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Restaurant workers quit at record rate

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Re: Restaurant workers quit at record rate

#411

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sure but this goes beyond restaurants in my opinion. Look at these states that had mass migration of people during the pandemic. You will find the (big) sky-rocketing cost of living where those who are moving in on a whim are also not seeking jobs in the state. However all these businesses need employees to handle the new increase in customers. The employers aren’t raising their wages either, which is also not attrac…

The local DQ sign says $16/hr all positions, so yeah I think they are.

[deleted]

Re: Restaurant workers quit at record rate

#412

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Customer entitlement is out of control It's not just customer entitlement. It's been a steadily rising thing throughout society for my whole life. People are less and less willing to accept responsibility for their choices, and more and more it's always someone else's fault. For example, a person who chose to go $300,000 into debt to go to Columbia film school, where the starting salary upon graduating is $30,000,…

But in that example, Columbia made students big promises that it simply couldn’t deliver. It’s more like a deeply dishonest salesman than a hapless waiter who gets your order wrong. From James Stoteraux: > Many of the students in my class who didn’t turn their degrees into industry success were insanely talented, but Columbia traded on its reputation to sell them big dreams that it could never deliver. > During my 2n…

> scam

There is a legal concept called "due diligence" where a party to a contract is expected to take reasonable steps to know what they're doing.

Googling "starting salaries for [my major]" is a very, very low bar for due diligence.

The posts in this thread absolving the student from making any effort whatsoever at due diligence is illustrative of the point I was making.

Re: Restaurant workers quit at record rate

#413

Wages/insurance/tips are an ongoing concern of food service work, but I want to set that aside and talk about the other half of the article. Customer entitlement is out of control and anybody who works with the general public will tell you it’s gotten even worse since the pandemic—and it wasn’t trending in the right direction before. Flight attendants, park rangers, government clerks, the anecdotes are everywhere, in…

My opinion is it's due to the growing inequality. Folks have almost zero support, and the past year has probably hammered that in more than ever.

Re: Restaurant workers quit at record rate

#414
post #40

> rude customers, whose abuses restaurant staff are often forced to tolerate Service workers in general, I'd love it if more managers and companies would support front line workers in refusing service. The customer is not always right. People should not have to put up with literal abuse. The Alamo Drafthouse theater is famously known for kicking someone out who was using their cell phone and other customers appreciat…

While this is absolutely true, it would also make the job very stressful (and potentially dangerous) if front-line staff, or any staff really, has to eject people on a regular basis. I definitely wouldn’t want to do it, the people who you’d be refusing service to would be the worst of the worst and likely not take it well.

We obligated minimum wage service to do mask enforcement, and it got a lot of them assaulted and murdered.

Re: Restaurant workers quit at record rate

#415
post #33

I worked a long, long time in the food service industry and it was the tipping that drove me away. I just could not smile and bear it anymore. I never got angry at a customer, never lost my cool in front of them, and did my best to be polite and humble, but it just wore me out. I felt like every day I was begging, hoping for them to like me so I could pay rent. If I didn't have to worry about that I could do the job…

I've literally never tipped anyone less than 20%. Tipping might be a terrible practice, but to me it's an unwritten contract that since I'm accepting service from you, I'm going to tip at least the standard amount. I'm in a pretty privileged position now but this was the case when I was living on poverty wages as well. I just can't imagine telling someone "you don't deserve to be paid for the service you offered me today." I can't believe anyone is comfortable with that notion, but I suppose it's probably more out of apathy than spite.

Re: Restaurant workers quit at record rate

#416

Earlier quoted context omitted.

On the other hand, for those who go out of their way to be nice to service workers, it's fun.

Yup. It's nice being able to get a table when there aren't any open; be nice, and people are nice.

One thing one learns in getting older is how well being nice works.

Re: Restaurant workers quit at record rate

#417
post #326

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The employers aren’t raising their wages either They are. It takes time but they are. I work in a business that is having a hard time hiring entry level healthcare workers because Walmart and Amazon warehoueses is now paying $15-20/hr when it was only $12 pre-covid. Walmart and Amazon would only raise wages if they truly had a labor supply issue, which they do, we all do.

I'm curious where in the US are healthcare workers getting less than $15/hr and what kind of work it is. Even the sort of jobs that require no certification, no degree, and no experience seem to pay quite a bit more than that.

EMTs and paramedics.

Often working 24, 36 or even 48 hour shifts.

Often for $15/hr or less (many places will pay EMTs literally minimum wage, and tell their employees, "you can have as much OT as you want").

Part of it is supply and demand. Private EMS is often an in-road or holding pattern to a more "cushy" unionized fire department EMS position (where firefighter paramedics can make into the six digits). So private EMS has little motivation to be competitive - "there's a line of 21 year olds who will happily take your job".

Re: Restaurant workers quit at record rate

#419
post #408

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is it really a shortage? If the preferences of potential restaurant customers simply changes such that they're no longer willing to pay enough for a restaurant meal for the restaurant to stay financially solvent, that's not a shortage. It's only a shortage if something is preventing the market price from changing (in this case, the price of a restaurant meal increasing) or preventing restaurants and customers who are…

"A shortage, in economic terms, is a condition where the quantity demanded is greater than the quantity supplied at the market price." https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/shortage.asp sounds like it fits the situation to me.

Indeed, investopedia's definition seems to include any time supply is insufficient with no regard for the reason that the market price is not increasing.

Re: Restaurant workers quit at record rate

#420

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Suppose I don't care about the workers and I just want the actual price I'm going to pay printed on the menu, with no additional charges and fees at the end? Does that make me "woke"?

I care about service. It is a pleasure being able to reward good service.

Nothing about what I suggested would prevent you from doing that.
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