Verbal Warning vs. Write-Up
A Leader's Decision Guide · Chick-fil-A West End
The principle: We coach before we discipline, and we discipline before we separate. Each step gives a team member a clear, fair chance to correct course. Match the response to the severity of the issue and the history behind it.
Quick Decision: Ask These 4 Questions
- Is this the first time? First-time + minor → lean verbal. Repeat → lean written.
- Did they know the expectation? If the standard was never clearly set, coach and re-train first.
- What's the impact? Safety, food safety, cash, guest experience, or team trust at stake → written.
- Is there a policy that governs it? Attendance and similar policies have set steps — follow the policy, not your gut.
Side-by-Side
Use a VERBAL WARNING when…
- It's the first occurrence of a minor issue
- The behavior is coachable and likely a one-off
- It looks like a genuine mistake or oversight
- The expectation may not have been fully clear
- A quick course-correction is all that's needed
- There's no safety, cash, or guest impact
Use a WRITE-UP when…
- The same issue continues after a verbal warning
- The first offense is serious on its own
- A policy step calls for written documentation
- Safety, food safety, or cash handling is involved
- It hurt the guest experience or team trust
- A pattern is forming that needs a paper trail
Typical verbal-warning situations
- Minor, occasional lateness still within attendance policy
- Uniform or grooming standard missed
- Phone use on the floor
- A small procedural miss (skipped a step, wrong sequence)
- An off day in attitude or energy that's out of character
Typical write-up situations
- Repeated tardiness or an unexcused absence under the attendance policy
- Insubordination or refusing a reasonable directive
- A food-safety or workplace-safety violation
- A cash drawer discrepancy or handling error
- Disrespect toward a guest or teammate
- Continued failure to perform the role after coaching
Skip the Steps — Escalate Immediately
Some conduct is serious enough to warrant an immediate write-up or suspension/termination, regardless of whether a verbal warning was ever given. Loop in David before acting when any of these surface:
- Theft, dishonesty, or falsifying records
- Violence, threats, or harassment
- Being under the influence at work
- A deliberate safety or food-safety violation that endangers others
- Walking off a shift or abandoning a post
How to Deliver Either One Well
- Private and timely. Address it one-on-one, soon after it happens — never on the floor in front of others.
- Be specific. Name the exact behavior and its impact, not a vague label like “bad attitude.”
- State the expectation. Make crystal clear what “right” looks like going forward.
- Name what's next. Explain the consequence if it continues. No surprises later.
- Stay consistent. Hold every team member to the same standard — fairness protects you and the team.
- Let them respond. Hear their side; sometimes there's context that changes the call.
- Document both. Even a verbal warning should leave a short note — date, behavior, what was discussed. If a verbal isn't written down anywhere, it didn't happen when you need it later. A write-up should be signed by the team member (or note their refusal to sign) and filed.
When in doubt, default to coaching — but don't let a documentable pattern slide. The goal is a fair, clear, consistent path that helps people succeed.