A serving of confirmation

A little recognition can go a long way

Spending a week in San Antonio, what was to be a break from delicious Mexican food for some fast food, turned into a serving of confirmation in what your staff can be.

We walked into the downtown Whataburger to enjoy a fast food hamburger dinner. After placing our order, we sat down and were watching the people both inside and outside the business.

A couple of people were having a fun time enjoying their food as they were taking pictures of each other with their mouth’s wide open as they were about to take a bite of their hamburger. One of the wait staff took note and brought to the customers one of the paper hats that the staff would wear. More pictures ensued. They asked the employee to join in the photo, and before you knew it, there were five employees having a group picture taken with each of the customers. Most definitely a good time was being had by all.

One of the staff, Anthony, walked by our table and we commented to him how they all seemed to be enjoying themselves. In addition to the confirmation, Anthony began asking questions about our visit to San Antonio and how we were enjoying our time in the city. Asking where we lived, he volunteered the location of a Whataburger nearest our residence.

He quickly volunteered he has been in the food service industry for twenty years and while this was not the only place he had worked, he did enjoy it. Anthony was a very conversant and engaging individual that you could sit and visit with for quite a while.

He wanted to tell the story of the day the grandson of Harmon Dobson, founder of Whataburger, came into the business and sat at a table in a corner that Anthony pointed out. Just as we had noticed, Dobson’s grandson noticed these interpersonal skills that Anthony demonstrated. Anthony was thrilled that the grandson of the founder was pleased with the work he was doing for Whataburger. He was given a $15 gift card as a sign of appreciation by the grandson.

Reading the history of Whataburger, we can see Anthony is not a rare find that simply walked into this location looking for a job. The company has a biennial Family Convention with the highlight of the convention being the finals of the WhataGames. The WhataGames are a six-month competition involving employees in all their stores in a demonstration of their knowledge of the company history and a commitment to the company’s stated valued.

The serving of confirmation we received, in addition to our meal, was that the atmosphere in a business, and what customers experience, is more than someone writing a mission statement, or stating that employees are “empowered”.

The serving we received also included our observing how a small recognition, the $15 gift card, carries the story forward. We did not ask, but from observing similar situations with other businesses and their employees, we expect Anthony carries that $15 gift card in his pocket as a reminder to himself that the business employing him appreciates his daily efforts.

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