Elf-In-A-Box
The Elf-in-a-box restaurant is a chain franchise. Its ordering process begins with an elf, in a box, who takes your order. For hundreds of years, the company standard has remained stubbornly tethered to a timeless vision of quality service: a (rather underpaid) elf, in a smallish box, with a tiny notepad, and a visor, who takes your order. This is the *essential* Elf-in-a-box experience.
After your order is taken, the elf shouts your order to other (also underpaid) elves via a tin can. These elves work together to prepare your food, and then deliver your food direct to your mode of transportation, with unnecessary theatrics.
But with time, comes change. Worker morale became a concern, the High Elven Board was changed out with more progressive sorts. Attitudes and wages improved. Somewhat. Relatively speaking.
Marketing research showed that people were more likely to buy burgers from elves in smaller boxes. The experience had become a matter of some spectacle, and the High Elven Board was eager to ride the hype -- if only to distract from previous disagreeable press about unionization.
After some negotiation, they ultimately incentivized worker box size. Each elf was permitted to set the size of their own box, with smaller boxes resulting in more pay.
This had the ultimate outcome, of elves cramming themselves into absurdly tiny boxes. These boxes were necessarily supported by poles or booms, to bring them up to ordering height. From here, they would take orders from travelers, their head and extremities sticking out of individual holes.
It worked out for the High Elven Board, and it worked for the newly-formed High Elven Workers Union.
The franchise's flagship restaurant is on Halcyon. Lines are often quite long, and feature wooden carts, chromed out brooms, magical mounts, carpets, and your odd ornithopterist.
Ironically, the real reason the pay is so bad, is not the nature of the work or the cruelty of company. It's because you have a staff of 30 to run a single drive-thru lane.
Although not required, It is considered polite to pay the servers to stop singing.
Type
Pub / Tavern / Restaurant
Parent Location
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