Sign at Alaska IHOP blames Biden 'free money' for staffing woes: 'Nobody wants to work anymore'

A sign at an IHOP in Alaska said the franchised restaurant was reducing hours because of staff shortages and blamed President Biden's COVID-19 relief programs. 

"Due to the fact that Biden gave out way too much free money and nobody wants to work anymore, we are forced to reduce our hours during this week," the typed sign posted to the counter at an IHOP in Wasilla, Alaska, reads. It states the restaurant will now be open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on weekends from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. 

"Thank you for your understanding and your patience," it concludes. 

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The Twitter user who posted a photo of the sign said his family, though they enjoyed the pancake house, would no longer be visiting IHOP if the sign reflected its corporate policy. The user has since deleted his account.

"I know we’re just one small family, and we don’t matter, but we can’t eat at a place that condones this," the user wrote. Before the account was deleted, the post evoked a mixed bag of responses – some  continued criticism of IHOP and called for its boycott, as others said they would visit the franchise more. 

"Hey @IHOP, my family and I don’t normally eat breakfast out but I will make it a point to support your business because you dare speak the truth at a time it’s being silenced," one user replied to the post. Another user added, "Kudos to @IHOP for being truthful and not freaking woke. Think our family of 6 will stop by." 

"Haven’t been to an IHOP in over 20 years, but now I’ll start," a third user chimed in. 

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"So, the snowflakes are boycotting IHOP," another user observed, noting how several responses with a different perspective used the hashtag #BoycottIHOP. Snowflake is a slang term meant to describe an overly sensitive person who takes offense easily. 

One critic wrote, "Yeah. When I see a sign posted by a restaurant door, I am always prepared to turn around and walk away if it’s this kind of entitled, anti-worker non-sense. I will not support a business that can’t keep staff and blame it on phantom ‘free money’ and other people’s laziness." 

"That money ran out months ago. Raise your wages @IHOP. People are rethinking their priorities and working for min wage minus taxes during a pandemic w no benefits ain’t the lure you might think it is," another user wrote. "800K dead so the job market is an oyster waiting to be plucked. Step it up." 

"They’re not quitting because of Biden. They’re quitting because you underpay them," another response said, calling IHOP a "MAGA chain" restaurant. "Don’t eat IHOP’s over-priced, unhealthy, fascist pancakes."

The sign was posted last month at one of IHOP's franchised locations in Wasilla, Alaska "and was immediately removed after we were made aware," a corporate spokesperson told FOX Business Tuesday. "This was an unauthorized act of one individual and does not represent the viewpoints of IHOP or the local franchisee."

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This sign comes after Biden continues to push for his "Build Back Better" plan, which would dramatically increase government spending even as inflation continues to soar. 

Earlier this month, the president also lauded a surprise decline in the nation's unemployment rate in November, even though hiring severely undershot expectations with November marking the worst month for job creation this year.

The Labor Department reported that private businesses and other employers added just 210,000 new jobs in November, well below the 550,000 gain forecast by Refinitiv economists and less than half of October's gain of 546,000 – a troubling sign that hiring slowed even before the emergence of the new omicron coronavirus variant.

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But other aspects of the report painted a brighter outlook. The unemployment rate plunged to 4.2% from 4.6% as more than 1.1 million Americans said they found jobs last month. The labor force participation rate increased for the month to 61.8%, its highest level since March 2020.

FOX Business’ Megan Henney contributed to this report.