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Are QSR employees being trained to handle customer abuse? Our readers were split

July 19, 2019

Earlier this week — following a QSRweb story around the incidence, severity and effects abusive customers have on fast food employees — we asked readers whether they had or saw the need for training around this subject to prepare employees how best to deal with these acts of verbal and often physical abuse toward workers by customers. The responses received indicate that QSRs are all over the board on this subject, with an almost even split between brands that train around this issue, those who do not and those who said they were not aware it was even an issue in QSR operation. 

A slight majority of readers said they didn't train employees how to handle and deal with customer abuse because they consider that to be part of the job for frontline fast food workers. But, nearly as many said their brands did train around this issue. Finally, a nearly equal number of respondents said they did not even realize that customer abuse was a matter of concern. 

As we learned in the article from both a worker and a counselor who works with hourly wage workers - many who are employed in fast food — the effects can be detrimental to both the worker and the brand at large, since ongoing customer abuse can drain motivation to do a good job from workers, who in the worst cases simply quit their positions. Colorado-based counselor, Emily Frank, said she felt training was needed for both frontline workers and their managers around the issue, to build a system of support in the workplace and better arm employees how to respond effectively to such situations.