Michigan man worked at Ruby Tuesday for 19 years. Then he was fired after a shift on Christmas day: ‘I never missed a day of work’
A man from Michigan had the heartbreaking experience of being let go from his job following Christmas Day. After 19 years of loyalty working at Ruby Tuesday, the restaurant unceremoniously ended his employment, despite his working his way up to a general manager position within the company.
Devastated, Jeff Cook (@jeffcook10) took to TikTok, recounting what happened and why he was let go during the holidays in a video that has now reached 4 million views. He later had to get another job as a server, something that stung considering he had developed tangible managerial skills that he could no longer use. With concerns about the job market and his ability to find another position, Cook asked for “good vibes” to be thrown his way.
So why did Ruby Tuesday let Cook go? And why has the company’s reasoning caused significant backlash and calls for boycotts from previously loyal customers?
What happened during his shift at Ruby Tuesday?
Cook, who previously worked as a general manager for Ruby Tuesday in Big Rapids, Michigan, had never missed a single day of work in 19 years. But he was asked by corporate management to keep the restaurant’s doors open on Christmas Day.
For Cook, it was a difficult decision not to simply close the restaurant. He would have to be away from his wife and children on Christmas, ultimately missing out on many of the activities planned that day. It also meant he would need to find staff willing to come in on the holiday.
Cook immediately knew this would be a difficult task, as the restaurant is located in a college town. Many of his staff were leaving for winter break and traveling to different areas across the country, making them unavailable to take on shifts that day. Ruby Tuesday also did not pay extra for holiday hours, meaning it would be a strenuous shift on a major holiday with no additional incentive.
So Cook made the decision not to force his staff to come in on Christmas. Instead, he asked if anyone would volunteer to work. Around four people, including himself, agreed to take the shift. He set the hours from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. and informed his boss of the decision.
Ultimately, his boss told him that he would need more staff that day. But Cook could not find anyone else willing to work, which meant they would have to operate with the team they had.
Cook and his staff work the Christmas shift.
On Christmas Day, Cook and his small team came into work and “absolutely killed” their shift. Cook ended up in the back making food alongside a brand-new shift leader, while one server and one host managed the front of house.
Cook and his team managed to sell thousands of dollars’ worth of food that day. Later, the manager found out that Ruby Tuesday was “the only” place open in town that day. For that reason, they received countless to-go orders that they almost could not fulfill.
Toward the end of the night, around 8 p.m., they started to run out of prepped food. Knowing the restaurant could not handle any more orders, Cook began to close out the night, refusing additional customers.
The four staff members then closed the entire restaurant, working until “very late” into the night.
Cook thought everything went well. But then, he got fired.
Cook enters a treacherous job market, despite his work effort
When he was let go from his job, Cook was devastated. He had dedicated a large portion of his life to Ruby Tuesday. He quickly found another job as a server to continue earning income, but the former manager reflected that it may be difficult for him to find a similar role in today’s job market.
“I know I have comparable skills, [and] I know I have experience. I know that eventually I’ll get another job, but the market is tough right now, man. It is not a good time to be trying to get a new job without preparing for that, and I wasn’t prepared for this,” Cook said.
He asked in his video for “good vibes” to come his way. The former manager said it would be difficult to provide for his family in the same way he used to. He specifically requested positive stories or encouragement to help lift his mood as he navigated the difficult task of job searching.
Ultimately, commenters had that and more to offer. Viewers recommended jobs, offered legal services or advice, and even filed complaints against the restaurant.
According to some commenters, “Ruby Tuesday has a pattern of doing this. When they closed locations they didn’t let any of the staff know. [Staff didn’t know] until there was a note on the door and the doors locked.”
Former customers also listed other companies owned by NRD Capital, Ruby Tuesday’s parent company, and encouraged others to boycott them. As a result, many commenters declared the restaurant “canceled” in 2026. That doesn’t bode well for Ruby Tuesday, as the company has already been struggling in recent years.
An Update From Cook Thanking His Supporters
On Jan. 10, Cook posted an update on his platform to thank those who supported him during this difficult moment. Overall, the man was overjoyed by the response to his previous post and expressed deep gratitude to those who offered assistance.
“God is good,” Cook captioned his follow-up video.
Many commenters urged Cook to pursue job opportunities shared in the comments on his original video. “The wine distributor job!!!! They commented on your first video. Contact them. It starts at $75,000,” one viewer wrote. Cook liked the comment but had not replied as of Jan. 12.
Other commenters said they would no longer patronize Ruby Tuesday or support the business. Some emphasized that their offices would not cater food from the company. Others said entire workplaces would be boycotting the restaurant after what they described as unsavory practices and treatment of Cook went viral.
@jeffcook10 Only up from here.
♬ original sound – Jeff Cook ???
Based on Cook’s recent videos and the company’s social media pages, Ruby Tuesday Inc. has made no public comment regarding the situation. We have reached out to the company and to Cook via email and will update this story if either party responds.
Have a tip we should know? [email protected]
