KANSAS CITY, Mo. — One day after FOX4 revealed workers at the IHOP in Lee’s Summit haven’t received paychecks in weeks, more Kansas City metro-area workers have come forward to say they, too, are experiencing a similar issue.
On Friday, June 20, FOX4 went to the IHOP located in the Zona Rosa shopping center, where workers say they haven’t been paid either.
Workers there share that the IHOP is owned by the same franchisee as the one in Lee’s Summit.
Friday, the IHOP general manager, located at NW Prairie View Road in Kansas City, left. He shared with FOX4, he’s owed thousands of dollars.
He also said, between the Zona Rosa IHOP and the IHOP in Lee’s Summit off of 291 Highway, those are both the top two IHOP stores, in terms of sales, in the metro.
Friday, FOX4 stopped by the Zona Rosa location to see if we could talk to management. We were informed the owner was at the location.
One man confirmed his name to be found in business records. Although he did not want to provide an interview, he did share that we would be receiving a comment about the situation. As of Friday evening, no additional information on this matter has come from the ownership group.
FOX4 asked the man if he was an owner or perhaps a manager. He was seen talking to an IHOP employee prior to that. He also shared that he sold his home to pay payroll. It’s something he also told his employees on Friday. Around the same time Friday morning, workers allege, he handed them money.
The former General Manager there believes the cash was due to there not being any cash to ‘tip’ out the servers, from the register.
One current worker, Erika, shared with FOX4 that, at least with this store, all employees there were given $125 cash on Friday.
Erika said she hadn’t received a paycheck since she’s been working there. She says she’s been there at least a month. She does, though, get to take home any cash tips, but she has yet to receive her hourly wages.
The man, whom she claims is the owner, told employees at the Northland location, they’d get paid this coming Tuesday.
“That’s what he says, but is that really true?” Erika shared.
“All of our managers have quit. Three people walked out this morning.”
“I don’t like people messing with my money. I just became an adult. I’m trying to pay my bills. I’m trying to pay rent. I have two dogs,” she added.
Christina Day is a former employee of the Kansas City store. She said she put in her two-week notice, and her last day was Sunday.
“We haven’t been paid for the rest of May. We have not been paid the rest of June,” Christina said.
“I did contact the Department of Labor this morning and they called back an hour later and she told me because they said they would pay us; they have until midnight tonight.”
There were several attempts made to Guest Relations at this particular IHOP, but no calls or emails were returned on Friday.
FOX4 also reached out to Zona Rosa, the shopping center in the Northland, on Friday.
In an emailed response to FOX4, management of the shopping center said management is not privy to information regarding the business operations of merchants at Zona Rosa.
“Each merchant at Zona Rosa is independently owned and operated. As such, we are not involved in their internal employment practices.”
