N.C. Chick-fil-A faces backlash over asking volunteers to work drive-thru for food, not pay

[CatWoman]

A Chick-fil-A restaurant in Hendersonville, North Carolina is facing online criticism after issuing a callout on social media for volunteers to work the restaurant’s new drive-thru express.

The fast-food chicken restaurant promised free entrees instead of monetary compensation.

“We are looking for volunteers for our new Drive Thru Express!” the Hendersonville Chick-fil-A said in a Facebook post that has since been deleted after a flood of negative comments.

The post from earlier this week said volunteers would earn five free entrees per shift (one hour) worked, and asked those interested to message for details.

The Hendersonville Chick-fil-A has declined to comment, and directed all media inquiries to the corporate press room. Chick-fil-A responded via email and linked to a statement given to Business Insider. The corporate press team did not answer questions submitted by the Times-News.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/food/2022/07/28/chick-fil-a-backlash-volunteers-work-for-food-not-money/10173905002/

[The Unmitigated Gall]

1. "Wurk For Chikin!"

The sign says…

[yankee87]

2. Bringing back Indentured Servants

So now, we are supposed to work for the scraps left by other people? What the hell is going on?

[Kid Berwyn]

12. "People don't want to work."

“Guess we’ll have to enslave them.”

[Aristus]

3. Why am I not surprised?

Chik-fil-A is a dumpster fire of a fast-food company.

[Rebl2]

14. Yep

[malaise]

4. How Christian

That is all

[blm]

6. Is that franchise owned by GOP candidate Chuck Edwards

who just beat Cawthorn in the primary?

[Irish_Dem]

7. People working for food.

We are back to the feudal system.

[inthewind21]

8. Greedy

"Christians" hard at work.

Check out their earnings



https://www.statista.com/statistics/1116017/chick-fil-a-net-earnings/

[Shermann]

9. The NC minimum wage is $7.25

One hour of volunteer work gets you a chicken sandwich, small waffle potato fries, and small sweet tea.

Not including the tax, however. You have to chip in for that or volunteer a bit longer.

Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich $4.29
Small Chick-fil-A Waffle Potato Fries $1.89
Small Freshly-Brewed Iced Tea Sweetened $1.65

Tax $0.70
Subtotal $7.83

[Treefrog]

13. Well, if you read the article, pay begins at $12 there.

Going up to $19.

[Shermann]

22. That's for W-2 employees

I'm guessing volunteers get less. Who knows. I thought the equivalent meal for an hour of NC/federal minimum wage work was interesting.

[Cracklin Charlie]

16. What was the nature of this "work"?

No list of what their duties would be?

Untrained, unpaid people cooking food, running cash registers? Nah. Something stinks.

Edit to add: in my state, food service workers are tested about proper technique, and must have licenses.

[doc03]

18. I don't get that either. Whatever you think of their food or owner Chik fi la has

excellent workers very polite and courteous unlike most other fast food joins. I just can't
imagine something like that. I find it extremely hard to believe that is a corporate policy.

[BlackSkimmer]

21. Reading at the link, it says working for one hour.

Probably outside working the car line.

[Chainfire]

10. What more can a worker ask for than a healthy, hot, nutritious meal?

Perhaps their volunteers could be allowed to sleep in the garbage enclosure too. Room and board.

[Srkdqltr]

11. Their drive through is ridiculous. Fun in June not so much in January

[Cracklin Charlie]

15. This is a weird story.

What work were they gonna have these folks perform?

Would they let untrained volunteers on 1 hour shifts work the cash registers? Cook the food? I kinda doubt it.

What were these people gonna have to do to earn five sammiches? Something is off here.

[doc03]

17. Although I am not a great fan of their food, their workers are very efficient

and polite unlike the other fast food joints.
I was at a McDonald's recently where an employee at the drive thru
window and a customer were screaming f-bombs at each other. The problem the customer asked for some sauce
they use on chicken nuggets for her breakfast sandwich. They charged her 20 cents extra for the sauce. This women
went nuts saying they don't charge for it on chicken nuggets it should be free on the breakfast sandwich. The customer
then came inside and they screamed even more. They actually called the cops but she took off before they got there. All over
20 cents!

[JenniferJuniper]

19. Is this a way around providing workers comp for workers?

[Runningdawg]

20. Seems something the IRS might be interested in.

[Baitball Blogger]

23. Criticism? They should be facing legal penalties.

[LiberalFighter]

24. I have to question whether this is legal.

[LiberalFighter]

25. Are they paying state or federal taxes? How about Social Security by the employer?

[Sky Jewels]

26. That's yet another reason everyone should boycott gay-hating Chik-fil-A ...

... as well as all other fast food outlets. They are a pox on the planet because they foster unimaginable cruelty to billions and billions of animals, environmental degradation across the planet, worker exploitation, and horribly unhealthy food resulting in horribly unhealthy populations (obesity, diabetes, strokes, heart attacks, etc.).