Applebee's

I worked* as a team lead in the Mechanicsville, VA Location.

My schedule was as follows: Feb 8th Closed, Feb 9th Closed, Feb 10th Closed, Feb 11th Closed, Feb 12th & Feb 13th was off

I reported to work early, as asked at 4pm on Feb 14th with the anticipated busyness! When I came in, I was asked to be out front. GM (General Manager) handed me a stack of bounce back cards. I asked if I was to hand them out or if I needed to give to waitresses. GM said I was to go around to the tables to give them out. Which I did. I had given several to B’s tables, J’s tables, M’s tables, and A’s tables. I also applied at least 2 military discounts to J’s and B’s tables. I had only come to the back to check on a to go order, but went right back out front, as K was handling expo and to go. Another time was necessary as I let K in the office to order pizza and to take a check out from D. I also got S (PM) bar drawer from the safe as well as let P put her (AM) bar drawer in the office. I checked in with host, to make sure things were running smoothly. I even got out the wait list for L, for when it was needed. C needed to take a break and wanted to place an order for food, and I did that as well. S (another team lead) came in approx. 530. I walked up towards front door where she was, and she said she was at the host stand because GM had asked me twice and I was not following direction. I immediately looked for GM to speak with him, as there had to be a miscommunication. I would never not follow directions. I honestly thought I was doing what he asked of me. I asked if I could speak to him, he agreed, and we headed to office. He said that he asked me to be at Host stand twice. Again, I honestly did not ever hear him say that. The instructions I heard from him was to be on the floor and to speak to all customers and hand out bounce back cards. How could I be stationed at host stand and go around to all customers as he asked. We had NO wait at the door and again I had checked in to the host several times. Once even to make sure they were not seating outside of sections because GM had got upset about B taking a table away from her section.

He just shook his head saying, “I told you twice, to be at the host station”, but then couldn’t answer when I asked him how I was supposed to do that and hand out bounce back cards as he asked. He said he was watching me and never saw me walk the floor, which was not true at all, as how could I have handed out so many cards and not be walking the floor. I specifically remember hitting 61, 51, 62, 63, 54, 32, 33, 34 (the larger party), 35, 37, 11, 84, 83 & 82. He spoke of the figure 8, which again would contradicted what he said, because that would include going into the back, which again I was told to be on the floor. He was screaming at me and telling me, "I had NO VALUE". I was absolutely floored by this. So, I asked him if I had no value, why was I still there? He said, “I don’t know”. I never disrespected him, called him names, or insulted him. For him to make a comment that basically says, I’m worthless was all I could take. If I had no value to him, I could have been at home with my family for the last 7 months, not closing his restaurant several nights in a row. At that time, I handed him my keys and key card. It was wrong to walk out however I could not stay after that. I was a hysterical mess! I had never had a boss speak to me that way! Now, I realize he triggered my Complex PTSD by screaming and insulting me. This caused a fight or flight reaction, which was why I left. He surely did not try to stop me. GM cannot speak to people any way he wants. He blames it on his English; however, he knows perfectly well what he is saying. He is rude and lacks tact! It's not even so much as I want this job back, but he needs to know he has to speak professionally to people. I was not doing anything wrong and did not deserve to be spoke to that way. I immediately called Area Manager who had been there for about an hour after I came in. I asked if he observed me doing anything wrong, he said no. I explained what happened and he agreed that it was wrong of him to speak with me that way. And even made the comment that he basically told me I was worthless. I was asked to come in for a meeting with GM & AM on 2/18. Where no one apologized, but me and I was told I could come back as a server. I politely told them no thank you. GM says there were complaint on me and he didn't want me as team lead. AM stated I could go back into TL position with more training. I had worked it 5 months and helped close at night and noone had any issues at that time. I was not a "yes" girl for the GM and he just didn't like me. I am consulting a lawyer.