1. There are some crazy people in this world.
Some people genuinely get angry over food. Not even good, expensive food. Fast food. People get angry over fast food. Most problems with an order can be taken care of if it is brought to our attention in a polite manner. I will gladly do my best to fix whatever problem you may have with your order, but I do not deserve to be cursed at and have stuff thrown at me because your fries were not hot enough. It is not that serious.
2. The customer is always right, even when the customer is not right.
When working in fast food, you constantly hear the phrase, "The customer is always right." This phrase was coined in an attempt to make good customer service a top priority; however, some customers tend to take this phrase and run with it. Some use this phrase as an attempt to get free food or rationalize why they treat the people who are serving them so poorly. While "the customer is always right" is not always accurate, sometimes, in order to avoid unnecessary conflict, you just have to go with it. It can be very difficult to suck it up when a customer is blatantly in the wrong, but sometimes you have to just give them what they want and move on.
3. Despite the plethora of crappy customers, some are outstanding.
It is very easy to become overwhelmed when dealing with difficult, rude customers, but then there are those customers who come in and make your day. These are the customers that come with a smile on their face and ask how your day is before you even get a chance to ask about their's. These are the customers that when there is a problem, they come and voice their concern with respect. These are the customers that take the time to treat you like a human and not just someone who makes your food. These are the customers that make it worth it.
4. You learn to work with all types of people.
In fast food, there is usually a huge turnover when it comes to employees. People are constantly coming and going, so you end up working with a lot of different people. You learn how people work and handle situations differently. You learn that there is more than one way to complete a task and how to get along with people regardless of your differences.
5. It can be rewarding.
Believe it or not, working in fast food can be extremely rewarding. If I'm being honest, it sucks most of the time, but when you have those special moments with customers and co-workers, you feel a sense of accomplishment.
It's a great feeling to have customers come in and say that you make their day every time they come in, or when you walk in to work and your co-workers are genuinely happy to see you. Despite all of the negatives, there are a ton of positives.
