A Wisconsin woman stopped at a local Taco Bell only to be a witness to an employee getting talked down to by her manager. What started off as a mildly awkward back-and-forth turned into a full-blown argument in the middle of the restaurant.
TikTok user Michellemerckx, Michelle, shared the video on social media, where it attracted hundreds of comments. Viewers who witnessed the video brought up the subject of professionalism, who was in the wrong, and how it could’ve been handled better.
Michelle had been enjoying her meal when a Taco Bell employee came out from the back, announcing, “Do you guys hear this? She’s a manager and she’s yelling at me.” The manager comes after her, yelling at her and telling her she needs to ask a manager about specific on-the-job decisions.
The manager tells her employee she isn’t a manager and can’t just make “executive decisions.” This came after the employee told her manager she couldn’t take an order from the drive-thru because she was cleaning. Although another employee was also helping, according to the manager, the frustration came from them being “slammed for three [expletive] hours.”
After calmly listening to what she has to say, acknowledging the concerns, the employee says, “Okay. Relax.” and apologies. The manager continues admonishing her, sighing loudly and stating for all to hear: “Do not make decisions on your own. You have to ask. We can get in trouble for this.”
Commenters draw battle lines, defending employee and manager alike
Among the hundreds of comments on Michelle’s TikTok video, many either defended the employee or the manager. The split came from the employee’s decision-making skills and how the manager handled the situation. “All that for minimum wage is crazy,” a TikTok user remarked.
One viewer who sided with the employee wrote, “Back of house! Never reprimand in front of customers.” In the comment thread that followed, a viewer argued the employee was the one who brought it to the front. However, another fired back, saying, “And it was the manager who continued to follow.”
Another commenter, who sided with the manager, argued the employee should’ve followed orders. “Smh if you can’t follow orders at work then go be your own boss.” This started another debate, with one viewer arguing the manager shouldn’t be yelling at employees at all.
Others called the manager “unprofessional” and that she “lacks emotional maturity,” while some called the employee “lazy” and “soft.”
What it comes down to is a failure in communication. The best way this Taco Bell manager could’ve handled it is taking it back to her office, like some viewers suggested. Publicly shaming an employee (or anyone for that matter) doesn’t actually work—it just causes more problems.
