Divas and McDonalds

By Raymond Sahley

Why do people have such a low level of respect for quick serve team members? This continues to fascinate and disgust me at the same time. Like a redneck's tan line I cannot look away! Seriously though, why do people who frequent the fast food places hate the people who work there?

The quick serve or fast food industry is a multi-billion dollar generator of income, cash flow and more importantly opportunity for all of the people. Not just the people who had enough money to go to college and get "real jobs" that people love hearing about. The average person does not understand the fast food effect on the economy, but even some white-collar people got their start there. Of course they will never admit to it at a golf outing or in public. It is their scarlet letter of shame shaped like two arches on their chest.

You don't even think about how much your quality of life would suffer without these places and the awesome people who work there.

Imagine you pull into a quick serve drive thru with your 2.5 kids who get raised by your nanny. You're in your $95,000 SUV that a "dirty immigrant" cleans for you daily and you find out that McTaco is closed. First your tennis lesson with Andre ran over and now you can't even put dinner on the table. What will your husband think when he gets back from playing two rounds at Augusta? What will the Smiths down the street think when they hear about this at the country club? Outside of chipping a nail, can it get any worse for you?

Flash-forward to reality- the quick serve industry is and always will be more important than you Mr. and Mrs. spoiled and arrogant aristocrat. It makes money because of people like you, who want a playground to leave the kids at and not have to worry about making a meal. These places exist because you demand them, but you will not acknowledge your addiction to them. Worse yet is the disdain you show for their employees.

The fast food industry provides a great place for many people of all ages, colors, and religious background to learn how to become better and more successful people. These people are never given any credit by anyone. When was the last time you said thank you at a drive thru or a counter? But what would you do if they all closed down right now? Your world would be in chaos! You might actually have to learn how to cook something for the first time in your life.

The bottom line is that the industry is becoming more service focused on you, while still providing a meal in 2.75 minutes. And yet you still don't appreciate the people who make it happen. Here you have people who bust their ass for 8 to 10 hours straight, so you can provide for your spoiled kids and you treat them worse than a stray dog with fleas.

The next time you pull up to a fast food place, get out of your house on wheels and go in and thank all of the hard working people that make your life easier. Maybe then you can write your meal off as an act of charity on next year's tax return...or at least that's what you'll tell everyone at the club!


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