The stigma that fast food workers are teenagers looking for extra cash has recently proven to be false. Over 70 percent of fast-food workers are over 20 years old, and nearly a third of us have at least some college education. That means that the majority of the people we order french fries from are most likely paying bills similar to our own. This article is neither in favor nor against minimum wage raise. I would like to share my experience of being a successful student who has worked at Sonic-Drive for all of high school, and multiple summers during college.

I grew up believing in the “golden rule” of etiquette. I rarely spoke poorly to people or attempted to demean them in order to advance my own goals. This is because, if we do not treat others well, we’re more likely to be treated badly ourselves. This behavior disappears when speaking to servers who we perceive to be unable to treat us poorly. We are the customer, and we are entitled to our desires and pleasant treatment regardless of our own behavior. Many of us don’t even consider the repercussions of our behavior. We don’t mean to ignore the servers attempt at pleasantries, because we’ve zoned out. We’ve subconsciously stopped viewing them as people, and don’t think about the conversation we’re having with them. We’ve zeroed in on what we want, and everything else like “hi, I’m blah-blah. How are y’all doing today?” have become “I’m here to do what you want.” I’m a carhop, and have innumerable close calls when it comes to cars hitting me. I’ve had my intelligence insulted numerous times, but the real problem is when customers proceed to violent measures. I’ve had customers attempt to break into the restaurant after closing, because they were dissatisfied with their meal. Less extreme measures include having bags of food thrown at me for actions outside of my control. I’ve been cussed at, and sexually harassed. This all comes with being a server. I sweat, and I am demeaned.

I am an adult just like the majority of the fast food workforce. No one is proud to be working amidst grease. No one aspires to what we do. The hardest part of my job isn’t dealing with difficult customers, because, more often than not, the customers are wrong. The hardest part of my job is swallowing my pride, and working in such a disrespected job. Only in America do we view our job as part of our place in a social system. When you work in fast food, you become a little stain of grease. None of my customers know how smart I am, or that I am quite successful at school. They don’t know that I’m applying to law schools next semester or that I’m loved by my family and friends. The mentality surrounding fast food workers is that we are all pathetic, and have no aspirations. That we don’t have dreams or goals.

I will never be ashamed that my first job was a carhop. Working for Sonic taught me more about life than any other job I’ve had. I know how to deal with people, and make quick friends. As much as I’d rather be working elsewhere at this point in my life, it’s a great feeling seeing customers light up when you do something special for them. I make the best of it, because there’s not much else we can do. I won’t sugar coat it, working in fast food sucks especially when you’re in college, but there will be a day when I don’t spend hours with french fries.