Overhearing management yell at employees and other management (lower level) about disagreements over how to direct employees in front of customers was the first thing I witnessed. Being an avid movie goer to this theatre I was shocked to overhear that one of the female assistant managers (Breana) was being terminated due to calling in sick once. Then I witnessed other employees being made to do extra work when there was a full amount of staff on only minimum wage.
On several occasions, I became concerned with how the employees were being treated so I would ask for the head manager, James, and would find that he was not in or had only been there shortly earlier in the day and that his Assistant Managers were there to pick up his slack.
One week I decided to put GKC Cinemas to the test, as I work for a company that ensures the proper maintenance and treatment of employees and businesses, and each day from Monday to Sunday I brought in a different friend to see two movies, one for the afternoon (1pm, 3pm or 5pm showing) and one for the evening (7pm or 9pm showing). Below were my observances during this week:
On Monday, I found James, the head manager, not available as it was not his day to work as one of his male Assistant Managers explained to me.
Tuesday, two female managers worked two different shifts, one morning and one evening, the shifts changing at about 6pm as they had mentioned to me.
Wednesday had one female manager working the entire day and she explained that sometimes it was necessary as they changed shifts so others could have days off. She was a nice girl with black hair and seemed to handle all customer requests and complaints efficiently.
Thursday only one Assistant manager was present during they day, regardless of how busy the day became and problems presented itself frequently (bathrooms were messy, projector problems) and I had made a comment to the Assistant Mgr that maybe they should have two on duty. Thursday night I saw that the head manager was indeed there but seemed to be directing his Assistants to do all work necessary while he was in the office. I requested to speak with him four different times and, after the Box Office Attendant attempted to request him on a walkie talkie, was answered with "He's currently on the phone". Four different times? I suppose he's a busy man.
On Friday I came in for three different movies, and found that they had plenty of staff and the head manager was to be in later. I overheard employees mentioning to eachother that he was supposed to be in during that morning but "something came up" and he wasn't going to be in until later. I thought this was odd as he hadn't been there much all week.
Saturday the head manager, James, was in attendance but I was only able to speak with him once out of the three times I requested to speak to him due to him "on the phone". The only reason I had found out this information is because I asked to use the phone in the box office for an emergency and that was the answer, after one employee picked up the receiver and apologized for the intrusion.
On Sunday, James was unavailable during the evening but I had seen him there earlier in the day but was unable to speak with him as he was chastising an employee for not having his name tag.
Two weeks later I came in for random times (the times that I thought James was supposed to be in attendance) and found that he was not and when I asked when he would be in, they said that he's in during Thursdays thru Mondays. Each time I called or came in to speak with him (I had a few concerns with employees washing their hands after using the bathroom or smoking, keeping concession areas and the hallways clean) he was either "unavailable" due to not being in or he was "on the phone" speaking to what was slipped out as his boss.
This is not my complaint, however, as their scheduling is a small part of my concern. It seems they haven't enough employees to do the work that James seems to demand of them, and most of them are making minimum wage and they do not seem to have scheduled breaks (I saw two employees go out back twice in a half hour for smoke breaks).
I was shortchanged in the box office, charged too much at the concession stand and then when I mentioned that something was wrong with the film in the movie theatre it took them a half an hour to come into the theater to check it out. The movie was ruined and when people complained, Breana, the Assistant Manager seemed overwhelmed and did all she could to keep the customers happy only to have them cuss at her and storm out.
I am not happy with the way this theatre is currently operating and feel that they have allowed a young gentlemen to take the position of head manager when he's never there. I see his Assistants doing all of his work for him!
The bathrooms were filthy and the employees played around downstairs when no customers were around, and then disrespected the Assistant Managers right in front of my friends and myself when we were going to order from the Concession Stand.
I feel this is not the proper way to run this theatre and I will not be returning here as from what I have witnessed I do not like their business practices.
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