This Burger King Employee’s Viral Fame Proves TikTok Might Not Be All Bad
A single of my all-time beloved movie scenes will come from Countrywide Lampoon’s Xmas Getaway, when extended-struggling food items additive qualified Clark Griswold opens his Xmas reward only to obtain a a single-12 months subscription to the Jelly of the Thirty day period Club in lieu of money. If which is not adequate to radicalize you, I never know what is. Equally, Burger King personnel Kevin Ford lately celebrated his 27-calendar year anniversary with the quickly food items chain. Which is 27 years with no lacking a one day of function, thoughts you. His managers coughed up a pretty lousy thank-you gift—but TikTok came as a result of, increasing additional than $350,000 to reward Ford for his services.
Fortune stories that Ford expended the previous 27 decades as a prepare dinner at the Las Vegas McCarren Airport Burger King outpost. He confirmed up on his 27th do the job anniversary, at which point “management scrambled to find a existing to thank him for his really hard perform,” for each Fortune. The current was a transparent string backpack crammed with a single (1) movie ticket, a lanyard, a espresso cup, and some LifeSavers.
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Ford accepted the reward graciously, using to TikTok to share his gratitude and thank his coworkers publicly. The movie went wicked viral, but the meager firm gift remaining some TikTokers asking: Is that it?
“Why is this celebrated ? Great person but give this man 2 weeks off with pay out at minimum,” remarked one TikTok commenter. A different pointed out that “the sad section is to see big firms consider benefit of excellent individuals like him.”
Just after the video’s viral success, Ford’s daughter, Sernya Ford, made the decision to just take things a stage even further. She established up a GoFundMe page to elevate $200 to support Ford take a look at his grandchildren. “In no way are we inquiring for income or is he anticipating any income but if anybody feels like blessing him he would love to visit his grandchildren,” she wrote on the site. To her shock, the GoFundMe took off on TikTok. As of today, the campaign has lifted more than $350,000 and captivated the interest of donors including David Spade, who donated 5 grand.
I’m an outspoken TikTok hater, but I have to admit that the system has its benefits. Even though Ford does not appear to have any ideas to retire, that kind of dollars will go a extended way towards boosting his good quality of lifetime and supporting his spouse and children. The campaign has restored my religion in TikTok a small bit—but at the exact same time, it is a reminder that even the most faithful employees are not often rewarded for their company by mega-businesses. Choose times off, my mates, and remember to celebrate your colleagues consistently, superhuman attendance information notwithstanding.