Working retail is tough enough—low pay, long hours, and endless customer interactions.
And for some Target employees, the reward for sticking it out all year can feel… a little underwhelming.
That’s exactly what Target worker and TikTok user Ace (@_motionace) expressed—loudly—in a video about getting a minuscule raise after a year on the job.
How much was the raise after a whole year on the job?
“What the hell in LeBron James is a 50-cent raise?” Ace says to begin the video.
Throughout the video, Ace points out how frustrating it feels to put in consistent work, only to be rewarded with what he calls “loose change.”
“We are already getting pocket change. We are getting loose change,” he says. “We’re getting [stuff] that you find underneath your car—like oh my God, 10 cents.”
At one point, he shares how a co-worker quit after receiving a five-cent raise—and how he nearly followed her out the door.
“Girl, I’m right the [expletive] behind you,” he says. “Indeed, here the [expletive] I come. LinkedIn, here the [expletive] I come.”
Ace ends the video by inviting others to share their raise stories.
“Comment down below y’all raises because I’m gonna crash the [expletive] out.”
Other U.S. workers are also frustrated
In recent years, many U.S. workers have found that their pay increases aren’t keeping pace with the rising cost of living.
While companies like Target have raised starting wages—announcing a range from $15 to $24 per hour in 2022—these adjustments often fall short when compared to inflation rates.
For instance, in 2024, the annual inflation rate was 2.8%, outpacing the modest 2% raises or even 0.5% raises some Target employees reported receiving. That means even if wages go up a little, people can still afford less because prices are rising much faster.
Other Target employees reported similar raises—ranging from 0.5% to around 5% at most—in a Reddit thread on the r/Target subreddit, where the original poster called their raise “laughable.”
Commenters share similar experiences
In the comments, other workers shared similar frustrations.
“Y’all got 50 [cents]? Mine was 10 [cents],” one commenter wrote.
Another added, “Employee of the month. Started running front end after two months, know how to do filament pulls, push every aspect of front end, and I help my closing TL… and I got a 10-cent raise.”
Someone else shared, “Got 48 cents, told me I need to work on my attendance and wearing my headphones.”
@_motionace Target Raise #TargetEmployee #WorkAtTarget #targetraise ♬ WTHELLY – Rob49
The Daily Dot has reached out to Target via email and Ace via TikTok message for comment.
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