Perks for Fast Food Workers: Immediate Cash Payment

Restaurants are competing for talent and struggling to retain fast food workers. Previously we reported on McDonald’s recruiting older workers to stem a labor shortage. The US jobless rate is now at a 49 year low. Also, some retailers such as Amazon.com, Walmart and Target are offering higher pay for lower-skilled workers. The effect is that restaurants are being squeezed and are desperate to attract and retain quality employees. In some cases, QSR companies are holding hiring parties, recruiting via text or offering incentives such as higher starting pay or signing bonuses. Recently fast food brands Church’s Chicken, Pizza Hut, and Checkers have announced a scheme to offer their workers  same-day and next-day paychecks. Some workers could possibly receive a percentage of their pay in cash at the end of the shift.
Starting in June, eight Church’s Chicken restaurants will offer employees 50% of their earned pay the day after their shift. The wage installment is not a loan, and there are no fees. The pilot program will test whether the 50% is enough for workers. If the program goes well, the company plans to roll it out widely going forward.
Most working US adults live paycheck to paycheck, according to a recent survey from the National Opinion Research Center, an independent social research organization at the University of Chicago. The study found that 51% of Americans wouldn’t be able to cover necessities without dipping into savings if they missed more than one paycheck. Having some of pay immediately available, workers may be better able to cover an emergency or balance their budget. It will be interesting to see if bigger brands such as McDonald’s or Burger King follow suit and offer immediate payment perks for fast food workers. While advances in technology are slowly edging out positions, workers are still needed. Many companies are focused on streamlining operations to create productivity and enhance the sales experience for both customers and staff.
Sintel Systems can help you increase the convenience and efficiency of your restaurant. Sintel’s Direct-to-POS ordering system offers vendors a custom mobile app for making orders on the go. Discounts, loyalty programs and gift cards can be added to the POS system and made available to all customers, no matter how they order.
To learn more about how Sintel Systems can help improve your business, contact us today.