What's with the ads condemning rudeness to fast food employees?

SlavOz on 29/01/2020 - 22:13

I haven't stepped foot inside a fast food joint for years, but surely the rude customers are not bad enough to warrant government advertising? We all have tough jobs. In fact, I'm willing to bet most of us with careers have a much harder time at work than McDonald's staff.

Granted, most people in these positions would be kids or others who aren't equipped to handle verbal abuse, but if this has become sort of pandemic among hospitality workers then surely the burden should rest on the company, not the customers. If the government is worried about mistreatment of retail staff, then perhaps they should force employers to kick out or refuse to serve rude customers. That's a lot more reasonable and realistic than socially engineering people to be less rude or demanding that they change.

Education & Work

Comments

  • Blue Cat on 29/01/2020 - 22:22
    +8

    Where have you seen them?
    I remember seeing one about bus drivers, but not fast food.

    • brendanm on 29/01/2020 - 22:28

      The bus driver one is annoying as it has terrible acting.

      • AustriaBargain on 29/01/2020 - 22:37
        -7

        Is it about thanking the bus driver? Because I feel a bit put upon needing to shout thank you across the bus every single time, and honestly I suspect some bus drivers feel put upon needing to acknowledge every thank you.

        • brendanm on 29/01/2020 - 22:43
          +24

          No, it's about not wildly abusing them.

            • jjjaar on 30/01/2020 - 06:28
              +4

              @AustriaBargain: So you wouldn’t thank your checkout staff at Coles unless they gave you things for free either?

              I agree yelling across the bus can be difficult for many, but that’s a weird mentality that you wouldn’t thank them unless they gave it to you for free.

              • AustriaBargain on 30/01/2020 - 11:15
                -8

                @jjjaar: Shouldn’t they be thanking me each time I pay to get on?

                • jjjaar on 30/01/2020 - 14:13
                  +1

                  @AustriaBargain: The majority actually do, but it might only be if you’re polite to them too.

        • Loopholio on 30/01/2020 - 08:29
          +3

          I just give a quick wave and a nod.

        • Adz81 on 30/01/2020 - 09:17
          +27

          Who the (profanity) DOESN'T thank the bus driver when leaving?!
          I just thought this was a thing you did.

          • anonymous01 on 30/01/2020 - 20:01

            @Adz81: But why only bus drivers? Why not tram drivers? especially the small trams where they can easily hear you… I don't understand the rules of society..

            • try2bhelpful on 31/01/2020 - 09:44
              +7

              @cameldownunder: I do thank the waiter. It is polite and they may treat you better in the future because you have been nice to them. If the bus driver knows you are friendly he might stop and wait for you as you run towards the bus; if he thinks you aren’t he might shut the door and take off on you. Thank-you costs nothing to the giver and adds value to the receiver. I get treated well at a lot of places because I’m friendly and polite. There are a lot of ways that people can “do their job”. I do wonder about the sense of entitlement of some people.

              • cameldownunder on 01/02/2020 - 17:29
                +1

                @try2bhelpful: There is no "sense of entitlement". I pay for the ride, I pay for the beer. It's a transaction. If it's a order at the bar, and the waiter brings the beer, then yes, he is doing the "extra mile" and I will say thank you.

                • try2bhelpful on 01/02/2020 - 21:30
                  -1

                  @cameldownunder: So you don’t say thank-you, you get the “bare minimum” job from the wait person. The people who say thank-you gets the higher quality job, and we haven’t had to pay a cent to get it. Hmm, I wonder what is a better deal? Keep doing what you are doing, it works out better for the rest of us and, believe me, I’ve seen this in action.

                  • cameldownunder on 02/02/2020 - 17:55

                    @try2bhelpful: If I get substandard service, waiter won't get tip. Simple.
                    By experience, it's the one who orders a bottle of wine, gets the most attention, regardless of thank you or not.
                    Peons like me that order a beer, and softdrinks for the kids get no attention.

            • spackbace on 31/01/2020 - 11:11
              +9

              @cameldownunder:

              Do you thank the waiter, when he brings you the beer you ordered?

              The better question is, who doesn't?!

              • cameldownunder on 01/02/2020 - 17:25
                -3

                @spackbace: Me

                • try2bhelpful on 01/02/2020 - 21:55
                  +1

                  @cameldownunder: You are probably the person who complains about the standards of service dropping as well, you probably haven’t made the connection yet.

                  • cameldownunder on 02/02/2020 - 17:52

                    @try2bhelpful: Ha, Wrong assumption. I do complain when the food is not cooked right.
                    Complaining to who ? I might observe that waiters don't remember who ordered what, which is typical of untrained personnel.
                    Mostly it's the restaurant having too many seats and not enough waiter that serve. So not the waiter's fault.
                    Anyway, I follow the Philosophy of my grandma ( she was a waitress ): Thank you was used when money was not invented yet.
                    So I won't be saying thank you every time the waiter brings something, but I will leave a tip, according to service.

                    • try2bhelpful on 05/02/2020 - 23:02

                      @cameldownunder: I say thank-you and leave a tip. I find it sad your Grandma was only interested in the money rather than interacting with her clients as well.

                      • cameldownunder on 06/02/2020 - 21:01

                        @try2bhelpful: The thank you was referring to her boss. She cared very much about the clients, to the point that she returned a beer to the bar, because it was not filled enough.

                        • try2bhelpful on 06/02/2020 - 21:52

                          @cameldownunder: I was speaking as a client, not a boss. Glad to see she considers her clients beyond the monetary level.

        • HangryCakeStore on 31/01/2020 - 14:47
          -3

          Bus drivers are pretty reckless on the road sometimes(truck equivalent in terms of accidents), and they have it much easier then hospital workers.. and possibly better pay

    • try2bhelpful on 30/01/2020 - 08:40
      +62

      If I’m going out by the front door I always thank the bus/tram driver. I was brought up to do that. I don’t need their acknowledgement back. I thank everyone who provides me with a service, wait staff, taxi drivers, fast food people, retail people, help desk, etc I would never think of abusing a staff member, even if they have stuffed up in some way. I’ve learnt that the best way to deal with any situation is to be pleasant and explain the situation calmly. I usually get a good outcome, whereas, if you abuse someone, they just throw you out or call the cops. All the ads are doing is reminding you that these are people and are due respect. This isn’t “on the company”, the customer needs to act like a mature adult. Some customers are just morons spoiling for a fight. Step back, breath, realise that “losing it” gets you nowhere. I think it is sad we have to put up ads to remind people how to behave and how to be civil to one another. A “thank-you” costs nothing but has real value.

      • AustriaBargain on 30/01/2020 - 15:44

        And when you alight from the back or middle door of the bus/tram?

      • NaRaSaRang on 31/01/2020 - 14:43
        +3

        100% agreed. That's how I was brought up too. Common senses are not so common these days.

        • try2bhelpful on 31/01/2020 - 14:44

          Common decency seems to have gone out the window with it.

      • Dreamcast on 01/02/2020 - 17:27
        +2

        "I was brought up to do that. I don’t need their acknowledgement back"

        This. Similar to what I follow. Never expect thanks, but as always expect to give thanks.

        Like you said, you don't do it for the acknowledgement.

  • bobbified on 29/01/2020 - 22:23
    +13

    What ads?

    • spackbace on 29/01/2020 - 22:30
      +32

      Must be on during Home and Away

      • tomsco on 30/01/2020 - 08:27
        +1

        Perhaps A Current Affair?

        • capslock janitor on 30/01/2020 - 22:53

          only one of those i seen is some people spitting at hospital staff

    • Austaurean on 30/01/2020 - 08:04

      agreed… though we record everything we watch and skip through the ads…

  • spackbace on 29/01/2020 - 22:30
    +27

    Wait, someone under 30 who writes rant threads watches FTA TV?

    • SlavOz on 29/01/2020 - 23:03
      +19

      Dude Australian Open. This is the only reason I still have an antenna.

      • jimbobaus on 30/01/2020 - 10:19
        +1

        You can stream the AusOpen too :P

        • meatgasm on 31/01/2020 - 01:33

          Ah yeah, good luck with that, with our future proof NBN.

          • jimbobaus on 31/01/2020 - 08:45
            +2

            @meatgasm: I honestly don’t get the complaints about nbn.
            Mine works fine and is a massive improvement on what we had before.

            • ccrap on 31/01/2020 - 09:52
              +1

              @jimbobaus: Yes compared to dial up. I’m going to be forced on NBN shortly and it will be a downgrade from my Telstra cable connection. Neighbours already on it and the speedtest numbers confirm it :(

              • wgradwell on 31/01/2020 - 13:49

                @ccrap: Which 'technology' are you getting and are you talking download, upload or both? We went from cable to HFC - the download is 100mbs (up from about 80) and the upload 30mbs (up from 1 to 1.5).

              • daitro on 02/02/2020 - 12:00

                @ccrap: Your neighbours made a bad choice in ISP. Stick with one who purchases sufficient CVC and you won't have any problems.

            • crentist on 31/01/2020 - 18:22

              @jimbobaus: Works fine for what? Not being able to experience the benefit of a better network means people are less aware of it. eg you think you have a good network, but probably only because you had something worse before and don't expect much more from it than netflix without too much buffering. But you probably thought the same thing about your old internet too at one point.

              But the bigger problem is that they've undersold the benefits of faster bandwidth, which would have some very obvious benefits to productivity, leisure, and the economy, plus a crapload of secondary benefits that would be harder to predict or comprehend without experiencing. Just like how every new technology does things we wouldn't have thought of.

              Funny thing is, I feel like we have much higher expectations of our mobile networks, but only because phone manufacturers successfully made everyone expect constant improvement in that area

              • Blitz001 on 01/02/2020 - 12:26
                +1

                @crentist: I dunno, I’m streaming 4k no problems on my pleb coaxial nbn connection, I get 40 down no problems with Aussie Broadband.

                • crentist on 01/02/2020 - 13:04
                  +1

                  @Blitz001: 40 down is enough for 4K? Less than I’d thought, not bad. What I wanted to get at though was that 40 or 100 will still only go so far, and just thinking about it as how well it can stream is a bit narrow.

                  An example is that I’m working overseas in an area that sometimes needs large programs and datasets, say 20gb or so. Takes a couple mins at 1000 down, instead of hours. Makes a big difference to how I can do things. Especially for small tasks like checking if something would be useful, and finding out within a few mins that it’s not, and I need to try something else.

  • Hybroid on 29/01/2020 - 22:30
    +37

    I'm willing to bet most of us with careers have a much harder time at work than McDonald's staff.

    Yep, we all do. But we also all get paid more than they do. There's no reason to be rude to anyone doing any job though.

  • Ughhh on 29/01/2020 - 22:34
    +53

    In fact, I'm willing to bet most of us with careers have a much harder time at work than McDonald's staff.

    Im willing to bet that you wouldn't even last a week in Maccas.

      • Ughhh on 30/01/2020 - 10:21
        +52

        And because you were abused as a kid, now you're OK with abuse of other kids. Sounds like something an abusive father would say.

        What a messed up cycle.

        • try2bhelpful on 30/01/2020 - 10:26
          +5

          Yeah, it is like the rubbish you hear about with interns at hospitals.

          • try2bhelpful on 30/01/2020 - 12:41
            +24

            @SlavOz: Yeah, it’s a real shame we’ve made it illegal to beat up the kids and the missus, how are they meant to learn about the school of hard knocks now? People who use the term “snowflakes” are intellectually deficient. Maybe we should teach people how to communicate properly, with respect, and then you won’t get the boss being a dick or the wife being an idiot. If the junkie is an issue at Maccas then they should be removed from the premises because they are probably hassling other customers as well as the counter people. I’ve dealt with “conflict” in my job as a Project Manager; every day was dealing with conflicting ideas and issues. The secret was to make everyone think they were getting a good deal, and that their views were respected, not to carry on like a pork chop and just to give into the person who was most obnoxious. I made sure that everyone in my team, and the client, understand I wouldn’t stand bullying behaviour. If people had an issue they came through me. I didn't have any trouble getting clients, or people to work for me, and my teams delivered. What do you expect the teenage kid behind the counter to do; jump over the top and punch the junkie out? It is people like you who are the problem rather than the solution.

            • SlavOz on 30/01/2020 - 17:16
              -2

              @try2bhelpful:

              I made sure that everyone in my team, and the client, understand I wouldn’t stand bullying

              Great! I condone you for doing that, so why is it so bad to suggest retail workers adopt the same attitude when dealing with abuse? You've learned to stick up for yourself at work and it seems to be working well for you. Why are you condemning my efforts of trying to teach other people the same skill? Sounds like you'd rather give into the belief that retail workers are all disempowered victims instead of actually empowering them to deal with abuse.

              • try2bhelpful on 30/01/2020 - 18:01
                +12

                @SlavOz: I don’t think you get it at all. The reason I can do this is because I was protected when I was a young worker. My first boss was my role model, he made sure that people understood that his workers were protected and if anyone bullied them they would be answering to him. I just followed his example. You don’t need to be beaten up to have resilience you just have to see how to handle situations properly. I would never condone what you are suggesting; abuse in the workplace is appalling, particularly for young people. The studies show if you grow up with violence and abuse you are more likely to react violently and abusively in stress situations. You give someone an environment that nurtures them and teaches them the correct way for conflict resolution and they are more likely to approach it rationally and with confidence. My boss and I had open, and frank discussions, when I messed up. But he listened to how and why and how I would avoid it again. There was no abuse just constructive discussions and respect. When I was younger I was protected, when I got older I was the protector. I wasn’t standing up for me I was standing up for others.

                  • try2bhelpful on 30/01/2020 - 19:39
                    +12

                    @SlavOz: Or, just maybe people learn to respect each other as human beings and not lose their shit because “something” is bothering them and they’ve decided to take it out on someone else. The sad fact is that these ads need to be made at all and they are, obviously, being made due to actual abusive incidents. The idea of allowing a teenager to be subject to the actions of an out of control junkie and telling them to “deal with it” is beyond belief. So you think breeding a bunch of superheroes is a bad thing? Interesting, so you must be happy being a gamma. The ads aren’t aimed at the employees they are aimed at the general public; they are telling people to stop being obnoxious pricks and treat other people with respect. I find it quite interesting you object to this.

                  • lette on 06/02/2020 - 03:38

                    @SlavOz: I couldn't work for over a year due to anxiety because of abuse in the workplace. I was a full grown over 20 adult at the time. Juat because you stick up for yourself doesn't mean the damage isn't already done. I would throw up and have panic attacks uncontrollably. I'm not the only one, my old head chef from a different place went through it too and he was the one to help me out of it, with kindness, not "making me tougher with more abuse"
                    Your thought pattern is ridiculous and dangerous.

              • tessel on 30/01/2020 - 20:02
                +4

                @SlavOz: Mate, if I stood up for myself at work like you are saying I'd lose my job.

            • papachris on 31/01/2020 - 01:54
              +2

              @try2bhelpful:

              People who use the term “snowflakes” are intellectually deficient

              You get my reply of the week with this. Times two for those who also say "OK Boomer"…

              • try2bhelpful on 31/01/2020 - 07:12
                +3

                @papachris: “OK Boomer” is just the current generation’s version of “Aw, Dad”. The joke is a lot of people they say it to would be, technically, Gen Xers. They do have a bit of a point, it is the reaction of a generation given the rough end of the pineapple. I’m glad I’m at the end of my career than the beginning. I truly do belong to the Goldilocks generation.

                “Snowflake” is a much more pernicious trope because it is, by definition, aimed at someone who would have difficulty fighting back. For someone like me it is as insubstantial an insult as the metaphoric objects themselves, but to someone with less experience, and confidence, enough of these insults would act as a blizzard. Being nice to others doesn’t mean you’re weak, nurturing people doesn’t mean you’re indulging them. Protecting others doesn’t mean you are stunting their growth. Look at the plants that grow on hard ground, they are stunted and, usually, weeds. The trick is to get the balance right.

                • papachris on 01/02/2020 - 01:03
                  +1

                  @try2bhelpful: In my experience, both "snowflake" and "OK boomer" are used as trendy insults. Both are simply trolls ways of categorising people without knowing them, while saying "I'm better than you". Humans have always sought to put people in baskets, and it's a trait we should all fight against…

          • spackbace on 30/01/2020 - 17:10
            +21

            @SlavOz:

            snowflakes

            Someone that posts rant threads online doesn't get to call others "snowflakes". You're offended at an ad campaign, and felt the need to whinge about it online.

            That would make you the definition of a snowflake.

          • deme on 01/02/2020 - 13:51
            +1

            @SlavOz:

            boss comes down hard for losing a major client

            I brought down the network of one of the largest companies on Earth two years ago, my boss's boss's boss said we learnt how to protect against something dw about it people make mistakes.
            I'm still employed there.

            If you think it is okay to be abusive to people you need help.

    • Freestyle on 01/02/2020 - 17:49

      So proud of unskilled labor

      • Ughhh on 01/02/2020 - 19:36

        ???

        Got nothing to do with being proud of unskilled labour or not…

        If you're proud of or think its acceptable to pick on someone smaller than you (in size, age, power, experience, class, job etc), then you got deep issues that require more than ads and drugs.

        • Freestyle on 02/02/2020 - 02:25
          -1

          When did i ever say I want to pick on them?
          But saying shit like "You wont even last a week at Maccas" is plain stupid, the fck are you all on about?

          • Ughhh on 02/02/2020 - 10:52

            @Freestyle:

            the fck are you all on about

            Saying that it's plain stupid too, not rocket science here mate.

            • Freestyle on 02/02/2020 - 20:50

              @Ughhh: Right, stop overcomplicating one of the most simplest jobs around because you worked there

              • Ughhh on 02/02/2020 - 23:17
                +1

                @Freestyle: Lol tough guy with a small mind.

                I guess you would be OK with your boss abusing you, cause what you do would be peasant easy work compared to theirs?

                And, no you don't have to work there to understand that abusing kids is not OK.

                • Freestyle on 03/02/2020 - 03:20

                  @Ughhh: Your comment had nothing to do about abusing kids you were just flexing about 'surviving' in Maccas

                  • Ughhh on 03/02/2020 - 09:30

                    @Freestyle: You must be proud of your single digit…

                    • Freestyle on 03/02/2020 - 17:39

                      @Ughhh: not as proud as you working at (profanity) Maccas

                      • Ughhh on 03/02/2020 - 18:23

                        @Freestyle: Lol when did I say I worked there.

                        I don't need to work there to know how people like you treat others who you believe are second class citizens. 😂😂

      • try2bhelpful on 01/02/2020 - 21:57

        So are you talking about the wait people or the OP?

  • Elppa8 on 29/01/2020 - 22:42
    +7

    No one deserves a serve ads

    • AdosHouse on 29/01/2020 - 23:21
      +1

      HAHAHA if someone acted that way towards me, they would have coped a verbal serve.

      • WoodYouLikeSomeCash on 30/01/2020 - 00:38
        +1

        A Soft Serve Ice-Cream?

        • AdosHouse on 30/01/2020 - 02:12
          +1

          Dammit, now I feel like an ice-cream.

          I've worked in pubs and clubs for 13 years, my tolerance for arseholes is getting quite low. I've given more than one person a swear word riddled serve.

      • Soluble on 30/01/2020 - 13:03

        Working for someone else in retail, I'd cop the abuse until they swore at me or my team.

        Now when people try to belittle me in my own store in any way I just throw them out. Stereotypically the abuse comes from wanna be rich folk in nice cars who think they are above retail workers.

        • AdosHouse on 30/01/2020 - 16:57
          +2

          I'm quite a nice guy, so if you are nice or even just neutral to me, you'll see my good side.

          Start swearing, threatening, or just being a f-wit to myself or the other staff, and you cop my bad side.

    • stringbean402 on 30/01/2020 - 18:48
      +3

      Ahhhh… paid for by the SDA. It's a Union advert.

      • parsimonious one on 31/01/2020 - 18:03
        +7

        Yeah. Damn those pesky unions, standing up for their members. The nerve.

        • AlexF on 02/02/2020 - 09:13
          +1

          Except, it’s employers that have to provide affable work environment not unions. Seems like a disguised membership promotion.

    • Elppa8 on 29/01/2020 - 22:59
      +3

      Union not Government I believe are running the ads.

    • lovesabargain77 on 29/01/2020 - 23:01
      +2

      I'm pretty sure that these ads aren't being paid for the government.

      Seems to be the SDA Union behind the campaign.

      EDIT: Beaten by Elppa8

      • [Deactivated] on 30/01/2020 - 07:45
        +2

        ewwww, super gross take mate

      • parsimonious one on 31/01/2020 - 18:06
        +2

        Or perhaps obnoxious folk, who don’t know how to behave decently towards others, need to be reminded to pull their heads in and treat others with respect.

        From the comments here it would seem whom ever is funding the campaign aren’t far off the mark

    • [Deactivated] on 30/01/2020 - 07:40
      +1

      not every one is like you mate

    • Whisper Quiet on 30/01/2020 - 08:17

      No such thing as customer service anymore. The last time someone greeted me with a smile I can't even remember. Even when they make mistakes with orders, there's no apology. Train the staff to do what they're supposed to do and act like an employee that actually cares then you wouldn't have customers getting angry. Pretty simple to me….

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