Portland, Oregon: Pip's Original Doughnuts lands in hot water for vegan-free hiring practices

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Pip's Original Doughnuts lands in hot water for vegan-free hiring practices

By Samantha Bakall | The Oregonian/OregonLive
on July 25, 2016 at 3:00 PM, updated July 25, 2016 at 3:01 PM

Update: This post has been updated with a statement from the owner.

A popular Portland mini doughnut shop has found itself in the midst of a hiring flap after including a prohibition against dietary restrictions in its help-wanted ad.

On July 21, Northeast Portland's Pip's Original Doughnuts listed a Poached Jobs ad looking for a new barista that has basic skills, a friendly, outgoing personality and "no non-medical, non-religious dietary restrictions."

According to a Facebook post from co-owner Nate Snell, many have taken to Facebook and email to voice their displeasure with ad, which seems to exclude vegetarians in what PETA honored in April as the most vegan-friendly city in America.

According to the Poached Jobs ad, any non-medical, non-religious dietary restrictions "would stop you from tasting, accurately representing our treats and maintaining quality control."

[MineralMan]

1. Probably they're talking about gluten avoiders.

In a donut shop that would be a problem, really.

I'm not sure why this got to be about vegans, really.

[mwrguy]

5. Everything is about vegans

Just ask one.

[HuckleB]

2. This place already has lines going down the block.

For donuts.

They're just donuts.

They're good. I had some with my son, when we happened to walk by in the store's early days before the lines started. Still, they're donuts.

This publicity is only going to make those lines even longer, however.

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It's fairly simple: The job calls for employees to be able to taste the food. The food is not vegan, and some is not vegetarian.

Also, the respondent who complained that he couldn't work there because he is Kosher doesn't seem to be able to read the job ad. WTH?

[Rex]

3. What is the big deal? Some places won't hire you if you are a smoker.

Is that any different?

[nykym]

4. Id bet that most of those

who are upset about the job posting would not work there in the first place.

[LWolf]

6. Anyone who

makes an attempt to eat healthy food is going to have some dietary restrictions. Any doughnut shop is going to be a problem for healthy eaters, vegan, vegetarian, or not. It's the sugar and over-processed carbs, just to begin with.

Now, just because I recognize that doesn't mean that I don't enjoy donuts now and then, so I guess I'd be safe to work there.

Really, I see both sides of this issue. I'm not landing on either of those sides.

[Dreamer Tatum]

7. if one is truly a vegan, they wouldn't want to sell animal products anyway.

I don't see the issue.

[Mendocino]

8. I know the three brewers

at a local craft house. It's necessary for them to take small sips of the product to ensure quality and consistency. If someone were a brewer and a non-drinker (not likely, but...) they would not be hired. They also have to be non-smokers, tobacco dulls the taste buds too much.

[haele]

9. I don't see the problem. If the job requires tasting, that's legit

I'm allergic to shellfish. I'm not going to work in a sushi bar, because part of the job includes touching and tasting shellfish.
"Sorry boss, I can only handle the rice, wasabi, tuna and salmon" means I can only do half the job and the full amount of pay.
Even if it's the only job in town - there's no way I could ethically and responsibly hold up my end of the employment contract if I need to be able to sample the fish sauce (which has shrimp) to ensure it's still good before it gets put in someone's food.

A dedicated vegan is like a person who observes kosher. Neither should be working in a food store where part of the expected job is to handle bacon and/or lard - and expect to get paid the same as the other workers who will have to work extra to pick up the slack when they refuse to do either due to "principles".


Haele

[Xithras]

10. Last weekend, I made bacon chocolate chunk cookies.

My daughter, who is an avid baker and who usually can't keep herself out of the kitchen when food is being prepped, couldn't help. She's a vegetarian.

Tasting food is an important part of food preparation. If your diet doesn't allow you to consume the food you're creating, how are you going to verify that it tastes right?

[flvegan]

11. I don't see the problem with it.

I understand the reasoning for it, and tend to agree with him.

That said, I honestly think that is pure clickbait. An article, in Portland, with "vegan-free" alleging anything anti-veg*n is going to be nothing but torches, pitchforks and people blaming Obama/Hillary. If they had said anything about other non-medical/religious restrictions, the outrage and re-tweets (or whatever) would have been far less. Nobody in that area is likely to care about "Pip's Original Doughnuts Lands in Hot Water for Excluding from Hire any Potential Applicants Currently Gunning for that Mr. Olympia One Spot"