As most 14 year olds seeking to find a job, I applied to work at McDonalds and got the job. I started off working more hours than most 14 year olds do as my mom had already been working there. I can remember my first experience with a rude customer like it was yesterday.

Customer: “For the third time it’s a kids meal.”

Me: “Okay, would you like apple slices or go-gurt with that?”

Customer: “You know what forget it, I’m going to go to a different McDonalds where they know how to take an order, f——- moron” she said as she drove away.

Over time you realize that rude customers will come and go and that there’s really nothing you can do but try and defuse any type of situation like that. 

This is how fast food employees, regardless of age and position, are treated every single day. Just like me, senior Madi Hernandez understands the struggle and stress of working in fast food. 

“I feel like fast food workers need to be treated better,” says Hernandez.

Many people who have never worked in a fast food setting thinks its an easy job and what possibly could be stressful about wrapping a sandwich or taking an order.

 It can be an easy job but it gets difficult once rush hour hits especially if a rush hits right before the actual time it usually is.

I have had times like this happen to me causing me stress as I rush to make the orders for my coworkers to bag and hand out.

When there are too many people working and there are just extras standing around, it can get crowded to the point where everyone is just standing around and no work is being done.

We often take our frustrations out on each other when things aren’t going right, especially if the manager running shift isn’t really doing anything to get the restaurant flowing smoothly.

The way customers treat us in those moments don’t help us either. Often times, customers are incredibly rude to us for a small mistake that can be fixed in a matter of seconds but don’t give us the chance to fix it for them.

As a reminder to everyone who has never worked in fast food, treat employees well and with respect because they’ve most likely have had a rough shift.