American fast food service restaurants operate in a high speed, high stress routine of serving customers all over the country every day, but dozens of fast food locations are using the unique strategic employee care service of Marketplace Chaplains USA in their stores.

“In this day and time, chaplains are sought out and in high demand because we are all struggling with the daily trials in life and workplace chaplains are a valuable part of our culture,” said Don Barton, VP of Human Resources at Austaco, which operates 75 Taco Bell restaurants from Waco to Del Rio, Texas.

Austaco is one of 12 largest Taco Bell franchises in the country and has been named one of Taco Bell’s elite franchises, seeing their employee turnover more than cut in half after hiring chaplains nearly 20 years ago.

“Their lives can be chaotic, like this business some of the time, but with chaplains, things calm down,” said Dirk Dozier, CEO of Austaco.  “When employees have lost hope, they struggle, and the chaplains help them find that hope again,” he added.

Among the other fast food restaurant franchises utilizing Dallas-based Marketplace Chaplains’ service are several McDonald’s locations in North Texas and elsewhere, plus Subway locations in Lima, Ohio.

Marketplace Chaplain Larry Palacios, who serves in Dallas, says the frenzied nature of the fast food business gives the chaplains a unique opportunity in today’s hectic workplace environment.

“You have to be patient when workers are so busy, and wait for the window of opportunity,” Palacios said.

Former owner Steve Sullins, who recently sold eight McDonald’s located south and east of Dallas to current Marketplace client
company owner Larry Ingram, says he sees the need for Marketplace Chaplains every day.

“During the rush times, this can be a very stressful business,” he said. “It takes a lot of hard work and teamwork to serve the
needs of customers.  Our chaplains are a vital resource to make sure nobody slips through the cracks.”

Today, more than 2,500 Marketplace Chaplains in 43 states serve in more than 2,400 client locations across the US and in 4 foreign countries.