re: Five Guys, Chic-fil-A, Panera Bread vs. McDonald's, BK, Taco Bell (not food related)

It all starts with leadership

I mean chick fil a 100% pays more than McDonald's and Burger King

I would not consider 5 Guys and Panera to be "Fast food" like CFA, Cane's, McD, BK, TB

Those two are in the fast casual area.

But comparing Canes/CFA to the other three fast food:

1) Look at the Menus. CFA and Canes have much smaller and simpler menus, which means fewer different processes needed, fewer options, fewer things happening at the same time, etc. That improves efficiency and effectiveness.

2) The vast majority of workers at the first two are younger and working just to get some money while in school, etc. Most of them will eventually get other jobs (unless they become managers). At the other places, it's many people who can't get a job anywhere else.

3) The first two places charge a little more, no dollar menus, etc, so they tend to attract a higher caliber customer. Therefore, the employees don't have to deal with as much BS.

4) Probably because the margins are higher, the first two might not pay more per employee but they can have more employees working on a shift. When you have enough people for all the work that needs to get done... you can actually be successful.

5 guys? The 2 that I have been to are just like mcdonalds and bk with the workers.

I would have to say training has something to do with it. I personally know how intense the training standard is at Chic-fil-A. They don't mess around, they let one girl go because she didn't smile enough. They said she wasn't giving the right experience. They just hold their employees to a higher standard.

I hear Chick-fil-A is very selective in their hiring. Where as I think the qualification to be hired by BK or McD is basically to be breathing.

My sister worked at Chick FIL A while in college and had to have a letter of recommendation from her church pastor. It was mandatory.

I've never noticed any Five Guy's locations I've been in that have particularly good employees.

Actually multiple times I've thought the person ringing me up were rude, and more often than not they seem not to care much..... they aren't nearly as shitty as the BK, taco bell. And Popeyes employees though.


Haven't been in a Panera or McDonald's in at least 8 years so I can't comment on their employees. I assume McDonald's still has shitty employees. I remember Panera generally being staffed by ditzy teenage girls.

I would love the opportunity to go in and revamp the customer service at Popeye's.

The food has so much potential - if the right employees were on staff, that business would take off overnight with unreal sales.


I often wonder if Popeye's realizes just how bad their customer service is.....