Man Gets Even After Company Gift Him Candy For 27 Years Of Work
Disappointment
It was supposed to be one of the most important days in his life. However, once they handed him the “gift,” his smile soon disappeared from his face.
He went through all the items included in the gift and ensured to show them all to the camera. He couldn’t help but feel like a joke. However, when the internet got a hold of the video, they lost it.
All They Needed
PixaBay
Kevin Ford, a 54-year-old, lived in Sheffield, Alabama. He left the small town to pursue greater things and decided to move to Las Vegas at the age of 24. He met his soulmate there, and the pair started a family.
In the Las Vegas McCarran International Airport Burger King, he didn’t earn much money flipping burgers, but his wife didn’t mind. It only took love for them to be happy. At least, that’s what Kevin thought.
He Did His Best
Reddit – Colorized History
A few years later, Kevin’s marriage began to fall apart, and it seemed like the covers had been suddenly removed from his eyes. However, he was now responsible for two daughters.
Kevin kept his job at Burger King so that he could take care of his daughters. He never skipped a day; even when he was sick, he made sure to be there. After 27 years of this, he had no idea how he would be compensated.
Trouble In Paradise
FocusOnTheFamily
Kevin didn’t waver despite his marriage having troubles for years. He was unmovable. He supported his children’s education and put food on the table even as his marriage to his wife failed.
He had lost track of who she was, but she was not who he fell in love with. She was different. Things culminated after simmering for a while.
They Wanted More
The Entrepreneur
It quickly became apparent that Kevin’s wife was unqualified to care for their children while he put in long hours to support them. The status quo was no longer possible. He got a divorce from his wife and fought bitterly for custody of his daughters.
Kevin didn’t miss a day of work regardless of his turbulent personal life and court hearings. Despite his best efforts, Burger King still expected more.
A Lot Of Responsibility
Justice Center For Constitutional Freedoms
The judge could see from the protracted custody dispute that Kevin’s ex-wife was incapable of raising her children. He acknowledged his use of drugs and adulterous affairs. The girls were allowed to stay with Kevin even though it’s rare for the father of the children to be granted custody rather than the mother.
He now had two kids to care for on his own as a single father. He would do everything for his kids because they were his entire universe. It was difficult, but he managed in some way. He remained focused and made it work.
Loyalty
The SportsGrail (4)
Kevin arrived at the establishment promptly each day to begin his lengthy hours. Even though he could only see his girls in the evenings, he cherished those times.
While he battled illness, a messy divorce, and dozens of mentally exhausting court hearings, he worked for Burger King, flipping hamburgers every single day without fail. He had been doing it for 27 years. He would surely reap the benefits of his hard work in the end.
Changes
The SportsGrail (1)
In the 27 years since Kevin had left home, he had experienced a great deal. His personality was no longer the same as when he started working for Burger King so many years ago. Tiredness plagued him.
Fortunately, all of his daughters had graduated from high school; the youngest had gotten married and given birth to two adorable granddaughters. He had happily remarried and was the father of two more kids. One thing stayed the same despite all the changes.
Minimum Wage
The SportsGrail (5)
Kevin would have started in 1995 with a starting salary of about $5,00 per hour. The average pay for a Burger King employee in 2022 is currently $9,86.
Given the escalating cost of living, Kevin’s monthly salary hardly covers his expenses, and after working for the company for 27 years, he hasn’t advanced very far in the ranks. How would Burger King give him a reward?
His Compensation
The SportsGrail (3)
Kevin received a clear plastic bag as a gift on his 27th anniversary as a Burger King employee.
Although things weren’t looking good, Kevin always tried to be appreciative of what he had. As he took the products out of the bag one at a time, a different Burger King employee recorded his response on his phone. What did he receive?
What Was In The Bag?
The SportsGrail (2)
Kevin’s smile faded from his face, betraying his real feelings as he tried to be grateful. He pulled the items out of the clear plastic bag and held them up for the camera to see.
A reusable Starbucks cup, a bag of Reece’s Pieces, a single movie ticket, and two rolls of Lifesavers. When the video went viral, the internet lost it.
Viral Video
The SportsGrail (1)
The plastic bag that contained the insulting gifts had an HMS Host sticker on it. HMS Host is the multimillion-dollar restaurant chain’s parent company.
It wasn’t long before the video of Kevin’s underwhelming gifts made its way to a subreddit called ‘A Boring Dystopia,’ with the caption, “This man dedicated 27 years of service to Burger-King and wasn’t even rewarded with $27 worth of trinkets in his ‘Goodie Bag.’” Netizens couldn’t stop talking about it.
Shame On Burger King
TikTok – Kevin Ford
‘A pension would have been a lot better than a bag of Reese’s pieces,’ one Redditor commented. ‘Nobody bought anything. Those are the giveaway bags offered at special events or by hiring managers. Corporate buys that stuff by the case to give away,’ another user wrote, aghast.
‘Burger King, like all other fast food places, are corporate thieves that will stop at nothing to profit from everyone, not to mention take advantage of young workers, which is why I don’t ever eat at any of these places,’ one user sniped.
Genuine Gratitude
The SportsGrail (2)
The video also went viral on TikTok, where Burger King received scathing criticism from viewers. Viewers were even more heartbroken by Kevin’s reaction to the gift bag – he was positive and genuinely expressed gratitude.
Eventually, the video made its way to Kevin’s daughter, Seryna. She was heartbroken when she saw her hardworking father accepting the insulting gift after dedicating more than half his life to the company. She had to do something.
Donations Pour In
The SportsGrail (3)
Seryna decided to set up a GoFundMe page for her father. He had worked so hard for so many years to make sure she and her sisters had gotten through high school and college. Now, she wanted to repay him.
‘In no way are we asking for money or is he expecting any money, but if anyone feels like blessing him…’ she wrote on the GoFundMe Page. She wasn’t expecting much. But when the donations started to pour in, she was floored.
In order to protect the privacy of those depicted, some names, locations, and identifying characteristics have been changed and are products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblances to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, are entirely coincidental.
