Taken from the Life of a Fast Food Worker

                                                                                                                                Thanks to Pexel for this picture. 

  My work day may begin before others rise, tired eyes straining at the road on the way into work, hoping to avoid any would-be road kill. Or it may begin at 2 o'clock in the afternoon when others are beginning to think about going home to supper and a relaxing evening.

 We who be fast food workers aren't all as stupid and lazy as you think we are. We work sometimes long, inconvenient hours, spending most of the time on our feet in a fast-paced work environment. We sweep and mop large portions of floors that you tracked full of mud or, in the winter, that dreaded salt. We haul heavy boxes of fries and sustain nasty burns from hot oil or heated grills. And when you are all relaxing on your lunch break, we are at our peak of production so we may sit down to eat... later.

  Not to say that we are perfect, however. Those fries I served may have been older then they should have been (my apologies) or you may have let them sit for 15 minutes before eating them, then blame me (grin). I'm not always as patient as I appear when the person I'm waiting on slowly counts out their whole order in change while a line of customers waits behind them, then says, "I know I'm slow, but I have so much change." In reality I'm thinking, "Yes, you are slow,"  while I try to smile. Neither am I always as polite as I try to sound. When asked to replace a customer's salad when she forgot to mention she can't have cheese I congenially retreat to the kitchen to inform the cook, then roll my eyes when I'm safely in the back. I may have forgotten to put the pickles on your burger, but I'm sure you never made a mistake in your life either. 

  We work under constant pressure. A shift that is running smoothly may suddenly be thrown into chaos when a bus full of high-school kids unloads into the lobby. (so remember that the next time a group of you crowds into a restaurant and the employees don't look as excited about this as you do) Or the order you just handed out could have been mistakenly made with onions rather than without and the customer calls saying she's had an allergic reaction. (now, was it truth or a ply for another free sandwich? When you can discern the difference between a sincere customer and a Scrooge, let me know.) Our customers want their food fresh and hot, yet they can't wait more than two minutes without looking at their watches, wondering how fast food can take so long. 

  There are so many misconceptions about fast food. When I say I'm working the "dishes shift" and someone asks me what dishes we have, I want to show them a mound of greasy, crusted dishes piled high in the sink, needing vigorous scrubbing. And when you order a sandwich with no mayo I do not unwrap a pre-made sandwich to scrap the mayo off. Oh, and just because I'm standing still for 2 seconds does not mean I'm a lazy worker. 

  Working till close, you work furiously to get your work done, then go home hoping to get some rest only to find yourself fully awake at 11 o'clock, unable to sleep. When it's busy, you stress about filling orders, when it's slow you worry about labor. The kitchen looks greasy, so you clean it, only to find it dirty again next week. Suddenly dogs like the smell of your clothes, and you feel frustrated that your hair, which you just washed last night, reeks like burgers.

  But then there's the amusing parts of your day. The older gentleman who comes through drive and repeats himself constantly. "I'll take one double cheeseburger no pickles, one double cheeseburger no pickles." "Was that two double cheeseburgers?" "No, just one double cheeseburger no pickles, one double cheeseburger no pickles." Or the little old lady who hands you the exact change then says, "Keep the rest for a tip," then laughs. There's the unique personalities, both of your customers and  co-workers, that keep things light, or stressful, depending on the day.

  

  It's good, though. You find yourself observing other workers when you are the customer, feeling sympathetic towards them. Quickly you learn to judge people's reactions. Will this customer get mad if I offer a sale item with his order? Would this customer prefer a side salad over fries? And you gain insights on people's characters. It's taught me a lot; about customer relations, about working hard and efficiently, about proper communication. And it's taught me a lot about me.