The Manager Is Two-Timing You

(We have three stations for our counter – two baristas and a third person to work on food and take orders. Our store manager consistently gets in trouble with head office for understaffing us. We have a group meeting:)

Store Manager: “I’m consistently getting complaints about coffees being slow. What do you guys need to go faster?”

Coworker #1: “We need three people.”

Store Manager: “If I give you three people, one person isn’t busy most of the time. It’s a waste of money.”

Coworker #2: “But if we only have two people, any time there’s orders to take, food to prepare, or somebody on break, we slow down massively.”

Store Manager: “I send help when you need it, don’t I?”

(Next shift, it’s just me and Coworker #1.)

Store Manager: “I’m not giving you a third person because you’re not busy enough. [My Name], take our parked drive-thru orders as well.”

(An hour later:)

Store Manager: “Why aren’t you doing quick coffees? This isn’t good enough. I want quick coffees!”