Employees of McDonald’s may not always make top dollar, but the company has at least launched a new program to single out and thank employees who went above and beyond the call of duty to help out customers.
Sometimes the message gets delivered by a celebrity.
In a recent case it was a former McDonald’s employee turned hip-hop artist who visited an Atlanta area store to thank employees there and launch the “Thank You Crew” program.
“I learned a lot working at McDonald’s before my music career took off,” Lil Yachty told the crew, according to a company statement. “This visit brought those memories right back,” he added.
Faced with tighter labor markets, McDonald’s moved to raise minimum pay at stores it owns and operates to $15 an hour by 2024. However the vast majority of U.S. McDonald’s are operated by franchise owners who set their own pay rates.
And while unionization efforts at other food outlets such as Starbucks (SBUX) have gained some momentum, McDonald’s has been able to shield itself behind the franchise model.
So a campaign of appreciation may be understood as an attempt to at least try to raise employee morale.
“I learned a lot working at McDonald’s before my music career took off, and this visit brought those memories right back,” Yachty said in the statement. “I give huge credit to all the McDonald’s crew showing up and working hard every single day. They deserve big things, real celebrations, and I’m here for that.”
As part of the 'Thank You Crew’ initiative, McDonald's is asking customers to contribute their own stories.
"We want to hear about the burger-making masters behind the counter that always deliver the perfect pickles-onion-lettuce-mayo-ketchup ratio, the manager who made sure your little sister got her favorite Happy Meal toy, or the crew member who did something truly inspiring that deserves to be shouted from the rooftops," the company said in a statement.
"Local franchisees who own and operate McDonald’s restaurants across the US will recognize many of these crew with one-of-a-kind thank-you experiences that are personalized to them," the company added.
The acknowledgements can range from a party with friends and family at the restaurant, to free tickets to see their favorite artist or sports team to weekend getaways in some cases.
The company launched a new ad campaign touting the program as well as a web site to gather customer stories at mcdonalds.com/thanks.
As for Lil Yachty, he put in an order for a McChicken and fries and a chocolate milk shake.
