Friday, June 15, 2012

A Guide to America’s Worst Restaurants for Workers



Food service has been one of the few employment bright spots on the otherwise dismal jobs growth front during this period of supposed economic recovery. That's what makes the report referenced below about how many restaurant chains rate at the bottom of barrel as far as treating their workers even more depressing. Here is Gawker with the details:
Since we're on the topic of basic fairness for the working people of America, here is a useful thing: a pro-worker group called Restaurant Opportunities Centers United has produced a handy pocket guide to many of America's most popular restaurants, to let you know exactly how badly their employees are treated. The short version, below.

The guide (referenced in this excellent Mark Bittman column yesterday) ranks restaurants on whether they pay a minimum viable wage to their tipped and non-tipped workers; whether they give paid sick leave; and how much of a chance for advancement their workers have. Here are some of the better-known chain restaurants that received "0" or "unknown" ratings in each of those categories—in other words, that did not achieve a single check mark for minimal standards of worker treatment:

The Worst Restaurants for Workers
Applebee's
Arby's
Baskin-Robbins
Bennigan's
Bob Evans
Boston Market
Buffalo Wild Wings
Burger King
California Pizza Kitchen
Captain D's
Carl's Jr.
Chart House
Checker's
Cheesecake Factory
Chili's
Chuck E. Cheese
Church's Chicken
Cold Stone Creamery
Cracker Barrel
Denny's
Domino's
Dunkin Donuts
Friendly's
Golden Corral
Hard Rock Cafe
Hooters
Houlihan's
IHOP
KFC
Legal Seafoods
Little Caesar's
Marie Callender's
McDonald's
Morton's Steakhouse
Olive Garden
Outback Steakhouse
P.F. Chang's
Panera
Papa John's
Perkins
Pizza Hut
Qiznos
Red Lobster
Ruth's Chris Steakhouse
Sbarros
Sonic
Starbucks
Steak-n-Shake
Subway
TGI Friday's
Taco Bell
Uno Chicago Grill
Waffle House
Zaxby's

Depressing. There are more bad ones. (And a few good ones.) The full guide is here.
Bon apetite.


Bonus: "Everything that is wrong with America is comment cards"

4 comments:

  1. A rule of thumb is to avoid most national and regional chain restaurants.

    There are plenty of local, mom & pop restaurants that provide healthy food, and treat their workers ethically. In Portland, OR we have this excellent guide: http://www.wweek.com/portland/flex-265-restaurant_guide_2011.html

    I'm sure other cities have similar guides to good, ethical restaurants.

    ReplyDelete
  2. It's not just national chains. Here in Boston we have the "Upper Crust" pizzeria chain, founded by a narcissistic yuppie sociopath who allegedly ripped off his first employer, then went on to rip off his undocumented workers by shorting their OT, while looting the company to pay for a yacht and other toys for himself. Most of the stores are located in toney neighborhoods in metro Boston.

    Oh, and their pizza sucks too.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Last time we ate out was in February. I'm hoping we make it to Christmas.

    ReplyDelete
  4. tell me about it, i work for bob evans, and have worked for olive garden. they all suck and treat their employees as an annoying expense they just haven't figured out how to get around - yet.

    ReplyDelete