A couple of days ago, I saw an Instagram post discussing minimum wage. While I'm not one to shy away from a political discussion, there was something that bothered me about this particular post along with the comments on it. That was the way they talked about fast-food workers.

Many commenters, on both sides of the debate, claimed that fast food work is easy and that it isn't fair for them to receive a higher wage for what they do. Let's get one thing straight here: in my opinion, it doesn't matter what someone does for work, they should be able to survive and thrive off the income they make. However, that's not what this article is about, it's about the fact that working in the fast-food industry is hard.

What makes working in the fast-food industry hard is that it is a combination of multiple types of work. It's a gruesome combination of cleaning bathrooms, talking with unsatisfied customers, and lifting heavy objects on the daily. Fast-food workers have to be able to handle working in a high-stress environment

Another angle to consider is this: if fast-food workers were not a part of our economy, many people who work "hard jobs" would be out of breakfast, lunch, and/or dinner. This issue should not be a type of worker versus another type of worker; we should all be working to achieve equity for every person who works. Everyone is integral to the success and prosperity of the nation no matter what level of work you are at.

In the United States, it is incredibly likely that either you or someone you know has fast food experience. Some people love it, others hate it, and most just do it to get some extra cash on the side. Regardless of their intentions, I think it would be best for all of us if we simply gave more credit to those who work behind the counters at our favorite fast-food restaurants.