Winter is finally coming to an end and summer is fast approaching. This means that all ice cream shops will be open and ready for the business of summer vacation.
1. Ice cream is in places ice cream should never be.
After a long shift, not only will your arms and hands be covered in ice cream, but you will have ice cream on your legs, your face, and in your hair.
2. The shop is always a million degrees.
Just because ice cream is cold does not mean that the shop is cool. The freezers produce heat in order to make the ice cream cold, making the shop like an oven. You'll be sweating in places you didn't know could even sweat.
3. There are some things you can't believe people order.
Every ice cream shop has their specialty ice cream that's so unbelievable that people can't believe it exists. They're rarely ordered, but when they are, everyone working knows one is being made.
4. Making milkshakes becomes your worst nightmare.
Although milkshakes are the yummiest thing on the menu, they are easily an ice cream scooper's worst nightmare. They go everywhere, get all over you, and take about five minutes to make well. Somedays you'll even get a shower in one.
5. Working when it's raining is the equivalent to watching paint dry.
As most would assume, not many people come to get ice cream on a rainy day. So when it rains and you're working, all you do is sit around, clean, and hope someone shows up.
6. Your regulars become your favorite customers.
Your regulars become a part of your every day life. They know about your problems and you know about theirs. Your face lights up when they come to get their ice cream and you have it ready for them before they even come to order it.
7. You learn about flavors you didn't even know existed.
8. You find that some ice cream can actually be gross tasting.
9. Kiddie sizes are only ordered by adults and larges only by kids.
You would be surprised how many kids order a large ice cream. It's absurd. It's far more than most adults would.
10. You look forward to the holidays because they're always busy.
Holidays such as Mother's Day, Father's Day, and the Fourth of July are always the busiest days of the year. Families always come and often there are special deals in order to celebrate the day. Because of this, everyone tips. It makes up for those especially long shifts and spending the holiday away from your loved ones.
11. You can't wait until the fall because fall flavors come out.
Apple Crisp and Pumpkin are easily some of the best flavors that are available, but unfortunately, they are only for the fall months. When they do arrive, it's known all around the shop and the employees always get their hands on a bowl of it before the customers do.
12. One arm is always stronger than the other.
No one knows scooping can be so hard sometimes. Some ice creams are like soup, some are a normal consistency, and the majority are hard as a rock. You really don't need to work out your scooping arm at the gym anymore because ice cream has done it for you.
13. Having a creative tip cup is a must.
The more attractive your tip cup, the more tips. The more tips, the happier the worker. Simple as that.
14. You get so good at scooping that you could do it in your sleep.
15. You become good at helping people figure out which cone is a cake cone and sugar cone.
The pointy ones are the sugar cones and the flat ones are the cake cones. You start to become a broken record sometimes.
16. There's always that one person with an awful order.
There's always that customer that orders the worst thing they could ever possibly come up with and then they say that you made it wrong because it's so dang impossible to make. It makes working a long shift feel impossible, makes you want to scream, and then you have to remake the whole order all over again. It can easily ruin your night, but the customer is always right.
17. After a long shift, you can't feel your feet.
18. You become an ice cream connoisseur.
You can label off every ice cream, what's in it, what freezer it's in, what to pair with it, you know how to swirl soft serve, and make a sundae like a pro. When your friends need to know something about ice cream, they always turn to you. You know pretty much all there is to know about ice cream.
19. Everything you go through is worth it all for the tips.
Through all of the bad times, there are certainly many more good times in the ice cream business. You're surrounded by the warm weather, families enjoying their day, and delicious food. Tips just make your job all the more better.
