Imagine, you are driving home and everyone in your car is hungry. You stop by McDonald's and as you're ordering you think to yourself, "I wonder what it is really like to work here?"
As someone who has worked in fast food for almost five years, I have had enough experience with all of the ups and downs that come with working at various fast food restaurants. Although each restaurant is very different in what they serve or how they do things, they are all still similar in the type of work they do and the types of customers they get. I have worked at Steak 'N Shake and several different McDonald's. Bouncing between the different fast food restaurants, I have learned a lot and seen many crazy people and situations.
Working at a McDonald's in a city that isn't the wealthiest, I got to meet many different types of people. Many of the people that worked there that were not as fortunate as me. They did not have cars or big fancy houses; most of them lived in smaller houses or trailers and walked to work every day. While they were struggling to pay their bills with the minimum wage job, I just wanted gas and spending money. I learned to cherish the finer things in life after seeing how they stay humble through it all.
At every job, you are told repeatedly that "the customer is always right," but all employees can agree that that is not always true. If a customer is not happy, whether they are right or wrong, we have to do something out of our way to fix the problem and satisfy the customer. Sometimes, although, some problems can not be fixed as easy as the customer wants. Some customers are very rude and will do anything to get a free meal, while others are very generous and make conversation with us. One time when I was working at McDonald's, a customer came up to the counter because her milkshakes were too thin. My manager kindly explained to her that our machine makes them automatically and we can not make them thinner or thicker. We offered to remake the shakes to see if they would turn our different a second time, or if she just wanted a refund. The woman then took her milkshakes, dumped them on the front counter, and proceeded to walk out the door. We were all in shock, customers and employees! The other customers understood and agreed that my manager handled the situation well on her part. You also bond more with your coworkers over situations like this. Everyone that works with you gets put through the same nonsense you do, so you all have a certain respect for each other. This respect makes you grow better relationships.
Yes, it is true. Technically, there are "secret menus" at fast food restaurants. The items on secret menus are just normal sandwiches that have been modified. Many of these items have been ordered so much that they have had names given to them, such as infamous McGangBang. Depending on the restaurant and the employee that is working that position, you can order secret menu items by name.
Even though things can get pretty crazy, I have loved getting the experience I have gained from working in fast food so long. I have improved many aspects of my life, including the way I look at others. I have also made many great friends that I plan to keep in touch with for years to come.
