Wayne Pankratz, a top executive at Applebee’s in Missouri sent a callous email to his fellow executives. He wrote that high gas prices are a plus, as it straps the employees who live paycheck to paycheck.
The email, which was sent to executives at the franchise group that operates the Applebee’s, was later forwarded to the Lawrence store. The manager of the store, Jake Holcomb, received a copy of the email from a co-worker.
After seeing it, he gave everyone in the store their food for free and didn’t bother closing the store.
The email portrayed high gas prices and inflation as an opportunity for the company to rebuild its workforce and pay lower wages.
“Most of our employee base and potential employee base live paycheck to paycheck,” Pankratz wrote in the March 9 email. “Any increase in gas prices cuts into their disposable income. As inflation continues to climb and gas prices continue to go up, that means more hours employees will need to work to maintain their current level of living.”
“The labor market is about to turn in our favor,” the email continued.
Mr. Pankratz has since been fired.
Wayne Pankratz of @Applebees says that higher gas prices are great for business because most employees live check to check and hopefully they can start lowering wages. pic.twitter.com/BiRfeSmsYX
— Rob Gill 🇨🇦❤️🇺🇦 (@vote4robgill) March 23, 2022
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High gasoline is a big minus. But inflation leads to higher wages.
The exec was citing some economic realities. Many businesses cannot find help. Government payoffs (extended unemployment, covid payoffs) make people reluctant to work. A family business near me is shut down, it cannot find help. That business does not have the resources as Applebees does to find and pay workers more.
I just called a friend I have lunch with almost weekly after we go sit in on the County Board meetings. We will not be going to Applebee’s anymore. We picked a local mom and pop shop to eat at from now on. Maybe we should push the County Board to raise Franchise fees for the these national chains too! These companies all think like Applebee’s. They don’t care at all about the communities they do business in. The local restaurant also get their food daily from the local farmers market and county co-op.
Thanks Ms. Dowling. To be honest I didn’t like Applebee’s that much anyway, so this was good reason to find someplace else.
It’s time to support Middle Class local owned business again! We need to rethink shopping at places like Walmart. Recently, I found a local butcher who works with local ranchers to get really fresh beef at a lot less than Walmart or any other chain. It’s a lot less in bulk; half or a full cow. The slaughter house is only 20 miles down the road. A real plus is to buy a full cow as they will take the not so good meat, the scraps, and grind it up for dog food. Considering the price of good dog food that’s a real deal since there is over 75 pounds of dog meat from organs and scraps in a whole cow. They will also throw in some of the larger bones if you ask. Freeze the beef and slow thaw it in the Refrigerator for top draw steak dinners. America really needs to rethink the cost of convenience at national chains. Here in rural America fresh food is everywhere, so why eat junk from National Chains?
Something I found out from the local VA. Many Local Businesses not only give a Senior Discount but a Veterans discount. I will be off to the local Driver’s License Bureau this week with my DD214 to get my Veterans status documented on my driver’s license. Unlike the Woke Corporations, Local Small Business loves Seniors and Veterans. They also offer cash discounts instead of paying fees to make bankers rich. It’s time to put the financial squeeze on the big corporations and the banks. The banks are about to put a real squeeze on us! I expect house loans to be north of 8% next year and credit card interest over 30%. We are headed for a Depression and it will be Small Middle Class Business that will pull us out!
Crapplebee’s?
No room for Frankenfood.
Let the dullards believe that the WOKE crocodile will eat them last.
By ceding any ground, they have already lost.