'This guy has a gun and I'm about to die': Fast-food chains are facing a looming active-shooter problem, with at least 3 deadly shootings in the last month alone
- Fast-food chains are grappling with how to deal with violence in restaurants, with at least three deadly shootings at major chains in the last month alone.
- This week, at the annual Restaurant Loss Prevention and Security Association Conference, security professionals at chains including McDonald's, Waffle House, and Papa John's are discussing how to deal with active shooters.
- In 2017, 29 restaurant industry workers were murdered while on the job, up from 26 in 2016 and 23 in 2015.
- "Not gonna lie, definitely have thought: this guy has a gun and I'm about to die, let me go hide in the freezer," one McDonald's employee told Business Insider.
- Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
As the death toll of American mass shootings rises, fast-food workers and executives are grappling with how to deal with threats of violence on the job.
In the last month alone, three deadly shootings have taken place in or near major chains across the US: Whataburger in Tulsa, Oklahoma; Steak 'n Shake in Charlotte, North Carolina; and Wendy's in Kansas City, Missouri. Chains including Taco Bell, Jack in the Box, Popeyes, and Burger King have all been the site of shootings that have sent victims to the hospital in recent weeks.
This week, the biggest names in fast food are gathering in Nashville, Tennessee, for the annual Restaurant Loss Prevention and Security Association Conference. Active shooters are a major topic of discussion this year.
Waffle House executives are speaking about the mass shooting at a Nashville location that killed four people in 2018, according to the conference's website. Papa John's director of security, Pete McCarney, was set to give a talk on Monday about how the chain rolled out active shooter training. Security staffers from Wendy's, Yum Brands, and McDonald's are speaking on a panel about how to deal with disruptive guests.
In 2017, 29 food industry workers were murdered while on the job, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data. That's an increase from 26 in 2016, 23 in 2015, and 15 in 2014. A total of 89 restaurant industry workers died from fatal injuries at work in 2017, with another 72,310 suffering injuries on the job.
"It is a major concern for some people such as that they're constantly evaluating people and judging people and thinking of escape routes and where's the safest place to be," one McDonald's worker told Business Insider. Business Insider granted anonymity to three fast-food employees who work at McDonald's, Subway, and Starbucks in order to allow them to speak frankly without fear of retribution.
"Not gonna lie, definitely have thought: this guy has a gun and I'm about to die, let me go hide in the freezer," the McDonald's worker continued.
Fast-food workers on the front lines
Restaurants face a unique threat of "spillover violence," according to Mike Clumpner, the president of security consulting firm Threat Suppression. Many shootings and other incidents that take place in chain restaurants are tied to gangs, domestic disputes, and other instances in which shooters are targeting specific individuals, not a specific location.
"I don't fear it, but after seeing how adults literally (and I mean literally) throw temper tantrums over sandwiches it wouldn't surprise me," a Subway employee said of the fear of a shooting happening in his store.
Experts say that employee training is one of the best ways to prevent and address the threat of mass shootings. If employees feel confident to spot red flags and take action, they can alert police before a shooting occurs or as quickly as possible once something happens.
"I wouldn't be surprised if this gets rolled into the types of training that companies offer, whether it's fire, earthquake, any other type of emergency that employers, employees need to be aware of," attorney Neama Rahmani said.
Many chains are in the process of creating or revamping their active shooter training. Earlier this year, McDonald's added an active shooter training to its available workplace safety programs. An hour of the Restaurant Loss Prevention and Security Association Conference is dedicated to Papa John's director of security discussing moving "beyond the standard 'Run, Hide, Fight" methodology'" of active shooter response.
However, making sure every worker is properly trained can be challenging. Many chains grant franchisees control over how and when to conduct trainings. With a high rate of turnover, it is difficult to keep every employee trained with up-to-date information. The Subway and McDonald's employees who spoke with Business Insider said they hadn't been trained on what to do in an active shooter situation.
Representatives from McDonald's, Taco Bell, and Papa John's declined to comment. Whataburger, Steak 'n Shake, Wendy's, Jack-in-the-Box, Popeyes, Burger King, and Waffle House did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.
"As I am sure you can appreciate, the safety and security of our guests and those working in Subway restaurants is a top priority, and we therefore do not disclose safety procedures," a Subway representative said in an email.
A Starbucks employee said that active shooters were discussed in new hire training, but that there have not been updates since then. Starbucks did not respond to Business Insider's request for comment.
The Starbucks employee's manager recently took it upon herself to give a talk on safety following last weekend's deadly shootings. The manager told workers that in the event of a shooting, they should avoid risking their own safety and get behind something solid or run to the bathrooms.
"I think people are somewhat scared and it's just reflective of our culture, unfortunately," the Starbucks employee said. "I don't personally go to work and think 'wow could I get shot here today,' but I'm sure some people do. Which is sad."
