As a person who has worked in the fast food industry, there are some things that weigh heavily on my mind. One of those things is how some customers have absolutely no respect for the employees.
When working with the general public, employees have to maintain the utmost respect for the customer, no matter how the customer treats them. If the customer is being rude, irate or just plain old horrible, it is your job as an employee to make sure that you can rectify the situation and satisfy their needs.
There are plenty of times when customers may confront an employee about a mistake that was made on an order. Some people will kindly explain it to the employee. Others will yell, fuss and maybe even curse at the employee. Even through all of this, the employee can say nothing negative. The employee sometimes only has two options that will allow them to keep their job. They can either stand there and take the disrespect, or they can call the manager on duty to the front to handle the customer. Sometimes, the customer may even get a free meal just because they threw a temper tantrum. Some customers throw a fit just because they want free food or some other form of a deal. Sadly, they either don't realize or don't care that what they are doing is wrong.
It is not right to degrade, insult and verbally abuse someone over food. Just because a person has a uniform on and is taking your order does not make them any less of a person. When they clock in to work, they do not suddenly become robots without emotions. They do not automatically become slaves. They definitely do not become your verbal punching bags. Why should you treat them as if they are? Before they clock in, the employees are human beings. Once they clock in, they are human beings who are responsible for providing customers with decent food at a decent hour with decent manners.
It's obvious why employees are required to have a decent, positive attitude in the workplace, but why is it that the customers can act like little children and not have to answer to someone unless they get too out of hand? I understand that messed up orders happen quite often, but why would you be so cruel to someone over food?
I've heard plenty of people say "don't be mean to the people who fix your food." Why would you even consider treating someone who you probably don't even know like dirt when you know that they are the people who are taking their time out to service you. I have yet to come across a job description that includes being treated poorly by customers whether you are right are wrong. Some people say that the customer is always right, but if they spend one week working with the customers, I'm sure they'll rethink that.
This doesn't just happen in fast food. It happens in many other workplaces, including retail. I once saw a customer call a cashier stupid to her face. Obviously, the woman couldn't say anything to defend herself. Instead, she checked out the rude customer and walked to a different part of the store to cry. When I checked on her, she said she was alright, but it was clear that she was hurt by the woman's cruel words. I then overheard the woman say that she wasn't apologizing for anything. Where is the compassion?!
Sometimes I do wonder what brings people to feel the need to act in such a way. Are they being a bully? Are they just doing it because they know that they can get away with it? Are they just being cruel because that's how people treat them? There are so many questions as to what would make people be so mean. It's hard to tell the employees to keep up the good work and everything will get better when you have people coming right behind you raising Cain with the employees because they didn't get 25 ketchup packets for two chicken nuggets.
Working for the general public does not make the employees slaves or indentured servants. It makes them people who are paid to provide you with food and a decent eating experience. I know customers don't get paid to be nice, but are they getting paid to be mean either? No. Just because employees are required to respect the customers does not mean that the customers should test the respect or take it for granted. You get what you give, so if you have a crummy meal every time you eat at a certain restaurant, make sure you aren't always showing up with a crummy attitude to match first.
What brings people to believe that they should be so cruel? Just because you possess the ability to do or say something does not mean you should take the opportunity.
