...
By Taylor McCloud
Staff Writer
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
Commenters were irate after one restaurant employee said they were the target of multiple insults and racial slurs in a viral internet post.
In a Reddit post titled, "Manager backpedals after I quit," Redditor u/BeThereNever explained how a customer complaint led to them quitting their job and evading their manager's attempts to stop them from leaving. Published in Reddit's popular r/antiwork forum, the viral post has received 12,000 votes (99 percent upvotes) in the last day.
Describing their former place of employment as a "pretty busy place," u/BeThereNever said the restaurant's staff is great, but expressed their disdain for its manager.
Read More
Internet Supports Worker Who Asked for $1 More an Hour, Had Offer Withdrawn: ‘WTF’4 min read
Dollar Tree Store Closed After Lone Manager Announces ‘I’ve Quit’ on Door Sign3 min read
‘I Can’t Afford A Lot Of Food’: Internet Drags Boss For Calling Out ‘Skinny’ Employee4 min read
During a recent shift, the Redditor said the restaurant was particularly busy, and that their manager's incompetence was forcing them to work "10x harder to get half as much done." As service slowed and patrons began to get upset, u/BeThereNever said that a customer sent their food back—infuriating the restaurant's manager.
"Customers are getting upset at me and one customer sends back a plate because her steak is literally raw," they wrote, adding that the steak was "literally ice cold."
"[My] manager blows up and starts saying it's my fault, screams in my face, swearing at me. Completely publicly," u/BeThereNever wrote. "She drops a few racial slurs... so I tell her I quit."
During the last year, American workers have quit their jobs at unseen rates. Driving the mass-quitting phenomenon dubbed the "Great Resignation," mistreated and underpaid employees across the country are leaving their jobs in droves, in search of better working conditions and better wages.
...
In a release published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics earlier this month, it was reported that in November, 2021, 4.5 million Americans quit their jobs—more than any other month during the Great Resignation. Of those 4.5 million people, Business Insider reported that nearly a quarter—1 million—were restaurant and hotel workers.
While a myriad of issues plague both restaurant and hotel employees, low wages are to blame for the recent spike in quits and supposed labor shortages. Although the federal minimum wage for hourly workers is $7.25, the federal minimum wage for hourly workers who receive tips is just $2.13.
States like Arizona, Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey and a handful of others require employers of tipped employees to pay more than $2.13, but many states enforce the federal minimum wage, preventing many restaurant and hotel employees from making enough money to make ends meet.
However, u/BeThereNever said their decision to quit did not involve money and detailed their manager's unsuccessful attempts to stop them from quitting.
"She immediately changed her tune," they wrote, describing the moments after they quit. "It was kinda funny. She asks 'what would it take for you to not quit?'"
The Redditor's response? Higher wages and no further contact.
"$20/hr and to never work a shift with you again," they told their manager.
In the viral post's top comment, which has received more than 5,000 votes, Redditor u/Pixelosophy took aim at the restaurant manager and praised the original poster for standing up for themselves.
"OH NO. MY ACTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES," they wrote, mocking the manager.
"Good for you," they told u/BeThereNever.
Citing the manager's alleged use of multiple racial slurs, many Redditors encouraged the original poster to consider taking legal action against the restaurant.
"If she used racial slurs in front of customers, I'd track them down and depose them for a suit against your former employer," Redditor u/swampcat42 advised.
Amid a sea of commenters offering advice to u/BeThereNever and eviscerating their former manager, the Redditor responded to numerous comments and provided additional context for their willingness to quit their job.
Explaining that they don't "need" the money they were making at the restaurant, u/BeThereNever said they plan to decline any potential reconciliation offers from the restaurant, even if their manager is willing to meet their hourly wage demands.
"Even if she offers me that, and I doubt she will," they wrote. "I'll still decline it."
"Not worth it," they added.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines