Worker Exposes The Unappetizing 'Employee Appreciation' Meal Employees Are Given
Service workers deserve better!
@the.__.jabbawocky via TikTok / Koldunov via Getty Images Who would've thought that a restaurant, of all places, would serve their own workers unpalatable food?
A restaurant employee named Molly from Virginia Beach has recently gained significant attention online after revealing the uninspiring "employee appreciation" meal offered by her employer. She provided a glimpse into the often undervalued efforts of restaurant employees and rekindled the debate on employee recognition and fair compensation.
She exposed the unappetizing 'employee appreciation' meal employees were given.
She posted the purported "employee appreciation" meal to the video-sharing app TikTok under the name "Miss Molly." This video has been viewed over half a million times, clearly striking a chord with numerous viewers who identified with the underwhelming display of 'appreciation.' In the video's caption, Molly explained the situation, "Employee 'appreciation' for the BOH/FOH."
BOH stands for "Back of House," which is made up of people like the cooks and dishwashers, while "Front of House" is comprised of waiters, bartenders, and hosts. Hilariously, she posted the video with a bad rendition of the Titanic flute song playing in the background.
She proceeded to give her viewers a guided tour of the so-called 'appreciation meal' provided by her employer. The meal seemed to be a lackluster collection of canned chili, hot dogs, and generic popsicles, none of which looked particularly appetizing.
Given that these served as a token of appreciation for the employees' hard work and dedication, the selection was seen by many as an underwhelming and even disrespectful gesture.
The subpar spread of food caused outrage among viewers.
A wave of comments flooded in that ranged from shock and disappointment to sarcastic humor. One person succinctly summed up their feelings, writing, "Appalling."
Others tried to make light of the situation, with one user quipping, "Where's the Shasta soda or is that too fancy."
One person remarked that they'd even try the unappetizing-looking food! "I'd still eat it, but I think I'd regret it very quickly." To this, Miss Molly responded, "You and all of housekeeping lol."
Photo: TikTok via @the.__.jabberwocky
Some people even delved into the economics of the meal, pointing out that the expenditure on colored ink for the popsicle sign or the metal food containers and utensils likely outweighed the actual cost of the food. "They spent more on colored ink to print that popsicle sign than they did on the actual popsicles…," one person wrote.
Beyond the humor, however, the situation stirred a more serious conversation about employee appreciation and compensation.
Many people were quick to highlight the disparity between the restaurant's 'token of appreciation' and the employees' actual contributions. They pointed out the sad reality that many companies fail to reward their staff adequately.
"I can hear them now, 'at least you got something, be grateful.' Well, Barbara, we would like a monetary bonus lol," one person wrote.
Others echoed this sentiment, noting the irony of receiving such a meager token of gratitude from your place of employment. "When your company made 15 mil … here's your bonus," one person joked. "'We had record profits in 2022 and we couldn't do it without you!'" another added.
The incident reemphasizes the importance of meaningful employee recognition, reminding employers to consider how their gestures of 'appreciation' may be perceived.
As the debate continues online, one thing becomes clear — an underwhelming hotdog and popsicle meal does not equate to a genuine appreciation for hardworking employees.
Ethan Cotler is a writer and frequent contributor to YourTango living in Boston. His writing covers entertainment, news, and human interest stories.