# Sonic, you are pitted. (Slightly whiny) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 25, 2004, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sonic-you-are-pitted-slightly-whiny/247080 "2004-05-25T23:26:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![chaoticbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2004, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sonic-you-are-pitted-slightly-whiny/247080/1 "2004-05-25T23:26:18Z")
Ok. As I talked about in another thread, last Tuesday (a week ago,) I started at Sonic. I still work at McDonald’s… this was just a 2nd job. My first night goes fine. 2nd day: I walk in 2 hours late, but don’t realize it. Manager informs me of this. "Oh my god! I’m so sorry! I misread my schedule and thought I had to be here at 1pm. "(not 11am) “Well, we would have sent you home by now anyway… all the things you would have done are already done.” (well then why did you schedule me, dickface?) “You can just go home.” “Ok… I’m sorry about that. Schedules go up Sunday night, right?” “Yes” I call Sunday night. They tell me I don’t work this whole week. “Apparently, one of the assistant managers thinks that you have a problem with him” (Why should this matter? I work with people that I don’t like everyday!) “Is there anyone I can call about this and try to get some hours for this week?” “Yeah, try calling tomorrow.” I call Monday. “Hmm, maybe they thought that those days you requested off had already started.” “No, guy last night said that he thought that one of the assistant managers had a problem with me.” “Well, it may be **AssistantManager’sName** ; he’ll be here tomorrow. Maybe you can call him.” “Ok, thanks… I’ll do that.” I call today. “Huh… I think it’s **guy** … hold on.” \“Hello?” “Hi, this is…” “\ yeah he already told me who you are. You wanted to talk about why you’re not scheduled?” “Yes.” “Well, that’s because I fired you last Tuesday” \ “One of my assistant managers said that you sort of copped an attitude with him.” \ “And I trust my assistant managers in cases like this. I’m sorry, but you were fired after you left last Tuesday” \ The conversation continued by him saying I could pick up my check on the 5th of June. Oh, did I mention I went to 3x as many interviews as days I worked? That’s right. I had to interview three times for a job at Sonic. After having 3 years of McExperience, with McPerfectattendance and McExcellent/Outstanding performance. Goatfelchers. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2004, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sonic-you-are-pitted-slightly-whiny/247080/2 "2004-05-25T23:59:59Z")
It sucks that you lost your job like that but it’s best that you got out now if that’s common of Sonic in general or just that particular restaraunt in particular. ---
**Author:** ![badbadrubberpiggy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/57b2e6/32.png) [@badbadrubberpiggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badbadrubberpiggy)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2004, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sonic-you-are-pitted-slightly-whiny/247080/3 "2004-05-26T00:11:13Z")
That does suck, I’m sorry you lost your job like that. If they’re going to fire you, the least they could have done was tell you when they did it. After all, it seems like they knew right away. I do agree with **Aesiron** - at least you got out right away, and you’re not stuck working for this guy long term. ---
**Author:** ![Mauvaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mauvaise/32/11084_2.png) [@Mauvaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mauvaise)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2004, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sonic-you-are-pitted-slightly-whiny/247080/4 "2004-05-26T04:21:29Z")
I’m pretty sure it’s federal law that if you’re fired, you are due all money within 48? 72? hours. So if they fired you on Tuesday, you are entitled to your money well before June 5th. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2004, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sonic-you-are-pitted-slightly-whiny/247080/5 "2004-05-26T04:28:27Z")
Look at it this way-if they’re this fucked up, you’re much better off getting fired NOW than later. But yeah, that’s messed up. ---
**Author:** ![lezlers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/258eb7/32.png) [@lezlers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lezlers)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2004, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sonic-you-are-pitted-slightly-whiny/247080/6 "2004-05-26T05:55:17Z")
> [@Mauvaise](#): > > I’m pretty sure it’s federal law that if you’re fired, you are due all money within 48? 72? hours. So if they fired you on Tuesday, you are entitled to your money well before June 5th. 72 hours. And that’s if you’re fired or you quit. Trust me, I got into a big ass fight with a manager at this little botique I worked at in college over it. I won. Anyhoo: yeah, that sucks. And for them to just drop you from the schedule and not even tell you you’re fired? After you _sort of_ copped attitude with one of their managers? I’ll echo the others when I say it’s _waaay_ better you got out now. It could’ve only gotten worse. I worked in a resturant briefly (this was one of the reasons why it was briefly) who was kind of like that. I was meticulous about checking the schedule, since I was new and wanted to make a good impression. One day I show up for work and my manager informs me I’m an hour late. _Waa huhhh?_ I check the schedule and sure enough, I’m an hour late. To this day I’m convinced that schedule was changed after I had checked it last (two days prior). Then, a couple weeks later the same manager called me at my second job, another resturant and told me I was supposed to be there. On a day I never worked. I tell her that can’t possibly be as I had specifically told them I couldn’t work that day of the week and I had just checked the schedule the previous day I worked. She said another server had told them I was covering her shift. No server had ever asked me (I’d only been working there 3 weeks or so) to cover a shift for them at that resturant. Ever. I told the manager that and she gave me a hesistant “okaaay” with a side of I-know-you’re-lying-to-me. Needless to say, I quit pretty soon after that. There are a ton of food service jobs out there and some shit just aint worth putting up with. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2004, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sonic-you-are-pitted-slightly-whiny/247080/7 "2004-05-26T10:58:38Z")
> [@chaoticdonkey](#): > > I call Sunday night. They tell me I don’t work this whole week. > “Apparently, one of the assistant managers thinks that you have a problem with him” (Why should this matter? I work with people that I don’t like everyday!) > “Is there anyone I can call about this and try to get some hours for this week?” > “Yeah, try calling tomorrow.” It’s at that point that you should have asked if you were still employed. Not trying to rub it in; just saying. Anyway, don’t feel bad. Sonic, I’m told, has a way of sucking out a person’s will to live. If you’re a McExcellent McEmployee, I’m sure you’ll find another second job in no time! (Or, do three years of McService qualify you for a managerial position?) ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2004, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sonic-you-are-pitted-slightly-whiny/247080/8 "2004-05-26T13:11:06Z")
I’ve never heard one good word about Sonic. Never. That chick, I Dig Annoying People (or something) used to work there, and it was nothing but a bitch fest after each of her shifts. Of course, that was partly due to her personality, I would guess. Plus, the food really sucks. Listen…you already have a McJob. Look for something not food service-oriented. Save yourself the pain and humiliation. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2004, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sonic-you-are-pitted-slightly-whiny/247080/9 "2004-05-26T13:22:56Z")
In high school, I worked at a grill/buffet-style restaurant (a chain called Ponderosa), where they were really obnoxious about the schedule. Even though they’d post the schedule for the upcoming week 2-3 days before that week started, you pretty much had to confirm the day before it started what your schedule was, because even though it was “posted”, they’d still change it until the day prior. One weekend I had my birthday, which was the day before the new schedule, as a day off. The following day I came in and discovered that due to a schedule change late two days prior, I was actually “late” to work by two hours. The management all expected that people would check the day before, regardless of their work schedule or anything else. Plus you frequently had to physically go there to do this, as if the kitchen was too busy or they just didn’t feel like it, they wouldn’t answer the phone. ---
**Author:** ![Ca3799](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9f8e36/32.png) [@Ca3799](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ca3799)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2004, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sonic-you-are-pitted-slightly-whiny/247080/10 "2004-05-26T14:33:03Z")
In my experience, the guy has probably done you a favor but cutting you loose. When things are “off” at a job, it rarely gets better. Hey, can you file for unemployment?!? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2004, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sonic-you-are-pitted-slightly-whiny/247080/11 "2004-05-26T15:23:56Z")
> [@chaoticdonkey](#): > > Goatfelchers. Ya see? There’s that bad attitude right there! 😛 I agree with everyone else. Getting fired was the best career move you could have made. ---
**Author:** ![DogMom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9c0ed/32.png) [@DogMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DogMom)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2004, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sonic-you-are-pitted-slightly-whiny/247080/12 "2004-05-26T15:52:05Z")
Gads, is this that popular to do? DogDad had something similar happen once - he was working at Hardee’s, the closing shift. The Manager was a lazy shit who was _just starting_ to work on the next week’s schedule (which started the next day!) that night. DogDad asked him if he had the schedule finished yet, so he could plan the week. “No, but I’ll have it done before you go home tonight.” Need I say that he DID NOT have it done? DogDad checked with him before DD left, saying, “hey, all the closing stuff is done, I’m going home. Is the schedule done yet?” The manager told him, “no, but don’t worry about it, I’ve finished the schedule for the first half of the week, and you don’t work until Tuesday.” OK, fine. DogDad calls work the following day to get his schedule for the week, and is told, “Oh, you were scheduled for open-up this morning and when you didn’t show, Manager fired you.” Considering that the place was closed down by the Health department 3 weeks later, it’s not like it was a big loss, but honestly! ---
**Author:** ![Kneepants\_Erasmus\_the\_Humanist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/54ee81/32.png) [@Kneepants\_Erasmus\_the\_Humanist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kneepants_Erasmus_the_Humanist)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2004, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sonic-you-are-pitted-slightly-whiny/247080/13 "2004-05-26T16:20:20Z")
Holy…_sputter sputter_…isn’t it customary for the employee to be **notified** when they get fired? You know, have them come in “I am sorry but we have to let you go” and such? And, what happened to write ups? You “fuck up” one time and that’s it? You don’t even know about it? That is bullshit all the way around. I worked at Wendy’s for about…oh…two weeks in high school. That is the extent of my foodservice experience. I avoid these jobs like the plague, and after reading some of these stories, I see that is a great decision. ---
**Author:** ![BubbaDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bubbadog/32/333_2.png) [@BubbaDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BubbaDog)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2004, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sonic-you-are-pitted-slightly-whiny/247080/14 "2004-05-26T18:52:38Z")
If only they would fire those two sorry-ass bastards that do their TV commercials. ---
**Author:** ![JayElle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/4bbf92/32.png) [@JayElle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JayElle)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2004, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sonic-you-are-pitted-slightly-whiny/247080/15 "2004-05-26T19:01:36Z")
Sigh… I wish we could give this thread to every employee. Our store manager composes a set schedule every school semester. She works around everyone’s school schedule and tries to accomodate total hours requests whenever possible. Our folks know every single week, for three months, what their schedule will be. So when an employee gets disciplined for tardies on their _set schedule_ and then states that they “can just go get a job at Sonic or whatever and not put up with this crap”, we can hand them this thread and laugh. ---
**Author:** ![chaoticbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2004, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sonic-you-are-pitted-slightly-whiny/247080/16 "2004-05-28T12:26:29Z")
> [@](#): > > 72 hours. And that’s if you’re fired or you quit. Really? they don’t hand out paychecks until the fifth. I’m going to call up there today to see if they’ll just give me some cash. ---
**Author:** ![chaoticbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2004, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sonic-you-are-pitted-slightly-whiny/247080/17 "2004-05-28T12:29:23Z")
Oh, I’m sorry. I exaggerated my McPerfectattendance. I missed a total of two days. More than 2 years ago. I’m so ashamed. :o lol. On the plus side, I hope to be getting a 2nd job at Harps, a local grocery chain. My best friend’s stepdad is a manager who helps with the hiring, etc… but I do plan on staying at Mcdonalds until I move away for college in August… I want to get a good letter of rec in case I need something to fall back on when I move. ---
**Author:** ![Zulema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/db5fbb/32.png) [@Zulema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zulema)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2004, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sonic-you-are-pitted-slightly-whiny/247080/18 "2004-05-28T12:46:09Z")
Everyone is right that you’re better off without that Sonic job. I bet you really did work that day at 1, someone probably wrote another 1 beside it to make it an 11. I had a restaurant job where they were always changing the schedule, I finally started writing it down in plain sight of the manager AND going over the penciled in times with pen. I still lost the job. When they want to get rid of you they’ll do it no matter what. Glad you fot the new job, a frocery store is way better than fast food.