IHOP Restaurant Blames Biden, ‘Free Money’ For Lack Of Workers

JHVEPhoto/Shutterstock, @ThatOtherDude12/Twitter

December 13, 2021, 8:07 am

An Arkansas IHOP is facing backlash after posting a sign complaining about a lack of workers and blaming President Biden in the process.

Featured Video Hide

“Due to the fact that Biden gave out way to [sic] much free money and nobody wants to work anymore. We are forced to reduce our hours during the week,” reads a printout allegedly photographed at and signed by a local IHOP.

Hey @IHOP , my family and I genuinely enjoy going to your restaurants. But if this is corporate policy, I guess we won’t be visiting anymore. I know we’re just one small family,and we don’t matter, but we can’t eat at a place that condones this. pic.twitter.com/wral1bw3aI

— Santa’s Flight Attendant (@ThatOtherDude12) December 10, 2021

Advertisement Hide

Companies that refuse to pay their workers well have bemoaned the state of the service industry over the last few months, blaming unemployment and stimulus checks for making people “lazy” — as if $1200 really stretches that far and unemployment lasts forever. Many folks who were collecting unemployment at the start of the pandemic would have run out by now, and the extra federal pandemic unemployment benefits ended earlier this year.

On top of that, Congress voted on the majority of the money that went out to help struggling Americans who were let go by companies cutting corners to keep their profit margins as high as possible during the early days of the pandemic while Donald Trump was still president.

But who needs facts? Not IHOP, apparently. If they did, they would look to the greater trends in employment (such as how unemployment has actually fallen considerably this year) and wonder what they’re doing wrong if they can’t keep employees.

Twitter was happy to offer suggestions, starting with paying people fair wages.

Maybe if @IHOP would pay a livable wage and treat their employees with respect and appreciation they wouldn’t have to blame Joe Biden for their employee shortage. Another place I will refuse to patron. https://t.co/xFEW1LdShT

— ᒪᗩᑎᑕᗴ (@LanceUSA70) December 13, 2021

I mean, Costco is routinely rated, by anonymous surveys of employees no less, as one of the top places to work because they have consistently treated their personnel well. Much better than other retail type businesses.

— Zelmel (@Zelmel) December 12, 2021

Advertisement Hide

And with a manager who would post something like that, it was probably a hostile work environment in more ways than one.

— Bitch McConnell (@tiffmc1013) December 10, 2021

A big recipient of PPP cash in Arizona is a group of corporations that own IHOP restaurants around the country. Romulus Restaurants took $5-$10 million and eight other companies that appear to be connected to Romulus, also run out of the same office, took another $7-$16 million.

— Trueblue (@ponymom48) December 11, 2021

That’s how the free market works!

— Michael Owens (@MikeOwensArt) December 12, 2021

Worker shortages should trigger wage inflation.

People are so beaten by 30-40 years of artificial wage supression and wage slavery they don’t get that this pressure on the restaurant is relief for workers.

Minimum wage for a tipped employee is 2.13 in Georgia. Holy Fuck

— John Wilson Tells Stories (@avardwilson) December 12, 2021

Advertisement Hide

Conservatives who don’t believe in living wages, of course, expressed their support for IHOP. They love capitalism but not when it negatively impacts corporations and power is held by the workers who refuse to accept low wages. Go figure.

All-in-all, the internet trending #BoycottIHOP on Twitter isn’t likely to make a big dent in the store’s decision, but failing to find and retain qualified staff might make them have to rethink their policy at some point. 

In the meantime, IHOP corporate has yet to respond.

Share this article

*First Published: December 13, 2021, 8:07 am