A young Taco Bell manager in Puerto Rico has used TikTok to criticize social media users mocking the workers left jobless by the closure of the Taco Bell and KFC restaurants on the island. In a video posted on the account @andel.pr, the manager, who says he works at a Taco Bell establishment, questioned the jokes and comments users have made about the loss of jobs after both fast-food chains ceased operations in Puerto Rico.
You are celebrating, but many like me are unemployed
"Stop mocking this company that fell. Right now your mockery is our sadness. You are celebrating, but many like me are unemployed," he said.
He argued that behind every employee there is a story and a family that depends on their income, noting that many of those affected have children, financial responsibilities and commitments that do not disappear when they lose their livelihood. He censured people who turn other people’s unemployment into entertainment. His post has prompted a broader discussion about insensitivity on social media when situations affect other people’s economic stability.
Numerous workers remain uncertain about their job prospects, and it is unknown how long it could take to restore the chains’ operations in Puerto Rico under a new operator.