Commentary

2 chains fight back against kids' bullies

Two chains have recently begun programs to fight bullying among youngsters, including Pizza Factory and the more publicized campaign from Burger King, which is getting widespread media attention today with a thought-provoking video.

October 20, 2017 by S.A. Whitehead — Food Editor, Net World Media Group

In the nearly three-minute produced in-store video, the QSR attempts to make an analogy between an in-store display of bullying among a group of high school boys and the "bullying" (more accurately, employee's mangling) of a burger before it is served in the same restaurant's kitchen.

Clearly, customers on the receiving end of the "abused" burger are not pleased and take action, but most are shown simply watching the bullying of the teen-age boy without doing anything. Granted, the analogy, between the two doesn't quite work, but the video does ultimately make some great points about this problem, which just recently allegedly led to an 8-year-old boy's suicide in Cincinnati.

While Burger King has not detailed its exact use of the video, another chain, Pizza Factory, has launched its own "quieter" anti-bullying initiative by labeling itself as a "No Bully Zone." Pizza Factory is also providing so-called "buddy benches" to local schools that will serve as safe zones where kids who feel bullied can take refuge. The benches, representatives of the chain said in an email, also help school authorities and teachers better identify existing bullying issues.

Both initiatives are built around this October being National Bullying Prevention Month in the U.S.

Social Responsibility

About S.A. Whitehead

Pizza Marketplace and QSRweb editor Shelly Whitehead is a former newspaper and TV reporter with an affinity for telling stories about the people and innovative thinking behind great brands.