A U.K.-based McDonald’s TikTok account is getting dragged on social media for posting the correct way employees must take their lunch break while working for the fast-food franchise.
In the since-removed video, the Cribbs Causeway McDonald’s put an employee by the name of Jess through several re-enactments of what not to do when clocking out to take a meal. Every time she didn’t follow protocol, the manager corrected her and shows how she should go about it instead.
Jess is reprimanded in the clip for putting in her meal order herself prior to going on her lunch break. According to the video, she’s supposed to clock out, ask a manager to put in her meal order, and then sit in the crew room until her meal is brought out to her.
The manager even scolded an employee for bagging Jess’ food instead of putting it on a “blue tray,” which seems to be the restaurant’s protocol for serving workers meals. Then the food is served to Jess, and “everyone is happy” by the end of the clip.
Some TikTokers described the tone of the video as “dystopian” and argued that clocking out before one receives their food order is a waste of break time. “Hell no I’m not clocking out until I’m sitting down with food in my hands,” one said.
Others likened the treatment of the workers, who earn an average of “£7.25 per hour for Kitchen Team Member to £14.87 per hour for Cashier” in London, according to Indeed, to that of prisoners.
According to Query Sprout, the Cribb’s Causeway McDonald’s TikTok appears to coincide with what official Mickey D’s meal break protocols are. Query Sprout reported that “McDonald’s has an Employee Meal Policy, which allows you to get 50% off your meal during your 30-minute meal break. Once you’ve clocked out, you can order your food like a regular customer and the manager typically takes the order to input the employee discount. On top of that, there is a specific location where you’re supposed to eat your food, which is on the premises and no food can leave the specific areas designated for employee meals. You are entitled to a meal that’s $8 or less on the menu every time you work, which means you pay only up to $4 for your meal.”
The Daily Dot has reached out to the Cribb’s Causeway McDonald’s via TikTok comment and to McDonald’s corporate via email.
