Manuela Ziegler

With a side order of greasy

attitude, please.
So, youve just turned fifteen, exciting times ahead with your new job. Your first
job, in fact. Fast food, you think, will definitely be fun. Its great environment with
lots of friendly people to interact with, awesome co-workers and lively
atmosphere, right? You just want a little experience in the workforce, in the real-
world so you can save up for things like a car and uni, whilst still in school. You
get to work, and your smile falters.
The reality of it;
Its a very dimensional debate. Being what is commonly referred to as a
millennial I am often criticised and ignored for sharing my opinion on certain
topics, regardless, this is one I could not leave unwritten. Myself and all those
who share my view (and workplace) have the right to be upset about this and
have a strong opinion on it.
The foundation of a fast food restaurant has its basis of many school aged
employees. Many of which work peak hours on evenings and throughout the
weekend. A workplace is completed by its customers. And Id have to admit Im
working in a pretty dismal place then. We never think too much when ordering
our meals here, do we? Do we ever consider that fact that in Ohio, a resident
punched out a McDonald's drive-through window when she was told they didn't
sell Chicken McNuggets in the morning? How about a woman recently drove
through a crowd of people in a McDonald's parking lot, injuring four? Would you
be surprised if I then told you in 2008, a Los Angeles man punched a 16-year-old
girl in the face at a McDonald's after she complained about him cutting the line?
The list goes on (and on).
This is not something to be sugar coated, it is not an expectation to be treated
like this. No one should overlook this as fast food behaviour. All employees
have the right to a safe workplace, not just in terms of environment and safety
are emotions not considered? Do we really know whats considered crossing the
line until weve actually crossed it? It would appear reasonable to outline that of
which goes on in a workplace through customer-employee relations. Throughout
my only one year of working in this industry I have encountered the many
different forms of intolerance and impoliteness. Personally, Ive been threatened
in countless expressions, Ive been sworn at, Ive had items of food and rubbish
been thrown at me. And I tolerate it all because thats my job. Yeah, Im being
paid to deal with someones collateral insolence, someones bad day, someones
rudeness. Im being paid to listen to nasty remarks and foul language, to clean
up the aftermath of someones rage and to go home crying about something I
shouldnt have to cry about. But Im being paid, that all that matters, shouldnt
it?
This is no longer work. It is not only a form of abuse, but employee treatment
misconduct. This shouldnt have to be a thing, ever heard of human decency?
Does equity ring a bell? At this point, is it even worth the money? Being paid
substantially less (yet reasonable for someone at a school age) to be treated
considerably different all because of this fast food culture, this greasy attitude.
 Manuela Ziegler

Stick a lawyer or perhaps a doctor in an apron and some gloves, still speak the
same to him? At the end of the day it comes down to respect and human
equality. Rudeness has no gender. Blatancy has no race. Respect works
in retrospect.
The customer is always right, is not an excuse to use, its not even an
assumption. In fact, its an oxymoron. Because the customer is right, gives them
the right to assume fast food employees have no value and deserve no respect?
(Meant only as a generalisation, there are obviously many lovely customers too).
The problem is, the customer isnt always right. This mindset positions
employees against customers and management. The motto is based around
money and money isnt everything. Oh I forgot the world for a second, yes,
money IS everything.
Distributive Allied (SDA) union found 44 per cent of retail staff had been exposed
to physical or verbal abuse on the job. "You cross a line when you start to abuse
people, either verbally or physically," said SDA national secretary Gerard Dwyer.
"We're just asking people to keep it cool (for Christmas) and show a bit of
respect." Without the many of us that are underappreciated, hardworking
employees, we are the ones that keep the businesses going. Because no one
cares about those little things anymore, people just want their food and thats it.
People often forget the chain of command in retail shop staff rarely have any
influence on stock or prices and yet they frequently get blamed for any issues
customers may have.
What gives someone the audacity to yell, threaten, intimidate a fifteen year old,
doing their job, in their workplace? Over petty little things that can easily be
fixed. How would you feel if that was your child? What if it was you? Would you
like to be shown some recognition and respect for the work you do?
It starts off with little things, no please or thank you, thats fine to an extent. I
was nave everyones grumpy on a Monday and Id laugh it off. But no,
everyone everyday was filled with anger toward employees and disarray. And
usually the situational blame is put back onto us Fast food employees are the
worst, theyre always grumpy. Well why does that happen? That fifteen-year-
old you were , continued working for three more years, witnessing the , and this
made you not want to go to work, it made you quit. It made you give up your
goals, aspects on the bigger world. Youre not conditioned to a work
environment, but a bitterness believing all customers are the same.
Mr Robinson (from CareerOne) says that employees facing irate customers often
have not been trained to properly mitigate these situations and they frequently
do not have easy access to a manager or supervisor who they can direct the
complaints to. Policies and training are necessary for employees working in
customer service jobs, so they are equipped to diffuse a situation with minimum
stress. Employees also need to have appropriate support from senior
management. If the support isnt there, these situations can lead to staff
turnover and serious psychological problems if bullying is endured over a
long period of time.
Thought I only speak from what I have seen in fast food, perhaps its not only
me. Maybe its more about the attitude of the whole world. Yes, thats it.
Humanity just needs to take a little breath, sure theres many other problems we
 Manuela Ziegler

should rather be addressing; poverty, terrorism, global warming. But if we start

small, we will get there. It should be a common goal for all humans.
Fast food doesnt make the world go round, but its a convenience we all enjoy,
one that should not be exploited, one that should be stepping stones for children
into the workforce, not one that scares them away. I would most definitely say I
am a proud employee, but I cannot say I am proud of humanity in the day and
age we are at now.
So come on guys, keep the grease on your fries, not in your attitude.