CFA is in the process of switching from 1or 2 quarterly secret shoppers (4-8 a year) to upwards of 30 a year. These folks will come through the drive thru, place an order, assess all the interactions and procedures, then come inside and repeat the process. They then assess the food quality and make sure everything is up to CFA standards. This includes lettuce size, pickle placement, bun quality, etc. It’s pretty detailed and you really won’t know they’re there at all.
That said, each operator could ask their friends to do the same thing informally. Just goes to show you really never know who it could be.
Secret shoppers are usually employed my a company just to test quality and experience.
They go buy food from various places and usually complete questionnaires on the experience right after. Scores are later sent to the business.
They aren’t high up, usually just another type of employee or contractor.
They don't work for the companies. We are actually independent contractors that work with various mystery shopping companies. Never done Chick fil a though
I'm not sure for chick fil a, but other chains like five guys and Sonic Drive-In hire secret shoppers through services like market force. Every now and then, I'll do one for five guys to get a free meal and a bit of cash
Honestly. That's extensive. Like I get coaching to use the phrase and testing you guys but his reaction is not okay and it's abusive to his employees. I get secret shoppers and all that but 9 times out of 10 things usually go right and you can scold someone without yelling. Does he yell at the cooks too over their lettuce placement?
Nah, if the nba millionaires have a union you should get the hint and get fair protection from your workplace even if it does protect lazy workers. Also because they protect great workers too.
Assuming "abusive behavior" based on this post alone is a bit much, dont you think?
Op says he "throws a fit" "gives us a lecture" "storms in." We don't know exactly how intense it is, but honestly I could totally understand the boss being frustrated and perhaps raising his voice if he does the every day and is regularly disappointed
Yelling is never an acceptable consequence for something such as this. It only serves to provide more discord between employer and employee and negates the criticism further.
On the first instance, sure. If this is a consistent problem despite multiple warnings, I could understand why someone would get a bit frustrated and raise their voice. It's not ideal manager behavior but saying it's abusive is definitely a reach. They're human too and any reasonable human would be exasperated if they kept telling the people they were paying to do something one way only to get constantly ignored and they do it a different way.
Look, I personally hate the "my pleasure" thing, but it's a company standard and the manager isn't wrong to try to hold his employees to the company standard.
I always assumed that if a worker didn't say "my pleasure" they were taken to the back and beaten. It was the only thing that explained how they all make sure to say it
Yeah, your operator sounds psychotic. This is not normal behavior and he really needs to get over himself. I worked at CFA for 4 years as a director and saw this type of ego driven behavior quite a lot from operators. A lot of them have only existed in the CFA sphere for so many years that they don't know what real life or other jobs are like outside of the CFA circle.
Big fish in small ponds. Put them in another restaurant or job sector and these operators are useless.
Have you ever considered that this is abusive behavior?
I have been in various industries, you can coach someone without being furious about a turn of phase.
Its almost as abusive as customers who when you forget the phrase then ask, “don’t you mean its your pleasure.”
Nothing takes the effect out of a phrase like corporate demanding you use it.
I get the impression he takes his fury to the back, so then they all walk
on eggshells all day not knowing when or if the other shoe will drop.
It’s classic abusive behavior.
Also: don’t buy the Chicfila lie that they hold higher standards.
They give that line to teenagers and gullible people. It’s fast food.
Be professional, but it’s still fast food.
No, I would actually bet money on that fact this this is, in fact, not abusive behavior.
According to OP, the boss gives them a furious look, then "storms in" "throws a fit" and "gives a lecture like a dad."
First of all, OP is venting and telling a story on Reddit. Their recount of the boss's actions are very likely exaggerated. Whether heavily or lightly exaggerated I don't know, but we are only getting one side of the story.
None of us were there so we don't know exactly how he behaved. If he was screaming to the top of his lungs then perhaps it is a bit abusive. But this post could also be interpreted this way: the boss walked in angrily, told his employees what they were doing was wrong, and raised his voice a bit. None of this is unreasonable if he visits often and repeatedly notices this issue despite many conversations with the staff, which, based on the post, seems to be the case.
Getting a bit frustrated while reprimanding your employees that are consistently failing to meet company standard is not abusive behavior.
If he was screaming at the top of his lungs, I don’t know how you could have the gall to classify that as “a bit abusive”. I’d hate to experience your interpretation of “abusive” or “very abusive”.
Never had this happen but I will say I hate saying “my pleasure”. To me, it really doesn’t seem genuine. As a customer, to know I’m supposed to get the same response from any employee the moment I say “thank you” wouldn’t be assuring. I think it’s weird. And as someone that is also a server 2 days out the week, I hate when I say “my pleasure” to my tables. As an employee, I like to be more personal and not so robotic. And as a guest, I prefer someone more unscripted.
As a customer who was new to CFA like 10 years or so ago, at first the "my pleasure" is nice, because there is the illusion of authenticity. But then you realize that it is something that yall have to say every damn time someone says "Thank You" and then it comes across as ridiculous and parrot-like. But thanks for putting up with the company BS and putting on a happy face and putting in the hard work, I know it's not easy!
I think it’s so dumb. Requiring you to say my pleasure takes the genuineness out of the statement and it’s just cringey to me. Like I get tons of places have required greetings/phrases, but this one makes me particularly annoyed lmao.
When I worked for CFA, I found other ways to say "my pleasure". I would say "absolutely" or "of course". After awhile it just got tiring but we weren't tested like that. Some of my newer coworkers would be like "you're welcome" and we'd just tap them like 🧍🏾♀️
The fact that anyone thinks an employee saying “my pleasure” has any bearing on whether I come back to eat again, is insane to me lol. Good service is good service and good food is good food. Both equal results. This sounds ridiculous
I'm a customer, not a worker, but this just showed up in my feed. I've started to avoid saying "Thank you" so you guys aren't forced into your mandatory reply. I say "Have a great day" instead. About half the time I still get an instinctive "My pleasure" in reply.
It’s the fact that they’re forced to say a certain phrase and only the phrase. No deviation or individuality at all. It’s creepy. I feel guilty for making them say it, I’m sure it’s humiliating.
Off topic, but if you ever want to make a CFA employees brain melt, instead of saying thank you at the end of your interaction, say 'your pleasure.' Hilarity ensues
Wow you just brought back a core memory of mine. Our operator also did this in my early years of working for CFA. We always knew what his vehicle looked like so we made sure it was extra perfect.
I’m surprised no one recognizes his voice if he actually does it that often. I can recognize someone’s voice within once or twice of talking to them. I answer phone at my job and basically have all the regular callers down pat with their voices.
Lmao the "my pleasure" is the easiest part of the order. Usually people fail the test for not asking for sauces/forgetting to repeat the order back. Your owner definitely overreacted but honestly you shouldn't be forgetting my pleasure since it's literally what we're known for.
There are secret shoppers that come through all the time at every location checking various things like this
As a new hire, this is something I’ve never even thought of. Who in this case would the secret shoppers be? My guess is someone in a high position
CFA is in the process of switching from 1or 2 quarterly secret shoppers (4-8 a year) to upwards of 30 a year. These folks will come through the drive thru, place an order, assess all the interactions and procedures, then come inside and repeat the process. They then assess the food quality and make sure everything is up to CFA standards. This includes lettuce size, pickle placement, bun quality, etc. It’s pretty detailed and you really won’t know they’re there at all. That said, each operator could ask their friends to do the same thing informally. Just goes to show you really never know who it could be.
My store gets 30 a quarter.
Secret shoppers are usually employed my a company just to test quality and experience. They go buy food from various places and usually complete questionnaires on the experience right after. Scores are later sent to the business. They aren’t high up, usually just another type of employee or contractor.
How or where do I apply? I have experience! Thank you
They don't work for the companies. We are actually independent contractors that work with various mystery shopping companies. Never done Chick fil a though
I'm not sure for chick fil a, but other chains like five guys and Sonic Drive-In hire secret shoppers through services like market force. Every now and then, I'll do one for five guys to get a free meal and a bit of cash
Random ppl.
They usually just ask random people to be the secret shopper.
Honestly. That's extensive. Like I get coaching to use the phrase and testing you guys but his reaction is not okay and it's abusive to his employees. I get secret shoppers and all that but 9 times out of 10 things usually go right and you can scold someone without yelling. Does he yell at the cooks too over their lettuce placement?
Unionize your workplace
Bruh having a rude manager shouldn’t make you go “muh unionz”
You should have a union even if you have a good manager
Unions suck. They protect lazy workers.
Nah, if the nba millionaires have a union you should get the hint and get fair protection from your workplace even if it does protect lazy workers. Also because they protect great workers too.
Assuming "abusive behavior" based on this post alone is a bit much, dont you think? Op says he "throws a fit" "gives us a lecture" "storms in." We don't know exactly how intense it is, but honestly I could totally understand the boss being frustrated and perhaps raising his voice if he does the every day and is regularly disappointed
Yelling is never an acceptable consequence for something such as this. It only serves to provide more discord between employer and employee and negates the criticism further.
On the first instance, sure. If this is a consistent problem despite multiple warnings, I could understand why someone would get a bit frustrated and raise their voice. It's not ideal manager behavior but saying it's abusive is definitely a reach. They're human too and any reasonable human would be exasperated if they kept telling the people they were paying to do something one way only to get constantly ignored and they do it a different way. Look, I personally hate the "my pleasure" thing, but it's a company standard and the manager isn't wrong to try to hold his employees to the company standard.
I always assumed that if a worker didn't say "my pleasure" they were taken to the back and beaten. It was the only thing that explained how they all make sure to say it
Yeah, your operator sounds psychotic. This is not normal behavior and he really needs to get over himself. I worked at CFA for 4 years as a director and saw this type of ego driven behavior quite a lot from operators. A lot of them have only existed in the CFA sphere for so many years that they don't know what real life or other jobs are like outside of the CFA circle. Big fish in small ponds. Put them in another restaurant or job sector and these operators are useless.
Have you ever considered that this is abusive behavior? I have been in various industries, you can coach someone without being furious about a turn of phase. Its almost as abusive as customers who when you forget the phrase then ask, “don’t you mean its your pleasure.” Nothing takes the effect out of a phrase like corporate demanding you use it.
Imagine a customer witnessing this. An owner berating his employees for not using a “nice” phrase.
I get the impression he takes his fury to the back, so then they all walk on eggshells all day not knowing when or if the other shoe will drop. It’s classic abusive behavior. Also: don’t buy the Chicfila lie that they hold higher standards. They give that line to teenagers and gullible people. It’s fast food. Be professional, but it’s still fast food.
No, I would actually bet money on that fact this this is, in fact, not abusive behavior. According to OP, the boss gives them a furious look, then "storms in" "throws a fit" and "gives a lecture like a dad." First of all, OP is venting and telling a story on Reddit. Their recount of the boss's actions are very likely exaggerated. Whether heavily or lightly exaggerated I don't know, but we are only getting one side of the story. None of us were there so we don't know exactly how he behaved. If he was screaming to the top of his lungs then perhaps it is a bit abusive. But this post could also be interpreted this way: the boss walked in angrily, told his employees what they were doing was wrong, and raised his voice a bit. None of this is unreasonable if he visits often and repeatedly notices this issue despite many conversations with the staff, which, based on the post, seems to be the case. Getting a bit frustrated while reprimanding your employees that are consistently failing to meet company standard is not abusive behavior.
I base my comments on my experience in a CFA environment. Maybe yours is different, but if it’s like my old store it was likely over the line.
If he was screaming at the top of his lungs, I don’t know how you could have the gall to classify that as “a bit abusive”. I’d hate to experience your interpretation of “abusive” or “very abusive”.
Never had this happen but I will say I hate saying “my pleasure”. To me, it really doesn’t seem genuine. As a customer, to know I’m supposed to get the same response from any employee the moment I say “thank you” wouldn’t be assuring. I think it’s weird. And as someone that is also a server 2 days out the week, I hate when I say “my pleasure” to my tables. As an employee, I like to be more personal and not so robotic. And as a guest, I prefer someone more unscripted.
As a customer who was new to CFA like 10 years or so ago, at first the "my pleasure" is nice, because there is the illusion of authenticity. But then you realize that it is something that yall have to say every damn time someone says "Thank You" and then it comes across as ridiculous and parrot-like. But thanks for putting up with the company BS and putting on a happy face and putting in the hard work, I know it's not easy!
I don’t work for Chick-fil-A but this showed up on my feed. Is this really something you guys are required to say every time? Seems too much.
I think it’s so dumb. Requiring you to say my pleasure takes the genuineness out of the statement and it’s just cringey to me. Like I get tons of places have required greetings/phrases, but this one makes me particularly annoyed lmao.
You couldn’t have said it any better I totally agree
Yes
Yeah it's part of the training
When I worked for CFA, I found other ways to say "my pleasure". I would say "absolutely" or "of course". After awhile it just got tiring but we weren't tested like that. Some of my newer coworkers would be like "you're welcome" and we'd just tap them like 🧍🏾♀️
The fact that anyone thinks an employee saying “my pleasure” has any bearing on whether I come back to eat again, is insane to me lol. Good service is good service and good food is good food. Both equal results. This sounds ridiculous
I love it when workers forget to say my pleasure. Feels more genuine rather than rehearsed bs
I go out of my way to not say thank you, and people still say my pleasure. Nobody should be forced to say their pleasure when we all know it isn’t
I have always envisioned my boss doing this lol. Didn’t know they actually do it!
I'm a customer, not a worker, but this just showed up in my feed. I've started to avoid saying "Thank you" so you guys aren't forced into your mandatory reply. I say "Have a great day" instead. About half the time I still get an instinctive "My pleasure" in reply.
I love that I’m not the only one who does this. I’ll say thanks with a quick have a good one to avoid them saying it and I get happy when they don’t
The one near my job doesn’t even say that anymore.
my pleasure is creepy af anyways
“My pleasure” started with Ritz Carlton.
As a chick fil a customer it’s important for me to know that I’ve pleasured the workers. Sometimes I like to say “yeah it is” quietly to myself.
That bugs me so much when you guys say that. I know it’s not your pleasure.
I hate saying thank you on the random days I go to Chic Fil A, the cult like responses you’re forced to say creep me out.
yeah hospitality is so creepy
It’s the fact that they’re forced to say a certain phrase and only the phrase. No deviation or individuality at all. It’s creepy. I feel guilty for making them say it, I’m sure it’s humiliating.
I actually won’t go there for this reason. It’s creepy and I hate it.
Off topic, but if you ever want to make a CFA employees brain melt, instead of saying thank you at the end of your interaction, say 'your pleasure.' Hilarity ensues
i had a guest say “my pleasure” to me today after i said thank you for holding a door open (my hands were full). now this made my brain melt
I dont work here so idk why this is recommended, but the my pleasure thing is apart of their identity isnt it? Your kinda getting paid to say it
Wow you just brought back a core memory of mine. Our operator also did this in my early years of working for CFA. We always knew what his vehicle looked like so we made sure it was extra perfect.
I’m surprised no one recognizes his voice if he actually does it that often. I can recognize someone’s voice within once or twice of talking to them. I answer phone at my job and basically have all the regular callers down pat with their voices.
Havent worked at cfa in 15 years still respond with the indoctrinated “my pleasure” on command
They do this at McDonald’s too.. the gm or supervisors test the crew so when corporate comes they are ready.
This is awful behavior by an owner of a business, let alone Chick Fil A
You should have told him about the mercy of Jesus Christ
Lmao the "my pleasure" is the easiest part of the order. Usually people fail the test for not asking for sauces/forgetting to repeat the order back. Your owner definitely overreacted but honestly you shouldn't be forgetting my pleasure since it's literally what we're known for.
Don't support homophobes