(Too long, didn't read)
It obviously depends on the place, but I think you'll do better at either a local restaurant (not a chain) as a cook or even just a place that isn't characterized as "quick service" (though funny thing is, sit down restaurants aren't usually much slower). Franchises, as chains often are, will be very hit and miss. At chains, margins are also a lot narrower than you might think.
You may do better at bakeries, ice cream shops, or other places that advertise freshness. This increases waste. Can't sell the day old bread and pastries, but you can still eat them.
You probably aren't going to find many, or any fast food joints that offer free food. The exception might be unsold apple pies or whatever at the end of the day that have to be thrown out anyway, but efforts are made to minimize this as much as possible so this isn't going to give you very much food.
I worked at a chain fast food place as a teen once. While I didn't try to gain, the environment was not very conducive to that. While weight loss was uncommon, very few gained any meaningful amount of weight.
(End too long, didn't quite read)
I will have to delve into some business arguments to explain this. Some will probably find this interesting; business models often help explain a lot of otherwise bizarre situations.
Franchise agreements often don't leave a lot of room for setting pricing, those some room is given. This disappears in the case of nationwide promotions, that the franchise operator may or may not be able to opt out of. This cuts into margins.
In addition, franchise agreements generally specify a highly restricted supply chain, generally from the franchisor. This is their bread and butter, to ensure consistency. A McDonald's location for example, has to purchase their beef patties, buns, cheese, and so on from the corporation. The pricing of these ingredients are generally far above market, so the restaurant will spend a lot more on raw ingredients than they otherwise would.
So even in spite of the characteristically terrible salaries at most of these places, with the exception of the general manager and sometimes the assistant, margins are very thin.
I worked at a McD's once when I was a teenager. I had a shift manager once tell me that about half the cost of the products was raw ingredients. This is madness, and I have little reason to think this has really changed.
This is why most fast food restaurants are unlikely to offer this benefit.
A local restaurant, would be able to obtain ingredients at market pricing. Sometimes even a volume discount depending. At most restaurants, the raw ingredients is one of the cheapest of the ongoing expenses. When someone orders at a restaurant, he's purchasing an experience and convenience. Don't have to wash the dishes, or cook. The most expensive component is labor, as it should be. Pricing of each entree, side, and so on is also typically higher, so margins aren't as razor thin.
So, you *might* have an easier time finding free food at a local restaurant, especially if you cook it yourself. This makes it a very low cost way to make employees happier, as well as encourage employees to try the entire menu, which only helps them make suggestions to customers.
It obviously depends on the place, but I think you'll do better at either a local restaurant (not a chain) as a cook or even just a place that isn't characterized as "quick service" (though funny thing is, sit down restaurants aren't usually much slower). Franchises, as chains often are, will be very hit and miss. At chains, margins are also a lot narrower than you might think.
You may do better at bakeries, ice cream shops, or other places that advertise freshness. This increases waste. Can't sell the day old bread and pastries, but you can still eat them.
You probably aren't going to find many, or any fast food joints that offer free food. The exception might be unsold apple pies or whatever at the end of the day that have to be thrown out anyway, but efforts are made to minimize this as much as possible so this isn't going to give you very much food.
I worked at a chain fast food place as a teen once. While I didn't try to gain, the environment was not very conducive to that. While weight loss was uncommon, very few gained any meaningful amount of weight.
(End too long, didn't quite read)
I will have to delve into some business arguments to explain this. Some will probably find this interesting; business models often help explain a lot of otherwise bizarre situations.
Franchise agreements often don't leave a lot of room for setting pricing, those some room is given. This disappears in the case of nationwide promotions, that the franchise operator may or may not be able to opt out of. This cuts into margins.
In addition, franchise agreements generally specify a highly restricted supply chain, generally from the franchisor. This is their bread and butter, to ensure consistency. A McDonald's location for example, has to purchase their beef patties, buns, cheese, and so on from the corporation. The pricing of these ingredients are generally far above market, so the restaurant will spend a lot more on raw ingredients than they otherwise would.
So even in spite of the characteristically terrible salaries at most of these places, with the exception of the general manager and sometimes the assistant, margins are very thin.
I worked at a McD's once when I was a teenager. I had a shift manager once tell me that about half the cost of the products was raw ingredients. This is madness, and I have little reason to think this has really changed.
This is why most fast food restaurants are unlikely to offer this benefit.
A local restaurant, would be able to obtain ingredients at market pricing. Sometimes even a volume discount depending. At most restaurants, the raw ingredients is one of the cheapest of the ongoing expenses. When someone orders at a restaurant, he's purchasing an experience and convenience. Don't have to wash the dishes, or cook. The most expensive component is labor, as it should be. Pricing of each entree, side, and so on is also typically higher, so margins aren't as razor thin.
So, you *might* have an easier time finding free food at a local restaurant, especially if you cook it yourself. This makes it a very low cost way to make employees happier, as well as encourage employees to try the entire menu, which only helps them make suggestions to customers.
5 years
