Escorting/following sister to 1st day of work?

[Cheeseybacon]

My younger sister is getting her first job, which, like a lot of first-time jobs for many people, is at the local McDonald's. She has been placed on the morning shift, and the place itself opens at 6:00 AM. However she was instructed to meet one of the employees at the Post Office at 3:30 AM tomorrow. Does anyone else think this is kind of suspicious? Why the Post Office? And why so unbelievably early? I sorta understand getting up early, being as shes new and will likely need some time for training before the place opens, but why does she have to meet a random person she doesn't know at the post office at 3:30 AM and then ride with them to work? Whats wrong with her going straight to McDonalds herself? Maybe I'm just being paranoid, but it seems just a little shady, if you ask me. She's not exactly thrilled with the idea either.

I've been considering getting up early myself and walking her to the Post office and then following to make sure she is indeed taken to the store. Do you think a little "armed escort" to work the first day is appropriate, given the circumstances, or am I just being paranoid?

 

[BOONER]

simple call to the corperate hq and/or a follow up call by the parents or guardian to the store manager asking why! remember there are pleanty of fast food places to work at.......

 

[Technosavant]

Ain't nothing "too paranoid," especially when dealing with one's little sister.

The person who requested she go there has some MAJOR questions to be answering. The franchisee needs to be made aware of this, and if he is OK with it, then corporate needs to know about this behavior (assuming there isn't a good answer, but I have no idea what business a trainee has off premisis at 3:30am).

Personally, if that's what they're doing, I'd tell them "I'll find a job someplace else where they do not make me feel uncomfortable." They'll begin with this, and it will get worse.

 

[Oana]

What Boomer said. As a female, that's exactly the sort of thing we're supposed to look out for. *Who* told her she needed to meet this employee at the Post Office? And who said she had to ride with him/her? In my experience (not fast food), training should be done on-site and with hours logged. If it were me, I don't think I'd get in the car with the individual, McD employee or no. What's wrong with driving her there yourself?

 

[jojosdad]

3:30 AM and then ride with them to work? . . . Maybe I'm just being paranoid, but it seems just a little shady, if you ask me.

Don't think you're being paranoid, this sounds like BS to me. I'd call her supervisor at McBurgers and ask them if this is SOP for new hires.
You might want to run the name of the person she's meeting through your state's Megan's Law website, although in CA at least, a lot of offenders aren't listed at their correct address and you can't locate them using a local address search.

 

[Sunray]

She, not you, needs to call the store manager and confirm everything. Then you get outta the rack and drive her to work.

 

[sam1952]

Whether supervisors or not this needs to be reported to corporate McDonalds.

 

[Cheeseybacon]

What's wrong with driving her there yourself?

This is primarilly what sets off an alarm for me. I'd understand if she didn't have a car and the company was trying to be accomodating and have another employee pick her up on the way in, but she has her own car and is perfectly capable of driving there herself. These instructions supposedly came from the manager himself too, which is really strange.

 

[NavyLCDR]

No reason given? Sounds really weird, I would go over that manager's head to find out why and report it.

 

[Cheeseybacon]

Whether supervisors or not this needs to be reported to corporate McDonalds.

I agree, I'm going definitely going to do this. This can't possibly be standard practice.


I've also decided I'm going to accompany her. She's nervous about being out on the streets that early in the morning anyway. She's the kind of girl that might as well walk around with a neon sign on her head that says "helpless" too.

 

[glockman19]

Your instincts are "right on". Something doesn't sound right. Great advice. Call the manager as her guardian.

Don't think you're being paranoid, this sounds like BS to me. I'd call her supervisor at McBurgers and ask them if this is SOP for new hires.
You might want to run the name of the person she's meeting through your state's Megan's Law website, although in CA at least, a lot of offenders aren't listed at their correct address and you can't locate them using a local address search.

+1

 

[dtown240]

Sounds REALLY sketchy to me too. You might consider asking the police to up the patrol in the vicinity of the post office that night as well.

 

[Noxx]

There's absolutely no reason for her to meet anyone off-site if she can drive to the store herself.

Shady, shady, shady.

 

[Cheeseybacon]

No reason given? Sounds really weird, I would go over that manager's head to find out why and report it.

Yes, that's another odd thing. It was never explained to her why she had do this, but then again she's a rather timid girl and she probably never spoke up and asked either. I hope she's going to call and ask, but she's the type that likes avoiding confontation and turning a blind eye to things, which is probably why a situation such as this was even allowed to develop.

Perhaps I'll go order myself a Big Mac tonight and have a chit-chat with the manager. I'm glad that 89.47% of you don't think I'm paranoid.

 

[SalTx]

If it was my younger sister, I would definitely speak with the manager about this and then notify, as stated before, the corporate people about this. This does not sound right. We all know there are sick individuals out there who prey on timid and naive people (women). Either way, I wouldn't let her ride with anyone unknown at that time under no circumstances.

 

[atk]

First, I absolutely agree that you should look into it, and get a solid reason.

Second, it's not necessarily as bad as everyone is assuming. I'm a form McDonald's manager. I only had opening shift once, but it basically starts a 1 or 2 hours before the store opens (it's been several years, so I don't remember the details). You have to make sure the closing shift did their job, that the cooking devices are ready to go (and going), and get the first food of the day ready.


Anyhow, McDonald's policy isn't too terrible when opening the store - they really do seem to put the customer first (excluding anything about carry - I never learned what McDonald's carry policy is).

McDonald's has employees meet somewhere off the company site, within view of the store. The idea is that the store may have been broken into, or someone may be planning to break into the store while you're opening it, and you don't want to be there (or be alone) when it happens.

Entry is then staggered (overwatched) with one group watching while the other group enters the store. The group that enters the store does a cursory check to make sure everything's in place, then signals the watchers to enter. They do and the door is locked.

Other stuff, like driving around the building and looking in for things out of place (open doors, people, etc) is also done, but that's not really relevant to this particular discussion

So, this makes me ask: is the post office within view of the store? It could simply be the meeting place, from which the opening process will begin.

But, again, do check into it, and get a solid reason.

 

[03Shadowbob]

Go with her. See the reaction of this person. If questioned why you are with her, tell him exactly why you are. You'll soon find out what that person has in mind at 3:30 in the morning.
If you aren't "invited" then grab your sis by the arm, get in the truck and leave. There is a Burger King or Wendy's within 5 miles I am sure.

 

[mlandman]

If they need to open for customers at 600, how long does it take to prep food, clean, set up the dinning area, get the grease and griddles hot, clean the grounds, stock for the day from the delivery trucks, etc.? This may be the lead needed to get going on time. If the store/shift manager says show up at 330, this may be what is needed. You could check days before to see if this is normal.

 

[mike101]

Go With Her

You are definately not being paranoid, and even if you were, that's OK. It's your little sister.

And the request sounds really suspicious to me. Unless this McDonalds is a hundred miles away, there is absolutely no reason to for her to be ANYWHERE at 3:30 in the morning. I worked at a Burger King when I was a kid, for about two weeks. It takes, maybe an hour to get set up in the morning.

 

[obxned]

Seems a bit strange to me.

 

[kellyj00]

For all we know, it could have just been a sicko employee posing as "the manager" who took down your sister's name and number off the job app... and he's setting out to do something very wrong.

If I were you, I'd follow your sister...and I'd even talk to the manager tomorrow morning at 3:30AM before even getting out of the vehicle.

What do you do if you talk to the manager tonight and he says "uh, that's not right...tell her to be HERE at 5am" or something reasonable? Do you call the police and tell them that some sicko has worked up a pretty good scheme?


Here's a real story for ya....some burglar's got smart in my area and started calling people who were selling their homes and pretending to be realtors. They said "I'm calling on behalf of your Realty office. We have a client interested in your home. please vacate the house and lock up your dogs before 6pm, we should be done by 7pm with the showing." They then proceded to break in through a door or window, and park their van in the garage and start filling with anything of value while taking their sweet time.

It was on the news that two sellers had this problem before they aired the story and folks started talking about it...and the burglars were never caught.

better to be safe than sorry...especially when it comes to your little sister.

 

[exar]

One guy here is the only one worth listening to.
atk:

Second, it's not necessarily as bad as everyone is assuming. I'm a form McDonald's manager. I only had opening shift once

I was a crew trainer at McDonalds for 5 years. The opening shift always met at the local Marathon gas station a couple hours before opening the store. Everyone would then move to the store to open it together. That way, noone is left waiting alone in a dark parking lot. The managers actions are not questionable at all and that is exactly how a McDonalds store should be opened. As long as the PO is within visible distance of the store then all is well.

 

[Eightball]

That just sounds creepy and weird. I'd tag along.

 

[BADUNAME13]

Bottom line:

'Showing up' there to check on your little sister will have NO bad side.

 

[fast eddie]

Cheesybacon, you're a standup brother. You are doing the right thing by escorting your little sister. From a couple of the posts it sounds like Micky D standard store opening procedure, but in today's world you can't be too careful.