A Chick-fil-A employee has gone viral on TikTok after sharing a behind-the-scenes look at what it’s like to work in the back of the house of the restaurant chain.
TikTok user Katelyn (@katelynheronon) posted a photo slideshow on Aug. 11, revealing what it’s like to navigate the tense relationship between the front-facing staff and the kitchen team.
The TikTok begins with a caption that reads, “You work at [Chick-fil-A]. it can’t be that bad,” before launching into a series of relatable scenarios described in on-screen captions. One of the most baffling situations Katelyn describes is the frequent occurrence of “lost” sandwiches.
“‘Hey, can you remake this sandwich?’” a front-of-house (FOH) worker allegedly asks. When Katelyn inquires about the issue, the response is simply, “‘Oh. we lost it.’”
The clearly fed-up TikToker claims the sandwich disappearing act has happened on “at least” 20 occasions. “Like, where are you putting those sandwiches,” she adds.
Katelyn then goes on to highlight the constant pressure from front-of-house staff to rush orders, even when they’ve only been on the screen for a minute. In one instance, she describes a drive-thru order for “4 30-count nuggets” that had apparently been up for four minutes. “That’s literally 120 nuggets. You should have told them it was going to take a while,” Katelyn retorts.
The TikTok also touches on the challenges of managing large, unexpected orders during peak hours. Katelyn recounts being asked to prepare 24 Chick-fil-A Deluxe Sandwiches for the drive-thru at “12:30 on a Saturday.” She notes that such large orders should be handled through catering.
Other Chick-fil-A workers chime in
The video has since racked up over 193,100 views. Many workers for the restaurant chain have shared their thoughts in the comments section.
One commenter admitted, “this is why i work foh cause i would lose my mind in boh.”
Another BOH worker shared their trick for handling impatient co-workers. “I be asking like, ‘the one that’s on my screen for 45 seconds or is it off screen’ and then they back down,” they wrote.
“When i’m getting screamed at by guests, i just want their food out as soon as i can,” a FOH worker explained.
The FOH vs BOH discourse isn’t new
The debate over which part of the restaurant is more challenging—FOH or BOH—is not unique to Katelyn’s TikTok. Less than a month ago, a thread in the r/Chick-fil-A subreddit titled “Which is harder BOH or FOH?” sparked the same debate.
One redditor wrote, “foh is more emotionally draining while boh is physically draining.”
“I’m FOH and I can totally see BOH being harder,” another remarked.
The Daily Dot has reached out to Katelyn and Chick-fil-A via email for comment.
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