Working in fast food definitely changes you. It leaves you with silly little quirks that you'll take with you for the rest of your life. Here are the top 10 signs you've worked in fast food!
1. You have a "dealing with customers voice" that you slip into on accident.
The voice is usually a little high pitched and matched with a plastered-on smile. It comes out when taking orders, answering menu questions, or fixing complaints. It is off or on at the drop of a hat, but every once in a while it makes its way into your everyday. You'll be ordering food at a totally different restaurant or saying goodbye to the cashier at the grocery store and out it pops -- "have a wonderful day!" It squeaks out an octave higher than you were just speaking; the cashier looks at you like you've just changed faces. "I'm sorry, I work in service too" is the only explanation you can offer, and it is definitely understood.
2. Your multi-tasking skills are off the charts.
You can take orders, wash dishes and make silly jokes with your friends at the same time. You can be across the restaurant answering questions and taking out the garbage. You can memorize an order and enter it perfectly into the register and be back in time to take the cash. This skill definitely comes in handy especially when your mom says "are you even paying attention?" and you can rattle off exactly what she said word for word. Use this power wisely.
3. You can tune out a lot of noise.
Customers tend to yell-- and when you work with them every day you have an amazing ability to just let their words roll of your back. You build up a really thick skin and learn to realize that they're just empty words. You become the perfect friend to vent to, it's actually very useful.
4. You've cried at work at least one time.
While you've expertly mastered tuning out obnoxious patrons, every once in a while someone just gets you. Whether you've had a long day or this person hits you below the belt, you take a few minutes to just go to the bathroom, and let few angry tears fall. It's the reality of it all. And it's okay. Wash your face, take a breath, you can do this.
5. You can talk really, really fast.
This specifically applies to people who work drive through window. For those of you who don't know, many fast food drive through windows have a timer and time goals for different parts of the day. The employees are trying desperately to make time, thus manifests in the speediest speaking possible. You learn how to greet, take orders, give change and hand out food in usually under 90 seconds. It's a wicked skill to have.
6. You hate your restaurant, but it's still better than all other fast food.
There's this bizarre love that you have for your little pit. Sure, it's just fast food. And it's kind of an awful job. But you will defend it to the ends of the earth; sure, it might be garbage, but it's YOUR garbage-- that makes all the difference.
7. It is possible to get tired of free soda.
Most fast food places give free drinks to their employees while they are on the clock (soda costs them essentially nothing so they aren't taking any losses). And for the first week, it's cool! And the second week it's nice. And the third week it's okay. By the fourth week you just wander up to the pop machine, smash the button for water and wander back into your little cave.
8. You know the tricks to closing a restaurant early--and you can spot them from a mile away.
When it's late at night, and you wander into a fast food joint and ask for a milkshake 9/10 they'll say, "oh sorry! Our machine is actually broken at the moment." You just give them a nod and a smile. You know what's up. You just wish them luck and order something easy.
9. You are the absolute best customer ever.
Working in fast food teaches you a lot about the world. You learn empathy and understanding for those doing the same job. It is easy to spot someone who works in fast food when they are actually eating at one. They are easily the most courteous, kind, and easygoing customers. That is the most important thing to come out of working in fast food, and definitely the best thing.
