I'm Still Human

Let me explain one simple thing before going off into my rant here.
THE HARDEST PART OF MY JOB IS THE CUSTOMERS
Okay so now that that is over with let me begin with my wild rantings of abuse and mistreatment in the customer service/ fast food workforce in which I am currently working. Yes there are actually difficult things about working at McDonald's...no it doesn't take a rocket scientist, but hey I want to see you jump behind the counter and order all the orders we input and than make and than serve out. See how you do. If you are better than us it is either because you have worked in fast food before or you somehow have been secretly watching us and our system and have perfected it and than took me up on this offer.
If either of those are true...I salute you.
If not and you end up failing. I will hand you a napkin to wipe the tears of failure now streaming down your face.

ANYWAYS my whole point about this rant today is to discuss some much needed attitude adjustments that you (the customer) need to make when dealing with me (the fast food worker) or anyone else working in a fast food restaurant or in that case a job that you have deemed as a lesser job. Look we work for minimum wage, often for 40 + hours week and STILL can't afford rent or other expenses that are actually important. We deal with minor to third degree burns from the grill, fingers get sliced  from the metal on some of the equipment, we have to constantly run around each other in tight working spaces and memorize prices and orders and what order goes where. Now I know we don't always get it right, but in all actuality we try to because our jobs depend on it. Yeah we aren't always in the best of moods, but you think you would be if you worked for a measly 8.25 an hour to do a job that others won't? Its hard work, my feet each night are killing me, I have burn scars, my face and hair are so oily, and I almost permanently smell of fries.
I could live with all of that easily...if I had better pay and a bit more respect from the people who come and to the restaurant. Look we don't even get tips...but this isn't about my crappy pay. Oh no, this is about the customers. Believe it or not, you aren't always right.

Do you realize we have policies and rules we don't make but are supposed to follow? Do you really think that we make those damn rules? We would love to give you 20 sauces for your 6 nuggets, but hey rules is rules and you only get one (well two with the complimentary one) but we are going to charge if you want extra. That's giving away free food if we just hand you stuff. Hell if we gave you our sauce inventory we might as well throw in some other free food right? And than there is the whole deal with the booster club cards. I friggin hate those. We have to take off like two bucks off a sandwich when they order a large fry and a drink. Now that's cool, but when someone orders a premium or a specialty sandwich and expect their two bucks off...yeah sorry can't do that. It says REGULAR sandwich and you are going for one of the special ones? Two bucks off of those and it might as well be a free one! Just becuase it doesn't specify which sandwiches are which does not mean it is false advertising and it does not mean you can bitch at me because you can't get your sandwich free. I didn't decide this and I sure as hell can't fix the problem. Your threat of not returning actually pleases me and everyone else. We don't want an abusive customer coming to our store. We don't need it!
My favorite people are the ones who come every week but they always seem to find something wrong or I hear them bad mouthing the store, service, whatever it is that made them unhappy. Seriously? You come here all the time and then you complain about it? Tell me what is wrong with that picture? When i don't like somewhere I don't go there. It's easy. Also just because you decide to come to our store doesn't mean we have to roll out the red carpet and ask for your autograph. Yes we do (and should ) treat you nicely and all that jazz, but please leave your bitching pants at the door. If you are nice to us we will be nice to you. It really is that simple. Remember we are the ones making your food. Your very health is in our hands. It never ceases to amaze me how rude and condescending people can be towards us. I mean seriously if I want someone to criticize me or to talk down to me or to act like I am nothing but an amoeba on a flea on a sewer rat than I will go hunt up my ex-stepmother. But even she was nice to fast food workers!!! It just does hurt sometimes and wears me down when there are so many customers that just complain or are rude because we aren't handing them the world on a silver platter. They expect gourmet food and fine dining experiences from us. Get over yourselves. You came to a fast food place, nothing is gourmet about it and the dining is not fine...seriously the chairs and stools are plastic. You are eating off a plastic tray not china. Realize this and stop fooling yourself.

Last but not least do NOT assume that just because I work at a fast food restaurant that I am beneath you or an idiot. I drive my own car (which believe it or not is actually nicer than most who come in), my clothes are nice (I buy my own), I am getting an education and graduated high school with an honors diploma, I am a highly intelligent person, I have never been in prison, and I was born and raised in the states....my name may be foreign but I am not. Most who work at fast food aren't the low lives that people seem to think they are. Hell the ones I have worked with are all decent people (the majority of them anyways) who are living their own lives and living them well. Looking down on me when you find out where I work is not cool either. I am in this college class/ wherever I may be along side you. Obviously my life is not being wasted and you totally were laughing and having an enjoyable time with me before the "Where do you work?" question came up. Is it really all that much of a difference in your opinion of me now? Would it help if I told you the other jobs I have had? I mean you might respect me more if I said I used to be a tutor right? I don't get how I suddenly went from amazing to "omg you work where? *insert look of disgust*" I get it, my job is kind of lame. But the stereotypes and the acting all high and mighty with us when you drive a clunker and are dressed in ratty clothes and smell like death? Yeah not impressing anybody and you really have managed to make us feel better about our lives. So thanks I guess.

Now the only person I will ever let treat me (and I would gladly take it) like I am less than dirt, is someone who drives thru with a Bugatti and they actually own it...that or Gerard Butler...