Dear Customers Who Make My Day,

It seems almost impossible to find the right words to describe how much I truly appreciate you, especially when I'm having a rough day every now and then. Without each and every one of you, I'm not sure how I would be able to come to work every day with a genuine smile on my face when I'm cashiering, or even be able to tolerate stubborn customers five minutes before closing time. However, I will try to express the overwhelming gratitude I have for you because valuable customers don't often receive the credit they truly deserve.

Thank you for being patient with me and understanding that I am only human. I make mistakes, I forget requests, and I am not always as attentive as I wish to be. Dealing with Attention Deficit Disorder in my everyday life, I often have to overcome a variety of obstacles, from focusing all of my attention on someone's words in a conversation to remembering to do simple tasks and orders like making your large Powerade with light ice. These obstacles would be nonexistent or minor for the general populous, but for me, my ADD makes my entire life feel like a winding, treacherous maze leading to multiple, ambiguous doors. Also, the grills and coolers behind me at Pollo Tropical are extremely loud and make it usually hard to hear customers' orders, and often I have difficulty deciphering customers' accents, so thank you for repeating yourself a few times without making me feel unintelligent.

Thank you for finally asking me how my day was. It means a lot to me, even if it wasn't meant to be taken too personally, that you care enough to ask me how my day is going, how I'm feeling, and how my work shift has been. As a cashier, customers typically see me as the barrier between themselves and their appetizing food, as a nuisance that they must face to get what they want. In a way, yes, customers must bypass me in order to receive their food. Though, it is pleasant to finally be treated as another human being for once and not some dead robot.

Thank you for complimenting me and making me feel special once in a while. It feels nice to recognize my hard work and endless dedication to achieve the perfect wing of eyeliner, to know that my shade of lipstick compliments my skin tone, to recognize how my large eyes are extraordinarily beautiful, and to hear that I am your favorite cashier, even if it's only because gave you a few extra sauce packets genuinely to be kind. It feels empowering to hear from people that usually look down on you that you are sweet, polite, helpful, or look nice. Any small compliment goes a mile in my book, and even on the toughest days at work, that one compliment can make me light up and position me in a more positive mood.

Thank you for attempting to make my job a little easier for me. I'm truly enlightened and thankful when you help pay for dinner for the customer in front of you because they've been taking a while looking for the last few dollars they owe. When you've analyzed the entire menu over and sideways before you face me so you can tell me exactly what you would like to order, even having your credit card already out for me to swipe, alleviates my stress in the long run. Simply being kind, gratuitous, and polite can make all the difference.

You are a valuable customer in my eyes, even if you're just paying for a drink refill for ninety-nine cents. You are what drives me to do my very best at work, stay positive and calm during difficult rushes, and view my job as bearable. Often you are a regular customer, other times you are just a new, friendly face that will come and go ask quick as a chipotle chicken sandwich order, no combo. I try memorizing your name, your exact order, and you praise me when I remember correctly. In doing so, you smile and become delighted, which makes me even happier because my valuable customer is happy. So, thank you for everything you encompass, everything you are, and everything you do. I hope to see you sometime soon.

Sincerely, Stacy from Pollo Tropical