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A humorous inside look at the experiences of local fast food workers
WRITTEN BY SHARON SEGEV
Fast food and retail are some of the most prevalent jobs in today’s society. Sure, you may look down on workers and scoff at how pathetic they may be, but in the end, someone has to make your double quarter pounder with extra cheese. However, countless people all over the world still believe that fast food is a worthless industry, and that the workers don’t deserve what they’re paid because it’s “easy.” If you don’t believe me, let’s take a look at some stories from those that this generation has so kindly dubbed “Karens.”
The first story comes from a worker at Taco Bell who would like to remain anonymous. At Taco Bell, there is a menu item that can be quite a nuisance to make in large quantities – the quesadilla. It’s a rather long process that takes up several spaces on a grill, which can be a problem if there are other items that need to be grilled, such as other quesadillas. One day, this particular worker noticed a MASSIVE party come through – at least 20 people. Her coworker went to take the order, and, to the workers’ dismay, the party had ordered 15 quesadillas.
Now, this would be problematic on its own, but the kicker? They were all modified. One quesadilla had sour cream and jalapenos. Another had extra chicken. A couple had requested steak instead of chicken, as well as additional ranch and tomatoes. In the end, the kitchen couldn’t even see the full order, as there were several other items that had been purchased as well. Some of these items included a 12 pack of tacos and 4 Crunchwrap Supremes, but all paled in comparison to the “Quesadilla Armageddon.”
Our second story comes from Vivian Mergler, a barista. One sunny day, a lovely young couple comes into the cafe that Vivian happened to work at. They appeared to be regulars as they requested “the usual.” Unfortunately for them, Vivian had only just started working there, and didn’t understand what they meant. The couple instantly turned sour and requested that they speak to the manager to complain about the “terrible customer service.” It had to have been Vivian’s third day on the job. We can only hope she had a better experience working as a coffee shop bartender in the future.
An anonymous person also recounted the tale of a very materialistic man who, upon dropping his change in the window, snapped at the young worker that it was his money. He then left the car and picking up every nasty coin that had fallen to the ground, including ones that had not been a part of his order. I would like for you to imagine something: you are a customer at your favorite fast food restaurant, getting a nice meal after a long day at work. You look up from your phone in the drive thru to see a man in a nice business suit on his hands and knees, next to the dirty napkins and spilled drinks on the pavement, scrounging for change underneath his car. You’d have a funny story to tell your family, sure, but what would be your first reaction? Pity? Disgust? Confusion? I know I’d have recorded it.
But these stories aren’t entirely negative or infuriating. How often have you encountered the Amish? At least two people in Dexter High School have – one would like to remain anonymous, and the other is Averi Rose. Averi’s story was rather short. Eleven Amish people came to the store and ordered. However, the anonymous responder said they came through the drive thru without elaboration. I have many questions for this person. Did they use a horse and carriage? Did they walk? How did they get there? How many Amish people live near Dexter? So many questions, zero answers.
In the end, retail and fast food is simply another job. Sure, it’s not on par with aerospace engineers or doctors, but it’s a necessary service that many people rely on. It’s an honest living where you learn patience, strength, and charm, and when it comes down to it, it’s a lot harder to work in service than it is to work in an office job. With that in mind, do consider other job options, because one can only handle so much customer abuse.
