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When you’re heading home after a night out in Syracuse, Popeyes is one of the few restaurants within walking distance from campus that remains open until 3 a.m. However, if you do decide to stop in and grab an after-midnight snack, what you’ll observe is the atrocious lack of human decency with which customers can treat service workers.

While hungry students enjoy the convenience of late-night meal options, the workers behind the counter often face overwhelming challenges. Particularly, fast food employees on Marshall Street experience extreme working conditions, long hours and a relentless flow of orders. These challenges are only worsened by the disrespectful behavior they experience from Syracuse University students, which adds unnecessary stress to an already difficult job.

High turnover rates of employees leaving their jobs at the Marshall Street locations of Five Guys and Chipotle highlight the immense difficulty of these jobs. According to the manager at the Marshall Street Chipotle, the turnover rate at their location has reached 120%, meaning more employees leave than are hired over the course of a year. At Five Guys, the manager reported that half of all new hires quit within two weeks, overwhelmed by the intense stress and demands of the job.

Disrespectful behavior from customers pushes employees to quit even faster. The constant need to hire and train new staff disrupts service, lowers morale and impacts the overall customer experience. By showing basic courtesy and understanding, students can help reduce employment turnover and foster a more stable, positive work environment on Marshall Street.

But it’s not just about the words students are saying to service employees — their actions speak volumes as well. At Chipotle, employees told me that customers often leave trash scattered throughout the restaurant and, in some cases, even steal pickup orders.

Flynn Ledoux | Illustration Editor

Five Guys faces similar challenges, with students causing disruptions in the restaurant. An employee said the behavior can be exacerbated from bar crawls. This behavior not only adds unnecessary pressure to the staff but contributes to the overall chaotic environment that workers are forced to endure.

Many fast food employees on Marshall Street feel disrespected by a significant portion of their customer base, which is predominantly composed of SU students. Though many customers give no issues, there is a significant portion that is rude and demanding regardless of a restaurant’s business, one Chipotle worker told me.

A Marshall Street restaurant employee shared how they often feel judged and looked down upon by students simply because they work in fast food, which they said can be deeply disheartening. It’s difficult to take student customers seriously when they complain about a $12 meal while wearing a Canada Goose jacket, which usually costs around $1,000. This points toward a larger issue of the wealth disparity between many students and service workers.

Other employees echoed the experience of judgment. Several employees mentioned that some students seem to feel entitled to behave however they want, assuming they can get away with being rude or dismissive simply because, in their eyes, “they’re only fast food employees.” This perception makes the work environment more demoralizing, widening the divide between students and the people who serve them daily.

Beyond the daily disrespect and challenging work conditions, the fast food employees I spoke to feel that their hard work goes unnoticed and underappreciated. Many workers describe the emotional toll of having to constantly manage the high expectations of students, despite receiving little to no recognition for their hard work.

A simple “thank you” or acknowledgment of their service could make a significant difference in their day. Such small gestures of gratitude from customers could not only boost morale, but also reduce turnover rates by making the job feel more rewarding on a personal level.

Furthermore, improving communication between students and employees could greatly enhance the experience for both parties. When customers express their needs clearly and politely, it enables workers to perform their jobs more efficiently.

If students want their favorite spots on Marshall Street to stay well-staffed and running smoothly, they need to start treating employees with more respect and empathy. Fast food workers are vital to the convenience and enjoyment students rely on, but they face an abundance of hardships.

Disrespectful behavior only worsens their situation and drives them away, leading to more uncertainty for both employees and customers. By showing basic courtesy and understanding, students can help create a more positive atmosphere, ensuring that these businesses continue to provide the service they depend on.

Dennis DiSantis is a junior majoring in political science. His column appears bi-weekly. He can be reached at dadisant@syr.edu.

Published on September 26, 2024 at 1:50 am