An employee at an American restaurant that closed days before Christmas ahead of its new year rebrand shared a text message her manager sent to employees to break the shocking news.
It was delivered to workers after the 1801 Grille restaurant on the University of South Carolina (USC) campus announced it would close on Dec. 22 and reopen under a new name and management next year.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: A manager’s shocking announcement about layoffs before Christmas.
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“After 6 years, we have made the difficult decision to close,” the post reads. “USC and Aramark are working with a new operating partner and will rebrand and reopen in the new year. We appreciate your support over the years and wish you a happy holiday season.”
Now one of the outlet workers has gone viral with TikTok revealing a soulless group text that tells employees their jobs are “no longer relevant.”
“Hi, everyone quit, I’m not going to beat around the bush with you,” the message said.
“So if you’re scheduled for tonight or this week, yes, we’re done, the restaurant as a whole is ready (restaurant) is no longer a thing.”
The woman was scathing about the tone of the message.
“It wasn’t my manager who fired us all like this,” the woman said in the post, which has been viewed more than 600,000 times and is set to Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On.”
“They fucking just told everyone like the dead that they screwed up over this.”
The employee said she was “disappointed but not surprised.” “Literally, this text is all I have,” she said.
“During Christmas time too, what the hell).”
7NEWS.com.au has contacted the business for comment.
The video generated a number of comments from people who shared their experiences of insensitive dismissal.
“It was similar to what happened to me. (My) boss was texting everyone: “Give back the keys, our job no longer exists,” wrote one person.
“Reminds me of the time my favorite bike shop closed several places without warning. They left a note on the door and chained her up,” wrote another person.
“I found out about the fact that the restaurant where I worked was closed from an Instagram post. I had to work that day,” wrote another.
“I once worked at a pet store and they made us work the whole shift and then reported it at the end of the shift,” wrote another.