Yet another case of getting in trouble for following the rules

I'm fast getting pissed at my new store.

So apparently I made some girl cry enough to want to quit. Why? Because I told her to 1) add some water to the meatballs before putting them in and to set the microwave in two 4 minute cycles rather than one 8 minute cycle so that you make sure to stir the meatballs midway (the water prevents the meatballs from burning). 2) I asked her to stop pulling the bread from the wrong direction (this store pulls from top to bottom, she was grabbing the freshest bread). 3) When a customer asked for a kids meal on flatbread, I vetoed that, because policy is that we are supposed to offer kids meals on white or wheat only, as they are the healthiest options and kids meals are supposed to be low cal and low fat.

I was told to basically quit trying to be so hardline and to just let the customer have what they want "because we rely so much on regular customers". But this ruins it for other Subways when they don't do what one Subway does!

And then I get to be the asshole for trying to follow procedure, which I'm told to stop doing because even the DM will say just to let the customer have whatever. WTF?

-qygibo

 

Comments

[d]

My question is, why do you not listen to the people who own the store? if they say, "Let the customer have what they want? then listen to them.

[Trippetta]

You don't mention whether or not you're a supervisor, or any person with the authority to veto something like the flat bread in kids meals. The other two issues sound like something you should have been able to tell her without it being a big deal, but because she is so quick to cry, it sounds like you'll have to essentially "tattle" on her to someone higher up when there is such a problem. Unless you do have that power, in which case I call bullshit on you getting in trouble. That was not cool of them.

tl;dr What's your authority?

[Spritzy]

I'm guessing that the flatbread isn't ideal as an option for the kids meals since the flatbread is used in 6 or 12 inch servings and the kids meal sandwich is a smaller (four inch?) sandwich...so the portions would be off and therefore cause a loss to the company (cause the meal would be getting a 6 inch sandwich instead of a smaller one)
But that's just a guess.

[Kel]

I am tottaly with you on the meatballs and pulling the bread in the wrong order. I have worked in one of theese myself and having a coworker mess up the bread rotation can really throw it off and on a busy day even leave you short because the older bread goes stale. Not to mention the freshest bread is hard to cut as is.

But the flatbread... I had people request that on a kids and I would charge them extra my gm encouraged this.

[Headset Hellion]

If I want to pay extra for a flatbread kids meal, I expect to be served a flatbread kids meal. Otherwise, I will take my business elsewhere.

[v]

You'd be better to take your business elsewhere then. There is no nifty button for a flatbread kids meal. Unless owners are okay with it, you are not going to get away with giving away flatbread! You can't just push sub flatbread because there's a button for 6" and footlong substitutions only.
My store was a crazy mess because the manager us in lala land, we had to keep getting things we ran out of from other stores, and an owner came in sick as hell, then breathed on everything and got everyone else sick because she just HAD to show us all what dumbasses WE wee. :eyeroll:
Putting meatballs in the microwave then taking out halfway through 8 times n a row us fine. Making shit up for temps is fine, using the same cloth for cleaning windows then wiping the probe for temps is not only fine but not wasting cloths.
And I'M the weird one out of the bunch. Sure.

[CoG]

Firstly, Qygibo: thank you for that. Your name brings back fond memories from the forth grade. :) Second: you say this store is new, yet you seem to have experience with this kind of thing. I'm guessing you worked at another Subway previously?

[SILTERISAURORA]

I am in 100 percent agreement with Qygibo. Detrating from recipe is what causes problems for the name brand that the franchise paid to use. I worked at Subway myself for over 4 years. The recipe is the recipe. Regardless of whether the DM or upper franchise management says to detract, the inspector will be quick to put the franchise in line when they inspect the store and see meat weights are low, vegetable portions are skimped or too heavy, and product hold times aren't being followed. I think something people need to remember is that while a franchise is a safe way for someone to own their own business, it is not, in fact, their business. You did not come up with the recipes, names , or promotions. You paid to use someone else's brain child. I would love to see Fred's reaction to the flatbread kid's meal.

[Chris]

Skimping portions the customer paid for and refusing to sell the customer what they want are two entirely different things. Substituting a bread isn't a "detraction" in any place I've been at. If the GM/DM/owner says it's ok and you are refusing to follow instructions, then as far as I'm concerned you are the problem employee.

[Skittles]

If you are as concerned as you seem to be then try to go over the DM's head if possible. I don't really understand how the substitution thing is an issue, but I can understand the other issues being a problem.

[Headset Hellion]

I'm pretty sure you can ring up a flatbread sandwich, a pack of apple slices, and a drink, and throw in a kids toy. Maybe I've just been lucky so far, seeing as how I've purchased this very meal from at least 5 different Subways.