Comments

You must log in or register to comment.

Showerbeerz413 t1_j73tmzi wrote

lol yea, when I read it was due to staffing, I knew that was bullshit. but just throw8ng all the employees out like that? Fuck Big Burrito

125

Really_Cool_Dad t1_j73z2xf wrote

Stop. Why are we continuously mourning the death of one location from a mediocre (at best) chain?

−73

GargantuanWitch t1_j741m2p wrote

Imagine doxxing yourself in an attempt to get retribution against a company that has already let you know it doesn't care about you.

−111

sctlight t1_j741ra1 wrote

Because it was the first, and at the time they were doing something that no one else was. And regardless of your opinion of the food, lots of people had a great time eating and drinking there over the years.

63

NikolaSolonik t1_j74354w wrote

I can’t believe the group is actually called “Big Burrito” I thought people were using it like the term big oil but ironically lmao

152

Pensfan66595 t1_j744k4h wrote

Go apply at Fuel and Fuddle, they'd love to have you. (I can't confirm this, just a hunch)

29

not28 t1_j74cwi9 wrote

"nObOdY wAnTs tO wOrK aNyMoRe 🤡"

147

Paw5624 t1_j74hw3v wrote

Well aren’t you all high and mighty. You don’t have to like it but if others do it still stinks to lose a restaurant you like.

Besides this post is in regards to the restaurant lying about why they are closing, which directly impacts peoples livelihoods and is playing up a bs narrative that people don’t want to work these days.

18

kittenshart85 t1_j74ik7n wrote

applied here as a cook and got turned down because i take the bus and don't drive so i have "unreliable transportation". staffing shortage, my dick.

253

mouse_162 t1_j74loe7 wrote

If you were lucky enough to get a chair at the bar it was a vip experience … lol

29

Paranoidexboyfriend t1_j74ns7h wrote

Oakland, it’s not that big of a place you know you can travel to other parts of the city, right? There’s been plenty of average at best Mexican food places with craft and foreign beers in Pittsburgh for a long time.

Zoomers go to some chain restaurant and act like they’re some Michelin pioneers. Next week you’ll be telling me about this amazing innovative ribs joint named Chili’s. Good lord

−9

evil_iceburgh t1_j74oj8r wrote

Yeah because college kids getting some food and drinks want to travel instead of walking to get something. Most of the people who are pissed are either students or used to be and are watching yet another part of Oakland close down. Step off with the unnecessary and uninformed criticism

12

pm_goth_feet_pls t1_j74on38 wrote

this is 100% an issue every place i have ever worked in the city before my current job. the first question armstrong's (food) and printdropper (merch) asked my at my interviews was if i had my own car. not sure how the last 6-8 years of my life would have gone without one...

36

madg0at80 t1_j74q9nb wrote

Part of me wants to hear more about this, but the other knows that ultimately the unsatisfying answer will be that yet another business is incapable of operating in an environment where they cannot treat their employees as slaves and/or steal their wages to make their profits.

112

isfol t1_j74sfbc wrote

Mad Mex really screwed people when they opened back up to only to take out. They took away normal hourly wages from other employees and split the servers’ tips up even more to to cover the difference, when we were already making way less money to begin with. I literally stopped working at restaurants completely after that bs.

28

essenceofmeaning t1_j74tw66 wrote

I worked for Big Burrito at a different restaurant for two months & noped out of there so hard. No thank you!

21

Generic_Username28 t1_j74u42t wrote

You realize a lot of college students have limited transportation options? Having access to good cheap food with a great (for the time) draft list is pretty much the perfect college spot. It's not hard to see why they will be missed even if Big Burrito are sometimes hard to like.

12

im-a-locksmith t1_j74u7pk wrote

Got laid off from a BigBurrito restaurant during Covid, the management at the place worked hard to take care of us, but I've heard other people say this same thing. I wonder if the mad mex employees in particular got screwed. They were kinda their own "thing" in the company.

15

Evening_Attention_45 t1_j74vzy6 wrote

So no one knows why they closed? What about the one in Shadyside? Wasn’t it kind of the same situation with steel cactus just closing out of nowhere?

3

Miss_Anthropy8 t1_j74ydjr wrote

I just Karened them out on IG, you can still fill out their virtual comment card for Oakland. I kept it professional, said I understood shit happens but explained that I disagree with the hypocrisy of expecting employees to give notice but holding yourself to a different standard.

18

BurghPuppies t1_j754z89 wrote

Employers are allowed to ask if you have “reliable transportation” to work. They are NOT allowed to ask what that transportation is UNLESS it is specific to performance of the job, ie a newspaper route or traveling salesman. If you.are asked about transportation, all you need to say is yes, and if they probe further you can remind them of what is legal/ not to ask during an interview, like age, religion, etc.

31

AmputatorBot t1_j755gn1 wrote

−2

TiesThrei t1_j759for wrote

It looks like the restaurant industry, Big Burrito included, is going through what a steel plant in my hometown did years ago when the owners shut it down.

They tell the public it's the workers fault. They tell you that they got too greedy or that they can't find people willing to work. What they don't tell you is that the owning interests were still making money, just not as much money as their other interests are or as much money as they used to, and they decide not to make the effort to keep it running because it just doesn't look good on paper. I'm guessing that's the real story.

75

mellylovesdundun t1_j75a68e wrote

Not surprised. They did the same crap to them when the location temporarily closed. They don’t give a crap about their employees, everyone is replaceable.

9

slackerbucks t1_j75b2u7 wrote

Nice of them to play the “nobody wants to work anymore” card.

16

mellylovesdundun t1_j75bp9m wrote

It is. I worked at a mad Mex (another store) until recently and it was clear the company’s bottom line is struggling. Not confirmed but just things I heard. They’re likely cutting dead weight stores which to be fair, this one in particular is because the shadyside location is far superior.

20

cheesy1229 t1_j75gg1d wrote

Fuck big Burrito. Worst 24 hours of my career

12

Zestyclose_Minute_69 t1_j75hze9 wrote

Used to work for another places, in shadyside that just closed in the last 2 weeks. They had about 10 part time employees. The owner only told their best customers and 2 of the employees, but they also contacted old employees, who hadn’t worked for them in a decade, to tell them. The 2 employees they told were not managers or supervisors.

They haven’t posted it on any social media. They just turned off the phones and closed up. One of their employees worked for them for almost 20 years, and they never called her.

I wish I were surprised that business owners can be completely ignorant of how to treat their staff like humans, but sadly I’m not. And I think this trend will continue.

5

MCRNRearAdmiral t1_j75t50o wrote

Oh u/CowboyNealCassady, how you scratch me where I itch! I used to sing the praises of the BLS, but they fucked me in 2006-2007, again in 2010 (resulting in a loss of eight years of wages, though admittedly my case is probably unique/ rare in a unicorn-ish way), and yet again their forecasts from 2017-2018 are yet again proving to be grotesquely, double-digit percentage-points off and I’m just waiting for the inevitable offshoring for a career field with a 26% growth forecast through mid-decade just four years ago. BLS statisticians are either evil, or incompetent, but they all need some serious Lord of the Flies federal severance packages.

−3

ecstatic_cynic t1_j75vkzy wrote

When Mad Mex first opened, it was actually a new and inventive take on Mexican cuisine. Now every town has what I like to call fancy taco places.

My brother worked at was exploited by the McKnight Rd location for years before he finally moved on to a place that let him run his own kitchen and make his own menu, and he's much happier now.

6

i-smell_like_beeef t1_j75vwn6 wrote

Mex gets terrible quality food, they treat staff like trash, and they have issues with mice ALLLLL of the time at this location. Plus the company is based off gaining profits from racial stereotypes. Oakland should have closed years ago. Source: I worked here

0

Mountaineer3615 t1_j76i9lq wrote

Didn't I read somewhere that all of the employees were offered positions at other Big Burrito locations in Pittsburgh? I mean, I followed my favorite server to Shadyside.

1

Mobius_164 t1_j76ixkj wrote

(Read in Alex Jones voice) “Joe, Joe, listen to me……”Big Burrito” wants you to believe that corn tortillas aren’t better. That’s because they own the flour tortilla factories.”

21

JustTryingMyBestWPA t1_j76p0pw wrote

Right before the Covid lockdowns started, my husband and I went to Mad Mex Oakland several times in the span of a few weeks. We kept getting the same waitress. She told us that she was really happy to see us because we were polite and tipped well, and that having customers such as us make her shifts a little bit better. She definitely seemed like she was having a rough time. This should have tipped me off that something was "off" with the working conditions there. Then the Covid shutdowns happened, and when we went to Mad Mex for our next visit more than 2 years later, we didn't see her. We both looked for her and hoped that she was now working in a better situation.

8

BurghPuppies t1_j76r2wj wrote

Yes to both. There’s literally no penalty for lying during an interview. Application is a different matter, but they’re not asking on the app if you have transportation, unless it’s a job that requires a car/ bike.

6

Significant-Nail-987 t1_j76uv2m wrote

Busses outside of Oakland arent very good. From their perspective, bus route changes, closures, weather, etc. Lots of things cause people to be late or choose to call off when the commute it's too shitty. Not saying you are like that, but enough employees have been they no longer consider it reliable. I worked for that company for years and years. The reality is, constant calls off and no shows have made them pretty strict. Not saying it's right, but that likely the mindset. Regional and XO chefs were picking up kitchen shifts over that last year's. They probably can't keep up across all the stores. Again not justifying this move in any way.

On the other hand they're probably the only restaurant group that can afford to pay managers and kitchen staff more and actively fight not to and often choose the lesser qualified cheaper person for the job. Leadership in this company had been ravaged before covid. So ultimately it's my opinion, they've done this to themselves.

If anyone was around for when they fired the woman who open Kaya. She was the soul of that place for over twenty years and who made it great, she was that store. They treated her like shit and kicked her to the curb at the end. Big Burrito fucking sucks when it comes to how they view and handle employees. The era of Tom Baron is gone, the company sorely needs him back. They're gonna strangle themselves out because they're selfish, greedy, and don't give a fuck about people....

Edit: it's not -that- bad, I was just irritated after reading the OP. I didn't dislike my time with big Burrito, I learned a lot and working for them definitely made me better. That said I'm glad I moved along. They are big part of service industry workers in the city and have been for a long time. So it sucks when a company who could be an idol in the industry for the city does shady things like the OP posted.

8

Excellent_Ad256 t1_j776n49 wrote

Years ago we ordered delivery from Mad Mex. I got a burrito but what was delivered was an empty burrito shell (folded as if it were filled) with a raw carrot slice on top. I wish I had taken a picture. So I called the store with no answer (so no replacement meal or refund). Emailed them and they said they would mail me a gift card as an apology (pre e-gift cards - they mailed me a physical card). Went out to eat a week or so later at a different, now closed Big Burrito store, gave them my gift card…it was empty. They legit mailed me an empty gift card as an apology for the empty burrito. 😂🙄🤬

7

i-smell_like_beeef t1_j77713e wrote

Idk why the downvotes. They have their servers paint their faces for day of the dead, owned and managed almost entirely by white people while serving margaritas made in legitimate trash cans. Not exactly authentic?

On top of that took tons of money in PPP loans and looked at the pandemic as an opportunity to get rid of the employees that they didn’t like after telling them that Covid ‘wasn’t that big of a deal’ and that they shouldn’t be concerned.

I get it that people have nostalgia for the place, but there are tons of other places to get good food who treat employees better than this company.

2

i-smell_like_beeef t1_j77bbhp wrote

They pushed Tom Barron to ‘founder’ and Fuller to president. CK is the majority holder these days. To be fair they pushed Tom to that position bc he was a bit of a liability. Sooo as far as I know, Tom just adjusts lights, complains about food and makes decor decisions these days.

7

hubbyofhoarder t1_j77c1eb wrote

Tom just adjusts lights turns lights down, complains about food and music choices, and makes decor decisions these days

FTFY

At one place, there were 2 music choices he didn't hate: Gypsy Kings and Al Green. He would complain about any other music being played

4

mistie_gish t1_j77fyes wrote

I agree, and I think it's their right to do whatever they want with their business. It's just soooooo super shitty to pull the "nobody wants to work" nonsense when what they actually have is a failure to adapt. And a known reputation of treating employees poorly. If they would have said they were closing because of rising costs, lowered revenue, and the changing business environment in Oakland- and actually communicated with their employees- there wouldn't be an issue.

4

hubbyofhoarder t1_j77gikf wrote

I liked her as a person and a co-worker. However her spoken values and taste in men did not match. I knew them both before they were married.

I was the second GM of Casbah after BB. That should narrow it down

2

caffeinesharkz t1_j77h4o7 wrote

Seems to be a common theme in Pittsburgh. Employers turning people down because they don’t own a car… but what they fail to understand is some people who take the bus show up early and are less likely to get stuck in traffic because they would rather be early than late.

2

caffeinesharkz t1_j77k3yk wrote

Look I don’t know what the case is with madmex but I do know there’s in issue with getting people who want to work and stay at food service industry in Pittsburgh.

Most food service jobs want part time for $10 an hour and that doesn’t really cut it anymore with the way inflation is. Not sure what their starting rate is here but livable wages are a good start to keep employees which in the restaurant industry seems to be an issue. If you’re going to pay a measly $10 an hour hire high schoolers not adults who have bills to pay… and then they get mad you’re not smiling enough at the customers who come in… or the manager will treat you like shit and yell at you while on their power trip and then have the nerve to complain about not having enough staff. Either that or you’re doing tasks outside your job description that you could get paid more for had you worked anywhere else. Lot of favoritism and drama for no good reason.

I can name two places that I worked at where the pay was low but everything else was fine in the food service industry. Those places kept their employees longer than places who treated them like trash. At least if you pay low wages be nice to your employees. But no they hire to fire at most places.

You just need to work as fast as possible so you get them more sales and not care about the quality of the customers orders as much (it’s taken into account just not as much as working fast is).

TLDR; nobody wants to work food service too much drama for not enough pay. Some managers are on a power trip. Everyone is miserable at most places.

Also in the US you can be fired without notice unfortunately. Sometimes you get fired so someone else can take your place for a lower starting wage and less hours. Better to have another side job to be on the safer side if you can (that would be unlikely or very difficult in college though as students need the time to focus on their studies). It’s a shame employers like to shift blame on anyone but themselves

2

immargarita t1_j77l4l4 wrote

I expect the bashing but we ate at that MadMex once when we lived in Oakland. Besides the service and drinx, never saw a reason to return, just boring stereotypical Mexican fare. I feel for the staff but that "restaurant group of burros" can collectively go fuck themselves.

1

hubbyofhoarder t1_j77ld0z wrote

At BB: I had a guy as a host who was pretty great at juggling tables and handling reservations.

Tom/Juno had a meeting with me one day about him. "We don't like how that guy looks on the door. Fire that guy and get a really hot chick!"

I didn't fire him, I sold him on another job.

I hired a woman who was super hot, who also had a part time job as a stripper. I'm not shaming her for stripping, that was just another job she had. She thought I didn't know she also stripped. I knew. She made one part of my job much easier because she was hot.

4

Halford4Lyfe t1_j77w0sx wrote

Every restaurant in Pittsburgh needs a union.

11

EricGuy412 t1_j77xydo wrote

Fun fact: Big Burrito got a $10M PPP loan under one of their DBA names, specifically "Whole Enchilda."

They also fired their full staff at all of their specialty restaurants in July of 2000 for wanting safe working conditions in the height of COVID via an 11:30 PM email (meaning after closing that night).

Fuck 'em.

7

caffeinesharkz t1_j7849ga wrote

Quick to blame anyone but themselves. They could make an effort to change things and make the workplace better for so they can keep employees but they’re so stuck in their ways and either lack the self awareness or simply don’t have the capacity to care.

−1

emp-sup-bry t1_j78ov6j wrote

I LIKE riding a bike. People are so fucking cultish. If you actually take a car off the road by biking or bussing and making their car commute that much easier, you are a weirdo and not to be trusted, but if all the bikers and biased drive cars in their club, the others would be mad and wonder why the others don’t bike/bus

2

MCRNRearAdmiral t1_j7920gk wrote

What possible reason could I have to be mad? I’m never in Oakland anymore, and there’s plenty of adequate Mexican food around.

For you to be able to consolidate the worst occupational experience of your life into a 24-hour experience at Oakland Mad Mex, I was really hoping there was some juicy stuff behind it. Alas, my hopes were misplaced.

0

Significant-Nail-987 t1_j797ad1 wrote

I just wanna throw it out there. Tom Baron was in the process of planning a dope going away/retirement party for her when the others in the company went over him and more or less fired her. When he found out he was sad and pissed but he couldn't do anything. If nothing else, he did care.

5

kittenshart85 t1_j79r03o wrote

they heard "bus" and didn't listen to a word i said after, many of which were strung together to point out that a bus picks up 50ft from my front door and drops off 2 blocks from the location.

2

i-smell_like_beeef t1_j79v1gr wrote

I will 1000% agree to this and do appreciate you saying this. Big sucks and Tom may be… out of tune with a lot, but he did really care for her and honestly a lot of employees. He’s just… unhinged I think? Disengaged? And said/did some really screwed up things but Idk. But he did really care for her. (And others, despite the music thing lol) I just think all of them are just so out of tune. Minus Bill Fuller who is just a POS

2

James19991 t1_j7basdy wrote

That's ridiculous. Despite what so many people in the sub say because they always want to compare it to somewhere like Chicago or Boston, if you're in the city or inner ring suburbs, the bus service here is generally fine.

2

hubbyofhoarder t1_j8lyz7l wrote

When I worked with Bill, his personal goal on busy nights was to make servers cry. He awarded bonus points to House Asshole if the server was a male.

I have never been much of a person who yells at work. With Bill Fuller, I motherfucked that guy at the top of my lungs more times than I could count. He would scream at the servers, and then I would motherfuck him to stop. You can't whip people on the kitchen and then expect them to delight guests 2 seconds later in the dining room.

1