I could do without the cocky customers and the tedium. But I’ve learned so many crucial life lessons – and I still love the food
You wouldn’t believe some of the stuff customers complain about. I’ve been sworn at because the prices are up 10p from last week. The buns are burnt, the fries are cold, the chicken is greasy, and they can’t find the bacon on their burger. In the six years I’ve worked for this fast-food chain, I’m pretty sure I’ve heard and seen almost everything. I’ve pulled important documents out of bin bags, found porn magazines in the toilets, and witnessed numerous food fights involving pickles and onions.
I initially applied to work here because I was 16 and needed to fund my mobile phone credit habit. What started out as a Saturday job has continued as part-time work as I complete my degree. Much the same as for others my age, affording a student lifestyle is difficult, and I couldn’t survive without the money I make serving up snacks.
My expectations of the job were about the same as the reality. It’s a repetitive existence, and this is the biggest downside. Constantly serving up the same meal over and over again while wearing an ill-fitting uniform is tedious. But there are a lot of perks and not just the ones that you’d think. Yes, I get free food on my break and a significant discount when off the clock, but my company also organises group events such as bowling and paintballing so we can let off some steam. There are also opportunities for training, apprenticeships and even extra GCSEs, so you can climb the ladder if you wish.
Speaking of the food, everyone assumes I’d be sick of it by now. But to me all food is delicious, no matter how many times I’ve eaten it before, and there’s enough variety on our menu to allow different choices every day. Unfortunately, I have put on weight since I started. Let’s face it: if you eat fried food every day, you’re going to pile on the pounds. It’s amazing how quickly I got used to everything being greasy: it just feels natural now, as horrible as it sounds.
The war against processed food has spawned a barrage of claims on our production chain. But if it’s so disgusting and unhealthy, why do people keep coming back for more? Because it tastes good? Yes, but also because there is a guilty pleasure in convenience. The legal ramifications of lying about food are monstrous, but it doesn’t stop our critics from claiming that we’re lying about our practices to the unsuspecting public.
I’m on a zero-hours contract but if I ever need an extra shift I can ask the scheduling manager and they’re more than willing. Plus the living wage has come in, and although I’m not yet 25, in the future I will be set to gain a sizeable rise from the legislation, if I’m still here.
The way my hours swing sometimes does a number on my sleeping patterns: I go from working until midnight on Friday to starting at 7am on Sunday, and doing this five times a week during the summer holidays gets tedious, not to mention the ache your legs develop after nine hours on your feet.
An average shift consists of moving stations two or three times, from till to kitchen to dining area; cleaning equipment, emptying the bins more times than I’d care to count, and – worst of all – dealing with difficult customers. But there is always someone to chat to through the menial jobs and a great sense of camaraderie, which makes the work feel a lot less pointless. Many of us find it difficult to be away from our mobiles, and resort to hiding them on our person to check on the sly, which the managers hate.
I think all fast-food workers would agree that the worst part of the job is arrogant customers. Customers who think they know exactly how to do your job, or blame you for something you might have had nothing to do with, or lose their temper over getting the wrong drink with their order. Our complaints policy is pretty forgiving, and we always try our hardest to make customers feel as though they’ve been compensated, but some people just can’t be pleased.
After six years, I can let the bad customers slide off my back most of the time, although there is the odd one who really gets under my skin. These tend to be lads who think they know it all and can engage you in hurtful banter that’s really just insulting your looks or your character to make themselves feel better.
The best part of my job is the nice customers. People who pop in at the same time every morning to grab breakfast on the way to work or late at night on their way home. There is a sense of community between the regulars, as odd as it might sound. I’ve seen customers make friends and support one another through hard times: sickness, bereavement, mental illness. And what brought them together was popping into our cafe to get a cup of coffee.
It’s not the most glamorous job in the world, but somebody’s got to do it. And really, I’m proud that I have worked so long in a job that many couldn’t stick a few months in. In fact, I believe everyone should work in fast food for at least a short time. I have learned so many life lessons about how to deal with people and how to be positive in the face of extreme negativity. Working in fast food can definitely help you to get out of a pickle.
