CHOWKING, EAGLE ROCK PLAZA

As I observed a big line of customers before I held the interview, I noticed that there are three registers on the front, but only two of them were manned. Edna, the manager was expediting the products from the kitchen to the customers. The 3 kitchen crew had their own stations, two of them was preparing the orders while one was prepping the garnishes. Eventually, the prep guy drops his station and helped out with the orders once it started pilling up. They eventually finished all the orders, but the noticeably irritated customers waited a bit too long lining up and waiting for food. I, myself ordered a meal and it took 15 minutes to get it. I assumed that this would not be the case if it wasn't that busy.

After the line died down, I interviewed the manager, Edna. She has been managing the fast-food store for 4 years. I could tell from the look on her face that it has been a long day. While I was talking to her, the two cashiers were wiping down the dining tables and left the register unmanned. Two of the back kitchen crew was washing the dishes, while one of them took out the overflowing trash in the dining area. "Multi-tasking is one of the necessary skill you have to have in this job. You must be flexible and willing to do any of the dirty work," Edna said. I instantly believed her when she said all the staffs have vague roles. Cashiers can do back kitchen jobs and vice versa, depending on how busy it gets.

The ratio of the customers versus the number of staff (six including the manager) is insufficient to properly operate to their claimed standards. When I asked what is her ideal number of staff in a shift should be, she suggested three cashiers and four back kitchen crew along with a shift leader, so she can focus on the managerial operations and quality control instead of expediting orders to the customers most of the time. When I asked why not do it, she said the upper management is implementing pay cuts to stay afloat and are not willing to pay more if the current amount of people can get the job done. It is clear to me that the main reason this fast-food chain is understaffed and has sub-par service is that of budgetary issues. This issue is also affirmed when I noticed that 4 of their meals were unavailable due to the lack of chicken meat supplies.