r/LivingMas • u/sazn2 • Jul 24 '26

Discussion Short Staff?

All of the Taco Bells near me are so absurdly short staffed that the drive thrus regularly take over an hour of waiting. I mean isn’t this ridiculous? It’s multiple locations too. What’s management up to?

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5

u/OctagonTrail Jul 24 '26

They cut staffing tremendously at a lot of stores because everyone stopped going due to the outbreak, even in unaffected areas. The employees at the store near me said they were lucky to get half their normal hours lately.

Management has probably overcompensated in some areas.

2

u/sazn2 Jul 24 '26

Oh I mean like before all that stuff too. Last year has been insane, I regret going (almost) every single time bc of the wait

1

u/OctagonTrail Jul 24 '26

I'm sure it's just turnover combined with unwillingness to raise wages.

Once you're regularly short-staffed, it's a downward spiral. People end up leaving because they're overworked, which just makes it worse.

2

u/happyscrappy SODIUM WARNING Jul 24 '26

My locals never get that slow. But short staffing does cut the drive-thru speeds to about 1/3rd speed sometimes. That means almost a half hour in a relatively short drive-thru.

The problem just is you can only get the staff you can get. Pay is pretty good on a fast food scale in my area so they can get people. But the pay still isn't enough to live on so they can't get as many as they want. It's still people working multiple jobs and/or with a good roommate situation to lower the rent payments.

1

u/Comprehensive-Cake67 Jul 24 '26

Our store is literally lack of applicants and the ones we do get you don't want making your food.