to be unable to bear the excess load handed to them. Your employees are only as able to screw up your restaurant as much as you let them. No two people are exactly alike. A good leader knows their employees and strives to give them the tools they need to be successful. You can have an above average worker who performs at a mediocre level if not given what they need to succeed. Your employees will reflect your leadership skills because ultimately they only have to work as hard as you do.
chacha1
Excellent points. My office is having some issues now simply because management people do not know the job descriptions, much less how to execute all the tasks, of the support staffers. In a complex business environment I don’t expect a manager to be able to physically sit down and do every job – but I *do* at least expect a manager to know what the job IS.
Ginger
For the record, the manager misspelled and misused the word “your” instead of “you’re” 3 seperate times.
Duck
And for the record seperate is really spelled separate…;)
Ashley Malagant
You should avoid starting sentences with the word “and”. Also, “winky smiles” aren’t acceptable punctuation.
Karen
Ouch. That hurt … Please have someone edit your writing next time. You cannot lead the masses if you cannot understand proper English language (spelling and grammar included). Don’t feel badly about it though. It is evident to me that MANY managers have little clue when putting anything in writing. Hire someone to fix your mistakes before you make them public. Thanks! (Will edit… for hefty fee…) Much love to you, cranky boss. – Karen
P.S. I’m very glad that I don’t work for you. Fire folks if you need to. Hire decent folks who will do the job they are hired to do. Pay them well. Respect them – both in pubic and privately. Do you? Maybe attend managers’ training?
Quack
As a restaurant manager, I definitely understand their frustration. Could have been worded differently, but sometimes it’s like babysitting, and it gets old really fast.
Ashley Malagant
Minimum work for minimum pay. How hard to you expect them to work for the minimum amount of pay allowed by law? You’re clueless.
Nandi
But if the minimum wage was $15/hr would you be able to say the same thing? “Minimum work for Minimum Wage”
Anonymous
If I worked with him, I would be on the phone with corporate about the five f-bombs and the s-bomb in that sign so fast his pink marker would explode. SO unprofessional, and if that’s all it takes for him to lose it, he needs to not be a restaurant manager.
Schulzie
Let me guess, these are all the people that want to raise minimum wage $15.00 an hour. Earn the s.o.b first. Most people now earning $15.00 started at minimum.
Ashley Malagant
Let me guess, when you pay people the minimum wage allowed by law, don’t expect anything other than the minimum amount of work. Cops start at $15 with the exact same level of education. Statistically speaking, fast food workers also have a more dangerous job. Things that make you go “hmm”.
Anonymous
Pretty sure flipping burgers is not statistically more dangerous than being a cop. Like, at all. Which is why they let 15 year olds do it.
Miranda
As current gm, and sous previously for 8 years, this is the manager’s fault! He/she needs to be on top of theae things daily. For all I know tbey could just really suck too, and in that case…time todo some new hiring! !!!!
Ashley Malagant
The best way to make people take pride in their work is to pay them an amount that makes them want to take pride in their work. If an employer doesn’t want to do that, cool, but don’t think the employees are going to cry any buckets at your frustration. $50 says this restaurant pays them the minimum amount allowed by law. That being the case, there is no fear in losing the job. They can go next door and start working for the competition tomorrow at the same rate of pay. Like anything in life, you get what you pay for.
Jon Roberts
I’m with you Marc. There is no better manager than the one that steps up to the mark, and gets it done. Show the staff how to do it, and get involved pro-actively yourself. No manager should just be standing on the side-lines, barking orders. And yes, I realise most will say “But, I’ve done the hard-yards and I’m in charge now”. So what, getting involved with your staff with the nastier jobs will create a better team environment in the long run. I’ve managed places for over 20 years and still partake in a good cleaning session. So to the workers of this establishment I say “Air some of your own grievances in return, discuss pro-active team approach …. etc,” And as for phones, if they’re out and being used MR MANAGER, earn the respect of your staff. Rant over.
Rony
this manager sounds so frustrated. I feel for him. The work force in general sucks. No longer is the customer always right. Ppl just don’t give a shit. You have wait staff and store clerks mouthing off to ppl because there’s no recourse. If you complain you’re afraid things will get worse.
Bunny
May I please move to the planet you live on? It sounds delightful.
Marc Neermann
Been there all to often at the place I work. His problem is that he and the associate manager don’t do any managing! We have to pick a closer at the end of the shift they won’t. They both love to bark orders and walk around thinking that they look important versus being important and actually helping when it’s needed. Nothing is more shaming than a manager coming out of the dish pit with full hands. Leading by example works but they would rather do as I say not as I do.
I thought the manager I had that micromanaged was bad this is worse at least he was doing some managing
Amanda
I feel sympathy for that manager. I also feel for the staff that actually do the bulk of the work while everyone else is sitting around texting and on FB, etc…
I started taking people’s cell phones away if they are caught on their phone during the shift. It just looks pathetic to guests if the staff is nose down into their phones. If there is an emergency, the employee can ask permission and duck into the back hallway.
That works some times. But it got out of control again so now if someone is caught on their phone, every employee on shift has to turn their phone over. And the offending employee has to go around and collect them.
chacha1
That seems like a very fair policy to me. Let’s face it, unless you are a transplant surgeon, there is pretty much no reason to have your mobile phone turned on all the time. And especially not when you are at your place of employment! It took me years to train my friends & family not to call my cell phone during business hours. I work in an office, and I have a desk phone. Anyone who would really have a legitimate need to call me during business hours has that number. So many of my co-workers have their cell phones out all day long, and I wonder why our management allows it.
Lianne
Michael, kudos to you! I completely agree. If you cant handle the staff, get rid of them or leave
Lianne
Luke, you’re correct. No one who takes their job for granted should be allowed to keep it. That being said, no manager should be allowed to react this way and keep their job. Management jobs are more or less babysitting jobs. You keep the restaurant in check and all or whom come with it. I work for a corporate restaurant and I can tell you right now, that manager would be gone. Frustration is one thing but keeping your composier and proving your seniority comes with the title and pay increase. You think the staff, seeing a note like this, is going to respond better or worse?
mb
composier? is that french for composure?? since we are doing the grammar stuff.
LukeP
Michael.
Bollocks to your comment and bollocks to you. If the staff have not responded in the way that they should have, then of course they should have their asses fired. If the manager has tried everything, which it sounds like they have, then this sounds like the last chance saloon. No chef, server or dishwasher should be allowed to work in the industry if they act like that.
Chanmac
lol 90% of the time in this situation its the manager that’s really at fault…
Learn to lead and by example… Learn to hire better, learn to fire people. Im sure his ass is just as lazy.
Managers #1 problem these days is they don’t know jack about leading. They simply end up being control freaks and follow the pattern of “blame the one below you” since his bosses prob do the same.
Anonymous
The manager’s profanity was waaaaaaay unprofessional…
mike
clearly you are not a manager, or a good one if you agree with the original sign. Michael is spot on and knows what he’s talking about.
FYI: I have 10 years international experience and now run 8 stores and 1200 employees that do a combined top line 50,000,000 USD a year.
Michael
The manager has had it!!!! Well, it is the managers fault for it getting like this in the first place. I have managed several restaurants and bars, and I usually get the job after something like this. The owners wake up and see that the manager is not doing their job correctly, and then blaming it on the employees. The manager should have already fired the poor performers, and made them do their job. To me this sounds like some managers I had hired in the past that just sit on their butt and let the employees do what they want, and only respond when the problem is found out by the owner. Yes the employees should be doing their job, but the manager should make sure that their job is being completed. If I were the owner, I would hire a seasoned manager…..And for this note he posted, that is totally unprofessional, and uncalled for. No one as the right to speak to someone like that.
mike
I agree. Exactly what I was going to say.
sara
I agree. Being a manager in the restaurant business for over 20 years now, You would have never caught me leaving a note or talking like that to my employees…EVER!!!! If the store is filthy, then it got that way because that manager let it get that way, didn’t manage like managers are suppose to do and stay on top of things. That person is a poor, pathetic excuse for a manager and should be fired from their job. Managing with constructive criticism and positive reinforcement will get you a lot further than leaving a note like that Hitler did.
dragonet2
Yes. When I managed people, I would lead by example and show what was needed. And not be afraid to help if they got in the weeds. This person is having a temper tantrum over something that could have been nipped in the bud by a little friendly guidance at the front end of the trouble. What an asshole.
mary
Yep, you’re right! NO-one should be “talked to” in that manner or way!!!
viki
Mandatory meetings are the reason I know my Tazo Cup can hold a full bottle of wine…with a straw…
Anonymous
PocketShots used to be my very best friend.
#ONTHEFLY
USED to be??? Why the past tense?
Anonymous
I work in a bank now. Lol
dan
And
you thought I was bad… lol
leeanne
The difference between * manger and *manager
Brooke
I love you and everything you write, but you cannot make fun of someone using the wrong form of “your/you’re” and then spell manager “manger.” So please, if grammar is going to be part of your critique, use spell check before posting.
Also- you’re right, these meetings totally suck and I feel for those people getting their asses handed to them today.
Mark W
Misspell something once (manger), it’s a typo. Misspell the same word twice in the sentence (your), it’s ignorance/stupidity.
Zombra
Um … the manager in question only misspelled “you’re” once. The second “your” was correct. You’re welcome. 🙂
quack
Actually he misspelled it three times.. ‘Your late’, ‘your fired’ and ‘your in jail’.
C. Malcom
You’re correct! 3 times.
C. Malcom
Actually he used the incorrect “your” instead of “you’re” twice. Not once.
It would in fact be… “if you’re late” and “if you’re in jail” as the words YOU ARE can replace the conjunction.
I mean, if YOU’RE going to be a grammar Nazi at least be accurate.
YOU’RE Welcome.
Bunny
This is what happens when you use the cheeky “You’re welcome! :)” without being absolutely sure of what you’re saying. So awkward.
Ginger
For the record, the manager misspelled and misused the word “your” instead of “you’re” 3 seperate times.
bernie trenary
Always remember, separate has “A RAT” in it! Trust me, you’ll NEVER AGAIN forget how to spell “separate”!
Chanmac
One would assume a manager has some kind of “edumacation” so this is obviously what he is poking at.
However your post(Spelling Police)I find just as annoying as douchebag managers; if not more so.
Bunny
BW, stop the blog; Chanmac doesn’t enjoy what he’s voluntarily reading. It’s all over, and it’s been a great run.
The Bitchy Waiter
Corrected. Thank you. My excuse is that I was hung over as fuck when I wrote it. What was his?
SlumSlut
I thought “manger” was a Freudian pun.
Brooke
Good call. I was hungover when I read it. I feel for you.
Work at a Bistro...In the Mall
Spell check won’t find “manger,” as it is an actual word. Maybe rereading manually is the answer?
Damn kids of this computer generation…..