A viral TikTok video showing one cook preparing food for 12 customers has sparked debate about acceptable labor practices.
In a clip posted to the social media platform last week, a single young woman can be seen rushing around a Waffle House kitchen plating up 12 meals.
The video - which was posted by TikTok user rlozada25 - is taken from the service counter, where many plates are lined up waiting for service. There isn't a single other employee in sight.
"This lady deserves ALL the tips," the overlay message reads. "She's cooking it all for 12 people by herself."
The shocking video sparked outrage and has since been viewed over 651,000 times.
Rlozada25 said in the comments that he and his two companions tipped the busy chef a total of $100, and that they hoped others would be equally generous.
However, many people took to the comments to complain that such working practices are not acceptable - and that she should have quit the job.
"She should have walked out. Running yourself into a breakdown from exhaustion is not worth your life. Unionize and protect yourself," commented one user.
"And she probably only getting paid 7.25 if that," added another. $7.25 is the US national minimum wage.
Others commented that her situation was to be expected from Waffle House, a company with a notoriously bad track record on looking after employees.
"This is normal for Waffle House," wrote one person.
"This is a normal day at just about any Waffle House I’ve ever been in," said a second.
A third agreed, citing their own experience working for the company. "I was always by myself. Every Thursday and Friday morning," they commented.
Meanwhile, some people made the point that even though the conditions aren't great, a lot of people working in service aren't in a position to turn down a job.
"Maybe she has a family at home, bills to pay, it’s the holidays. Not everyone can just walk away from a job," one user said.
And others were less forgiving, saying that cooking for twelve people is not as hard as it sounds when you're a professional cook.
"That's what most cooks do," one person added.
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