Rude Disabled Employee at McDonald's

I Back you up

Several, in fact, but this particular man is usually working when I
shop. About a year ago, I was checking out and he was bagging my
groceries. I was making small talk with him when he suddenly said to
me "What happened to your coat? You need a new one!" (I was wearing an
old leather jacket with whitish cracks in the leather). Okay, that
could definitely be considered rude. If this had been a non-disabled
person I probably would have been upset. Instead, this is what I did:

1. Laughed and said "Yeah, I guess you're right!"

2. Smiled at the cashier who said "Eddie, that's not nice!" and
assured her "it's no problem."

3. Let it go. And thought how nice it was of the store to give a job
to this perfectly decent man who yes, doesn't have the social
awareness that most people do and didn't realize he was being rude.
Because really, he didn't do me any harm by pointing out what I
already knew - that my coat WAS getting pretty ratty. No more so than
if he'd whistled and pointed to the exit. If he'd done that, I would
have reacted in much the same way. I certainly wouldn't have insisted
he lose his job. Because where else could they assign him in a grocery
store or fast food place where he wouldn't come into contact with
customers?

Luckily for Eddie, most of the shoppers at this store seem to feel the
same way and cut him some slack when he doesn't quite meet the
standards we set. He still works there. And I truly hope that this
McDonald's employee still works at that location as well.

If what the manager said was true and that the disability causes him
to be discourteous and rude then she needs to have him working another
position away from customer contact.
It's not against any law to re-assign any employee. Each employee
should be in a job best suited for him or her.

instead of making excuses for the employee they hired, the manager
should've made sure the employee was repremanded for his actions.
disabled or not, the customer is always right. and if a business
offers lousy customer service, its on them not you.

On my last few visits, I have gone inside. The employee is question
has been seen making sandwiches on every occasion.

Since this keeps coming up, I've mentioned this before, but McDonalds
(and most fast food places of a similar vein) work with a minimum of
people staffed (which is why it is cheap) and do NOT have designated
stockers/cookers/cleaners. The same person who rings you up at the
counter also cleans the bathrooms/dining area, same with the food prep
people who might also be cleaning or stocking or ringing people up.
The window person is really the only one who stays in one area,
usually doing fries/bagging food if the window isn't busy.

Sure, they could "make-up" something for him to do, but unless
McDonalds is getting some kind of kick-back for working him, I doubt
they are going to put him in a position where it then requires them to
staff an additional person to fill in for the work he then isn't
doing. Although I suppose they could make him a manager, since they
spend the most time out of the public eye, checking in stock, doing
interviews (Turnover is fast), and doing the schedule.

It's quite possible there is NOWHERE else to "put" him.

I avoid them for completely different reasons, but I'm sure they don't
miss my business either. Pretty sure they are the largest, most
widespread fast food service in the world.

They're known for fast, cheap food, not great service. I doubt this
will ever change in a low-price/low pay/low staffed work environment,
and I don't think it's something they will bother to work on unless
it's a hygiene issue or something that will give them nationwide bad
press, like a hate crime. If the right person got ahold of it, I'm
guessing they'd loose more customers over firing this individual than
they'll loose from keeping him.

My guess is that the other 99% of the customers at this location
either don't notice or don't care.

That's great they hire people with disabilities, but why put someone
in front of the customer who might be be rude and offensive. So I
guess everytime someone complaints, the manager will explain the
situation and people will say "oh, ok, well I'm not upsest anymore"
and then leave. What about all the people who DON'T complain, but
just vow never to go there again? I say, take the guy off drive-thru
and have him cooking/prepping/stocking and/or cleaning the dining
area.

not be offended if i knew the employee had a disability.

i mean, i just wonder...what would you think if a company said they
didn't hire people with disabilities? that would be wrong wouldn't it?
i would appreciate that the company is willing to take the risk, and
with situations like this, it is a risk.

i was a waitress long ago, and the lady who assisted me (clearing off
tables, making drinks, etc.) had a handicap. she had the mind of a 10
year old. one time she brought me a gift which was head bands and hair
clips that a 5 or 6 year old would wear. you know what? she was a
better worker than most employees that had no handicaps.

yeah, there might be times when they do things that are considered
"inappropriate". i remember one time the lady i worked with was at the
salad bar trying to clean it up when she heard someone say that they
needed more ranch. she replied, "i would get some if i could get to
the damn thing."

nobody ever complained on her. had they complained on her, what would
the company say? should they have fired her for that?

i think you just have to remember that these employees are lucky to be
working, and the company should be applauded for employeeing them.
it's not really THAT big of a deal then is it?

I once had a disabled cashier at dunkin donuts get angry at me for not
wanting 50 munchkins! I asked for a box of 25. he told me he was
supposed to "upsell" me 50. i told him i only wanted 25, he then told
me he had to tell the manager why he didnt upsell. the manager came
out and explained to him that it was ok, not everyone wants 50
munchkins, he then apologized to me for the cashiers behavior and told
me he has a special need.

I saw no reason to get upset with him, he was just trying to apply
what he had been taught, i know plenty of people who would have
tweaked on this guy. Perhaps the front counter at 7am was not the best
placement for him, at least he was willing to try.

As to my earlier comment on this thread, yes the customer should
expect top level service every time, i do not see this situation as
poor service, but rather, an attempt to provide the best possible.

When I'm annoyed by the behavior of a special needs person, I try to
remind myself, "She is someone's sister. She is someone's daughter.
She is an aunt." And that I should show that person the kindness and
patience and some understanding, the same as I'd want someone to do
for someone *I* care about who needed a little more wiggle room while
out in the world.

Its too bad you only received excuses from management. A more
proactive response was required such as "I apologize for ___'s
rudeness. He has a handicap and sometimes gets caught up in his job
duties. Neverless it is clearly inappropriate behavior for a drive
through employee to whistle at cars and I will address this with him
immediately, taking steps to ensure that he knows that this is not
acceptable".

I think we can all appreciate that those with mental handicaps may not
always perform with the skill and precision that we expect, but hey, I
don't perform with skill and precision every day either, and all it
takes is a reminder from my employer that I slipped up. There is no
reason the manager cannot address her employee as well. He should be
held to the same standards as all other employees with regard to
customer service, and there should be no difficulty in addressing this
with him, regardless of his job duty.

OK, so you went to the drive through, received your order and left?
What else could you possibly want? It was explained to you that this
guy has a disability... Perhaps you should try to be more
understanding of the poor guy while he tried to earn a living and work
around people when he has a bit of trouble communicating with them.

You indicate that you wanted this man to be more courteous... Perhaps
he was as courteous as he possibly could be considering his
disability? It may be very hard for him to even talk to other
people...

I recommend opening your mind, and allowing the disabled to earn a
living....

The consensus on this site seems to be that fast-foot employees are
rude, lazy, stupid, etc., but I just don't see it that way. I can't
think of one fast-food employee that was ever rude to me or appeared
to be lazy or stupid. They always seem to be on the ball and go out
of their way to do a good job.

Either I'm lucky, low-maintenance, an infrequent fast-food eater, or
what? I don't know. I just know that I never have any of the
problems that so many other people seem to have at fast-food
restaurants. I can't figure it out.

So the employee comes off as rude, but it isn't his intention to be
rude -- I can accept that. But the kicker is, I can accept that more
easily than I can accept the OVERT RUDENESS of fast food employees who
don't have intellectual disabilities.

You went to a restaurant, ordered food, received your order, then went
on your way. What else did you want? Oh, wait! They also had to smile
and say "yes, sir!" and "no, sir!" If they don't coddle you to your
standard, you're gonna make a call!

You were there to get food as quickly as possible. You say the food
was "shoved" at you (subjective term) and the guy whistled - so now
you want him reassigned. Unfair.

Maybe the employee has a autism spectrum disorder, and that causes
them to not smile...seriously. that maybe the whistling is tourettes.
I'm using my sociological imagination here...my professor would be
proud.

Nate..

I'm going to elaborate a little on what LadyMac said. I've worked
with developmentally disabled people before and volunteer at Special
Olympics. Many times they require longer and more intense training in
social situtations. It does not mean they cannot learn but it is more
difficult.

Many of the athletes at Special Olympics are big "huggers". They hug
just about everyone. I've heard the counselors say time and time
again "You know Mary, we talked about this and it's not polite to hug
strangers" and then add "you're doing so well at not hugging so I
guess you just forgot".

In other words, Mary may have gotten it right about 20 times but
forgot on the 21st. It could be that this person got it right (Thank
you, come again) 20 times and you were the 21st.

In our county, when jobs are found for developmentally disabled
persons they are also assigned job coaches who spend time observing
them and work with the managers on improving skills or moving them up.
Sometimes moving them up works out but requires some extra training
by the manager and the job coach. Sometimes it doesn't and they go
back to their previous duties.

What I'm trying to say is "lighten up". This may well be a case where
they are trying to teach this person more skills and he just requires
some more work at it.

Really? I understand that this wasn't the model of great customer
service, but did he really do anything so bad? He gave you your food
quickly and tried to send you on your way. Maybe he rushes to meet
time requirements and simply doesn't comprehend time well? Once you
understood there was no ill intent, was it really such a bad
experience?

I say good for this manager and McDonald's for working with this
gentleman.

under the ADA the EMPLOYER is required to make "reasonable
accommodations" for their employee, it never says anything about the
customer. i believe that the customer has every right to expect the
highest level of service, if said employee cannot comply, he/she
should be doing a job that does not require them to interact with
customers. i believe a reasonable accommodation would be doing fries,
making salads, etc. you wouldnt expect walmart to hire a blind
cashier, so why set this guy up for failure at mcdonalds because he
lacks social skills?

if the manager were to punish the employee over this, it may be a
violation of the ADA.

as other's have said - and i agree - the man is doing a job despite
the difficulties his body has given him.

he might not have perfect social skills... but in my opinion it is
wrong to punish him for this

there's nothing wrong with a little bit of tolerance and patience for
those who have physical and mental difficulties in life. in fact...
doing so makes you a better person.

Oh Nate. I totally agree. People like this should work in the
basement, not where they can be SEEN! In fact, don't they have homes
where these people can't get out? Geez.

How DARE he not know how to act! Disability as an excuse? Pulease.
That manager needs to call the short bus and send him home.

Oh.. and what kind of disability does he have? You must know since
you've deemed it to be a cognitive one ("if he is rude and does not
even comprehend it").

You felt pressured to leave? Were you intending to hang around?

My line of thinking is that this person has special needs, and he
gives such poor service. I do not think special needs should be
somebody's excuse for not being polite when serving a customer. I'm
sure his efficiency would be helpful at other positions as well.

I do have tolerance of poor service, but this crossed the line in my
opinion.