TikTok Is Demanding Higher Fast-Food Wages After A Sonic Manager Went Viral
Fast food workers have to put up with a lot. According to Seventeen, employees of some of the biggest chains may have to deal with hostile customers, getting booked with near-overlapping shifts, and constantly ending the day covered in grease. This doesn't even account for some particular horror stories, like the ordeal one Sonic worker recently went through and documented on TikTok.
The Sonic manager took to TikTok to show off what running a fast food location single-handedly looks like. The video walked through a slice of the manager's shift, which featured taking orders, making the food, and handing out the final products in addition to cleaning the store and closing down at the end of the day. They captioned the post with text reading, "Tbh, as a manager I shouldn't be getting paid the same rate and the crew/hire ons," which sparked a massive debate in the comments about how employees should get compensated.
Commenters expressed sympathy for the Sonic manager
Fellow TikTokers quickly poured into the comment section and replied with their own take on the video. Comments like, "Ugh, fast food workers don't get paid enough. You all have a hard job and you're on your feet and have to move fast and customers don't appreciate," and, "Then they wonder why nobody has employees anymore. You're worth more than that. Keep it pushing its out there!" poured in, in support of the worker. Others sympathized with the employee, saying, "I used to be a manager at sonic for 5 years. I remember being by myself from open till about 11 am. sonic does not pay employees enough for this," and, "i was a manager at sonic. i feel you all the way."
Some jumped in, saying, "This is so not acceptable!! You have to be paid way higher!" and one fellow Tiktoker asked, "What's the pay? Should definitely ask for a raise or quit. Your worth more than that unfairness." One comment summed up the sentiments perfectly — "I used to do this at McDonald's, it's ridiculous. Then there's people who say 'you only flip burgers you don't need more pay.'" While the future of the Sonic manager remains unclear, no one can deny that all of TikTok stands by their side in hopes that they get higher wages for the service they provide.