McDonald's gives workers advice on tipping au pairs, trainers, dog-walkers

[meegbear]

Source: NBCNews.com

Fast-food giant McDonald's has committed another employee advice blunder, listing pricey suggestions for tipping au pairs, personal fitness trainers and pool cleaners on its worker resource website.

This advice comes as fast-food workers from 100 cities across the nation push for $15-an-hour pay, a far cry from the wages most earn, in a mass strike on Thursday.

The tipping guide from etiquette maven Emily Post on McDonald's website lists several high-ticket suggestions for givers during the holiday season, including "a gift from your family (or one week's pay), plus a small gift from your child" for an au pair, "one day's pay" for a housekeeper and "cost of one cleaning" for a pool cleaner. The site also lists suggestions for dog walkers, massage therapists and personal fitness trainers.

In an email to CNBC, McDonald's spokeswoman Lisa McComb said: "This is content provided by a third-party partner and quotes from one of the best-known etiquette gurus, Emily Post. We continue to review the resource and will ask the vendor to make changes as needed."

Read more: http://www.nbcnews.com/business/mcdonalds-gives-workers-advice-tipping-au-pairs-trainers-dog-walkers-2D11702467

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[truebluegreen]

1. Is this the Onion? How can any real person or organization be so clueless?

[trof]

20. My first thought too.

[Niceguy1]

28. its external content that fed into their website

by a vendor it's not like they're actually saying hey let's do this

[In_The_Wind]

2. Unf***ing believable!

[lame54]

4. What world do these people live in?

[In_The_Wind]

14. They're interested in looking like they care instead of addressing real issues.

They just don't think because they don't really give a damn if it isn't their families trying to make a small amount of money cover all expenses.
Everyone is a replaceable cog in the machinery. Remember McDonald's is known for the if you have time to lean, you have time to clean mentality.

[Fuddnik]

3. We thought the clown was just a mascot.

He's either the CEO. or running the PR Department.

The last couple of months have convinced me to never, ever go there again.

[Scuba]

8. I stop at McUrinals quite often.

[pangaia]

13. HA! That is THE ONLY reason I ever go into McUrinals.

And if there is a gas station nearby, I go there instead.
Humm,, maybe I SHOULD go to McUrinals..... and miss the urinal.

[Revanchist]

27. So you want make those who earn minimum wage

clean your piss from the floor? Real classy.

[pangaia]

65. You're right about that. I am wrong.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

29. unfortunately, one of the poor workers will have to clean up after you

Better to find the adresses of top CEO's and PR employees and piss on their front door. Bring your dogs too.

[pangaia]

66. You're right. Rather thoughtless of me.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

67. no blame! :)

It's clear your heart's in the right place.



Go borrow the whole neighborhood's dogs and bring them too. Got a pick up truck? Collect cat litter boxes as well.

[warrant46]

21. Depending on the neighbor hood

These Urinals need the sign

"Do not throw cigarette butts in the Urinal"

And some wag always writes next the the sign

"They get soggy and hard to light"

[Jackpine Radical]

42. Do Not Throw Roaches In Urinal

(We have enough already)

[Ace Acme]

47. In German, the distinction between

throwing "keine Zigaretten" (no cigarettes) and "kleine Zigaretten" (little cigarettes) in the urinal is a stock joke.

[warrant46]

53. +1

[BodieTown]

35. Never Ever For Me, Too

In the past, I've gone there maybe twice a year (coffee, wraps, yogurt). But I'm done. Never again.

These places can well afford to pay living wages to workers without raising food prices:

Reverse the torrential money river to the CEOs/VPs.

[beac]

5. Kind of shocked that they didn't tell their employees to give

McDonald's gift certificates. At least that would have aligned with their callous corporate image. This is just pure IDIOCY!

[BlueJazz]

6. I can understand McDonalds posting the info. Why, just the other day, the Grease Cleaner at MacD's

....was complaining how their 2 home Chefs were griping about how their Christmas Bonuses were only FOUR days pay ($800.00)

The Grease cleaner said "Wow !..I really made a faux pas" !!

[QuestForSense]

25. Mon Dieu! There's a lot of money in grease.

[gejohnston]

7. their advice sucks as bad as their food

and their pay.

[magical thyme]

9. just when I thought the reporter got it...

they write "These tips would be far out of the budget for many employees..."

OMFG!!!! McDonald's workers can afford au pairs, pools, pool cleaners, to live someplace where dogs are allowed, dogs, and dog walkers.

They just can't afford to tip them.

OMFG.

[2naSalit]

49. +1!

That's the first thing I thought of.

[Scuba]

10. Can you say "out of touch"?

I knew that you could!

[Aviation Pro]

11. It also means....

...that McDonalds hires over-credentialed fucksticks at their corporate HQ who can't or won't do their fucking, worthless jobs (I'm looking at you entire HR department). I've got a fucking suggestion for the fuckwit CEO in charge, change the name HR back to its original title 'Personnel;' fire the VP of HR along with his/her entire battalion of Directors; take the money you just saved on bloated compensation for said fucksticks and send it directly to every line employee at McDonalds (bypass the fucktude franchisee who's a worthless bag of phlegm) along with a handwritten letter of apology.

I'll waive my consultant fees for this one. You're fucking welcome.

[RKP5637]

16. In short, McDonald's is a shit hole outfit! n/t

[BlancheSplanchnik]

33. +++

Wish I said this!!

I haven't gone to a McD's in...geez like 30 years?

Anyway, you got the corp. headquarters attitude exactly right.

[azurnoir]

12. perhaps it was so that their employees know how much they

should be making in tips at their second job?

[truebluegreen]

26. I thought that too.

Seems the most reasonable explanation.

[cosmicone]

15. Now what will the McDonalds' employees

do for the butler, the chauffeur and the peon? There are no guidelines for their tips.

[jberryhill]

17. Instead of tipping your personal chef...

...why not just invite him or her to come on down and cook some damned food for a change.

[FreakinDJ]

18. Fucking Clueless

[hobbit709]

19. They'd have to move up about 6 levels to get to clueless.

[Turbineguy]

22. They seem to have left out

the folks who detail your Bentley.

[KurtNYC]

24. and I pity the trainers, hot walkers and handlers of McDonald's employees' polo horses

No McTip for them either.

[durablend]

23. I think the REAL point

Is to stoke some more rightwing outrage

"These lazy LEECHES are complaining about not getting a living wage yet they've got pool cleaners and au pairs working for them? OUTRAGE!!! OMG!!! BENGAZI!!!!!"

[Demo_Chris]

30. Comedy GOLD! Perhaps McDonalds can offer workers home decorating advice...

Are Marble countertops in this year, or is it Granite?

[KamaAina]

59. And stock tips

one hopes the burger-flippers are heavily invested in tech.

[cynzke]

31. A Simple Misunderstanding!

That list was meant to help advise McDonald employees what tips THEY should expect from employers on their second and third jobs as dog walkers, pool cleaners, etc.

[longship]

32. How to tip your butler, valet, chauffeur...

[wryter2000]

34. Let them eat cake.

The mind boggles.

[TxDemChem]

36. They should remove any advice for their workers

Clearly, the advice is not vetted for their staff and they are too stupid to vet it. Or callous. Or heartless. Or pathetic. Or...

[SheilaT]

40. Someone ought to do a parody thing

about which wines go with which menu item at McD's.

[jmowreader]

64. A very short list to be sure

Thunderbird is appropriate for any dish on the menu.

[malthaussen]

38. Somehow, I don't think this is accidental.

Once could be accident, twice could be coincidence, but three times is a pattern. This McDonald's website has been consistent in offering degrading, humiliating "advice" to its users.

The rich are not happy merely making love to their dollars. The real fun comes from sneering at the poor and abusing them whenever possible.

-- Mal

[WinkyDink]

43. Totally agree.

[riqster]

48. This sounds right.

[2naSalit]

50. That seems to be

the only feasible purpose in these "advice" posts of theirs.

Glad I've been boycotting these fast non-food places for decades. And I would rather starve than work at one only to starve while working.

[AngryAmish]

39. Hey, I know the spokesperson!

Isn't that nice?

[WinkyDink]

41. It is ALWAYS the same reply: "Third-party respected source blah blah blah."

[rpannier]

62. Yep

When good things happen it's because of the corporate climate and a shining example of the company. When it's bad it's the fault of someone else.

[Mira]

44. Disgusting

I have to throw up now, and boycott McDonalds forever

[The Blue Flower]

45. Tipping? How about a tipping point?

Which is exactly where these greedy fools now find themselves. This has to be the very last straw.

[sakabatou]

46. It might get to the point where they given money they can only buy at the store, nowhere else

[valerief]

51. What? No advice on how to offshore earnings? nt

[catbyte]

52. The author of that tone deaf piece must be a fan of Gwenyth Paltrow's "lifestyle" blog

After all, doesn't everyone need a $1200 napkin set?!?

[yurbud]

54. but what about the valet who pats dry your buttocks after you use the bidet?

[yurbud]

55. it's so difficult to reach your money clip before he pulls up your trousers...

[demwing]

56. Dearest McDonald's - I'm so very despondant!

after following your kind tipping recommendations, and enriching the otherwise meager economic futures of my au pair, pool boy, and personal fitness trainer, I find I no longer have the means to afford your greasy fat burgers and deep fried salted starch sticks!

These are the rare and delicate recipes that sustain me as I pursue my affluent lifestyle! Whatever shall I do?

[Hekate]

57. It makes one wonder if there is a saboteur on the staff at McD's headquarters

Nobody could be THAT stupid.

[Blue Owl]

58. So that's what all those TPS* reports were all about

*Tipping Procedure Systems

[Electric Monk]

60. I'll go ahead and make sure you get another copy of that memo...

[Blue Owl]

70. Real good then...

Mmm Kay...

[burnsei sensei]

61. Damn their lack of empathy

straight to hell.

[jmowreader]

63. Finally! Useful advice!

Since McD's employees are more likely to be au pairs, dog walkers and pool cleaners than to employ them, they now know what to expect in three weeks.

This is the company who told paycheck-to-paycheck workers to take two vacations a year and save $100 a month. We know they have no idea what they're dealing with."There's no bread? Let them eat cake!" There's no evidence anyone in the French monarchy said that and concrete evidence at least four people at McD hq say it regularly.

[happyslug]

68. Joan Kroc has only been dead ten years

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joan_Kroc

Joan was the third and last Wife of McDonald's owner, Ray Kroc. Ray Kroc was in many ways a ruthless businessman, but that is what permitted him to move McDonald's from a Chain with 9 Stores to one with thousands.

On the other hand, he and his wife knew also the advantage of being kind, both were know to be Philanthropists.

Ray Kroc had died in January 1984, the San Ysidro McDonald Massacre occurred in July 1984. After the massacre, the franchisee said he was going to re-open the store at the same location, for he had to much invested in the location to donate it for a memorial park. At that point Joan Kroc stepped in and had McDonald's Corporation not only SAY they would buy, but did buy a new location for the McDonald's, and then exchanged the two lots, and gave the lot of the Massacre to the City for a memorial park.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Ysidro_McDonald's_massacre

She also had the President of McDonald's serve the 50th billionth McDonald Hamburger to the surviving McDonald brother the next year. As one person said, being tough and ruthless does not mean you have to act Stupid, and acknowledging people who helped you, even if you had a good fight with them, if part of the game.

I bring this up for Joan has been dead 10 years, and now we we see McDonald's NOT understanding not only the problem but refusing to address the problem, What would have Roy Kroc done in this situation? What would have Joan? How do you make something positive out of low wages? I suspect Roy would have (and I suspect he would come out for an increase in the Minimum wage, just on the ground it put fast food companies all paying the same, Ray was no idiot, you do NOT fight the flow, you go with it).

Thus there is a lack of leadership in McDonald's right now, sounds like the Accountants have taken over and that is always a bad thing (I have an Accounting Degree and if you read about A&P Food Stores, it was the premium Supermarket till the 1950s, when the founders had all died out and the Accountants were in charge, the bean counters were to worried about counting beans, they missed the big picture),

[Beacool]

69. McDonald's workers have au pairs, pools, pool cleaners, housekeepers and more?

Wow, I'm the wrong line of business.

[penultimate]

72. Not all their employees are hourly restaurant workers

I'm sure some of the corporate workers have a couple of those services.

[intheflow]

71. If you cant outsource your workers,

you can always outsource your web content manager, who in turn outsources (or rather, insources) unchecked content from 3rd or fourth removed sources. It's brilliant!

[alp227]

73. Great talking down to those workers.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024131481

[blkmusclmachine]

74. HAHAHA