McAdventures

During the first week of my McAdventures, I learned a few key things about the general running of the establishment.

1: there were many different managers, even throughout a single shift you might be working under 3 different ones.

2: if you had open availability (as I did), your shifts were very inconsistent. I.e you could be scheduled 10am one day, 5pm the next and be scheduled for 5 hours one day, 9 the next. 3: not every worker knows every position. They usually keep you where you were first trained until they have an extra person to train you somewhere else, which can lead to problems if they're understaffed.

3: being a young woman in the food service industry, smiling and being as nice as possible to every customer...can attract a lot of unwanted attention. I had men more than 3× my age look me over and linger at the window a little longer than was necessary, one winking at me and saying " thanks babe". Guy had to be at least 60-70. Gross.

4: you almost never get off at your scheduled time, and the managers get really annoyed when you remind them you're off. And even if they do acknowledge you right when you're off, they have you stock something, which can take anywhere from 3 minutes to 20.

5: There is quite the hierarchy here. There are the managers, the general manager ( we'll call Ivy), "Sassy" ( I don't really know her title, just that everyone calls her by her first name and she causes a panic every time she visits) a boss above sassy, and a co-boss with that boss (franchisees), and then the actual corporate CEO. The general employees are the lowest of the low, even though it really doesn't take much to be promoted to a regular manager but it's almost impossible to be promoted past that point. I hadn't really planned on staying with the company very long, so this didn't really bother me.

6: My co-workers like to complain about the smallest things regarding customers. They mispronounce a menu item, ask for the #10 when they meant the #6(10pc meal), ask for Pepsi when we have Coke products and the person who took the order will react like it's the most annoying thing that's ever happened to them. I don't see it as such a big deal but, that being said..

I sat and waited until I heard the manager who'd done my interview (who will be known as Ally)walking toward me, greeting everyone along the way. She poked in, greeted me enthusiastically and asked if I was ready to work. She walked me through the emergency procedures, had me sign a few things, wrote down my schedule for the week and had me put my thumbprint in the system so that I could clock in and out. She then introduced me to my coworkers as we made our way up, some of them warning me to run while I still could (much to Ally's disapproval).

My first task was a position they call "presenting", which is the person at the second window who hands you your food and drinks. It was pretty easy, just remember to smile, press the green button once the customer drives away, or the red button if you have to move them to the window or parking stall. A machine made all the drinks for you and my trainer (who at first seemed reluctant at having to train me) was great at putting the bags and straws in order for me so all I had to do was make sure the customer had everything they needed. I was excited to begin my contribution to the workforce.

After about 2 hours of this, they sent me and my trainer on our 30 minute lunch breaks. When we came back, Ally asked my trainer if she thought I could present on my own at this point. Trainer(without looking at me or asking my opinion) said "oh yeah, she'll do great!" Great, throw me to the sharks, why don't you. 2 hours into my first day, and I hadn't practiced anything she'd been doing for me. I was quite apprehensive but my pride wouldn't let me voice this. So, I steeled myself to do what needed to be done.

It may sound dramatic. I know I was writing it off as being easy but it was one thing to simply hand a bag out and press a button; an entirely different thing to coordinate the bags in the order they appeared on screen, match the drinks and ice creams to the bags, ensure the drink machine was stocked with cups and put 3 or more drinks in a cupholder, all before the customer made it to the window. To my surprise, I actually managed fairly well, and was even complemented on my smile a few times.

Then the lunch rush hit. It. Was. Madness! Everyone was all hands on deck, the drink machine was furiously dispensing drinks and frantically trying to get orders out. At one point, the machine didn't stop and ended up smashing a drink, causing a horrible beeping to go off and effectively halting my presenting efforts. Ally assured my it just did that sometimes and not to worry, and once that was sorted out, things calmed down.

At the end of every shift, the managers have you stock something, so Ally had someone show me how to stock the sauces. I also learned that you usually end up leaving 10+ minutes after your shift is over.

Ah yes, I remember it well. I showed up for my first shift, shirt tucked in as I'd seen other employees do, shiny new non slip shoes 10 minutes early. The manager asked who I was, I told her it was my first day and I was scheduled to start in 10 minutes. She told me to follow a woman to the back so that I could wait in the crew room until my shift started.

The crew room was small, consisting of two chairs, and an l-shaped counter. The wall space was occupied by four rows of coat hangers, a corkboard, crew recognition chart, television and a large panel detailing acceptable work attire. It smelled like bread and frying meat, mixed with the warm grassy air of summer. Not a terrible smell.

Before I could begin my McAdventures, I was required to attend an orientation. Along with several other future employees, I sat down in a restaurant 15 minutes away from the one I would actually be working at.

Now, I don't know how job orientations typically go but...this one didn't really teach me anything. Basically we all gathered in the corner of the restaurant in front of a laptop that told us to always smile and try to remember people's orders, eye color, shirt color and to use the ice scoop to put ice in cups.

Once it was over, we submitted our food handler permits to be copied and received the dull gray shirts, black hats and name tags for our uniforms ( black pants, non slip shoes and socks were to be provided ourselves)

After months of searching, my hopes growing increasingly thinner as time went on, against all odds in this small town of little opportunity, I had finally obtained it: my first job. I'll never forget that fateful day. I had been applying practically everywhere in town, to no avail. I was 18, still living at home, feeling like a loser still mooching off my parents without a solid source of income and trying to pay off loans from my first semester of college. At first I was selective, only applying for the " cream of the crop" of minimum wage jobs. Local coffee shops, craft and convenience stores were my go-to's.

Yet not a single one responded. I called asking if they'd received my resume, most replied that they would be reviewing resumes shortly and would contact me within a week of they wanted an interview. After several weeks of this, I grew desperate. I needed something fast. So, I finally decided it was time for drastic measures. Going through the drive thru of perhaps the most infamous employer in the country, I spotted it: hiring now! There was even a snap code to apply. Oh boy. What was I about to get myself into.

Now, even though I hadn't had much success, I still was waiting on a few other options to come through before I resigned myself to the #mcwork life. However, fate had other plans. I received a call asking if I could come in for an interview that afternoon. So, hesitant as I was to accept the job, I dressed nice and prepared to make a good first impression. The interview process was very easy, and I think the fact that I was wearing more than just jeans and a t-shirt ( as I'd watch a few candidates before me come in wearing) pushed the mcmanager to hire me on the spot. I wasn't expecting that, and she didn't really give me time to think it over, just signed me up for orientation and paperwork and that was that.