Tips on Working in a Fast Food Restaurant
Working in a fast food restaurant involves food preparations, cooking, light-duty cleaning and order-taking. The work can be physically demanding and work schedules vary considerably. There are no specific educational requirements to work in the industry, which is why it is heavily populated by young workers. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21 percent of fast food workers were between under 20 years old in 2008. It predicts that employment will grow by 10 percent from 2008 to 2018. The median hourly wage for a fast food worker depends on the particular job she does: a cook's hourly wage was $8.70 in 2010, with a yearly full-time earnings of $18,100; dishwashers made $8.19 per hour; food preparation workers and servers made $7.90 per hour.
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Co-workers
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Befriend your coworkers. Fast food workers spend a lot of time together in a small area, typically spending the majority of their time behind a counter together. Share interests and show respect to all co-workers to make the experience more enjoyable for everybody.
Customers
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Treat the customers with respect. Do not rush them to order their food or make them uncomfortable. Managers value fast food workers who can get along well with customers because this brings customers back to the restaurant.
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Manager
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Show the manager you are interested in helping the restaurant succeed. He is paid to manage employees, but also to make sure the restaurant is making money. Support the manager in his job and let him know you are interested in helping the restaurant by asking about sales numbers and offering to contribute in more ways.
Mealtime
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Do not eat at the restaurant everyday. Fast food restaurants are known to serve unhealthy foods which are destructive as long-term diets. Bring your own lunch, even if the restaurant provides you a meal free of charge.
Refusing Job Tasks
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Refuse jobs that you are uncomfortable with or cannot learn. For example, if you are really bad with numbers, let your manager know that you do not want to work the cash register. A mistake at the cash register will most likely have to be paid for out of your pocket, sometimes with additional negligence charges by the restaurant.
Worker Rights
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Insist on your rights as an employee. The government requires businesses to provide rest periods throughout the workday. Businesses must allow at least 30 minutes for lunch when you work for six or more hours. Paid 15 minute rest periods must be provided for minor workers for each four-hour period.
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References
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