My Hour In Fast Food

I have had a (from what I understand) unusual professional life. LIFE 100.3 is the second real job I've ever had. The first was as a "Produce Clerk." That's a fancy term for someone who stacks oranges and bananas in ways that promote sales. Because of this, I have never really been able to relate to the scores of friends and acquaintances I have that work in fast food. Sure, I understand it's busy. Walking into a Tim Horton's on any given day will tell you that. However, I've never been able to understand what that busy feels like.

That changed today.

I went to the McDonald's on Holland St. West in Bradford to help out with McHappy Day (One of the perks of radio, doing someone else's job for a few hours!)

I got there like a school child. Eager. Excited. Ready to take on the world... and wiping sleep out of my eyes from the hour I had to rise at.

They handed me an apron and instruction. You are on coffee. The coffee department? Before Noon?

Oh dear.

A nice manager came over and quickly began walking me through the process. This is what a tea order looks like. This is what happens with a coffee. This is how to do a shot of espresso. It was a lot to take in... especially since he was fulfilling orders while giving the lesson!

Then it was my turn. No pressure. It wasn't that busy, really. However, to someone who has never made a coffee in his life (seriously, today was full of firsts) having 3 orders for a double double come in at the same time can be overwhelming.

Thank God I wasn't on drive thru.

After a few miserable attempts at getting things together quickly, my mentor encourages me. "You're doing great! You're getting the hang of this faster than I did".

I believe he was lying.

However, after about 45 minutes, I am getting into a groove. "I've got this on lock down" I think to myself as I hit the button for a small cream on an order for a large.

Whoops.

I guess "lock down" was the proverbial pride before the fall.

After a few (believe it or not successful !!!!) orders, I was done!

Lock down achieved.

My career at McDonald's is over after an hour and a half. Part of me wants to try it again. To hone my new found coffee brewing/ multitasking skills. The other realizes how stressful that would have been 2 hours earlier and that my hands STILL smell like coffee pots. Ya, I'll stick with radio.

That said, I have a huge amount of respect for workers in the industry. It takes nerves of steel. Good for you!