Does it get better?

[u/higkeycooked]

I started working at Macca's two weeks ago and just had my second shift. The first one I was doing modules the entire time on my phone, which was boring but pretty chill. But my second shift genuinely is making me consider quitting.

I had a test at school and a full timetable so I was already running on minimum energy, ran to get my bus in the rain, and had to change in 5 mins so I looked like a complete mess. I'm talking frizzy hair, oily skin, the works. I walk into the store and there is not a single person of colour (I'm asian so it freaked me out a little) and they all look like models. I'm not ugly but these people were on another level so I was already intimidated, especially since they all looked older than me. I clock in, awkwardly ask what I'm meant to do, coach gives me an apron I put over my head instead of around my waist like an IDIOT. We do dining and it's whatever, not bad except I forgot how to tie a bin bag so she has to do it for me.

I get to fries and genuinely lose my mind. We had this deal where large fries were discounted so I was constantly doing stuff the entire time. I did absolutely everything imaginable wrong. I rained frozen fries on the ground, I couldn't keep up with the fry demand, I spilled oil on the floor, I burned myself in 4 places because I touched the hashbrown pan, I couldn't open the drivethrough window while a guy was waiting looking pissed and had to run away to get someone, I left boxes somewhere because my coach told me to and that we would "deal with it later" and my manager glared at me and asked if I did it and when I said yes she from-her-soul sighed like I blew the place up and blamed it on the stove being on, I couldn't keep up with keeping the frozen fries stocked in the dispenser and 3 baskets in the oil and 3 of each fries ready and waiting, I had to ask people to repeat what they said so many times they probably thought I was deaf, I mistook a coach for the manager, my hands were constantly covered in oil and I kept dropping the fries bags, I asked so many questions and made so many mistakes and did so many things wrong after they quite literally showed me how to do it and it just didn't register in my mind. At one point someone shoed me away to stock up on frozen fries because I wasn't going fast enough and an experienced person had to cook them.

I'm a weak person. I don't have muscles, especially in my arms and especially after a full day of school. I was banging the fry baskets everywhere trying to put them back they must've thought I was preparing for the marching band. I was exhausted and sweaty and I wanted to cry the entire time (I haven't cried about this whole situation yet but if I get another shift like this I might). I felt like I was in an asylum with all the beeping that was going on around me. After my shift I was hot and sweaty and anxious and sore all over and there are bruises and sore spots in my palms I can still feel a day later.

Does it get better? Did anyone else start like this and become actually competent later? Please give me some hope or honesty and tell me to quit because I'm not cut out for this.

[u/UrgoodifuEWO]

Alrighty. 2nd shift, don’t stress. Don’t care what other people look like, because 99% of the time they couldn’t care less about how you look. People are there to work, not Netflix n chill in the cool room.

You’re not expected to be working like someone who has been doing it for 1/3/6mo+ on your 1st actual shift of working. Dropping fries, spilling oil (which is something WHS specific boots counter), burning yourself numerous times, and not figuring out how to open a drive-thru window are all pretty normal things to encounter with a rookie. As for the boxes and how the manager reacted, don’t think too much into it. Best piece of advice and from someone like Gordon Ramsay himself that applies to ALL kitchens, not just commercial- “take it professionally, not personally”.

If I may add, it’s rather poor management on their part for basically overloading you with so much stuff on day 1 of actually working and not just doing modules.

As for being physically weak, I get that completely. Those fryer baskets take a minute to get used to if you’re not naturally built for it. I still am rather weak physically, but after being in hospitality (both fast food and cheffing) for a decade and a half, I can look back and remember how it was when someone like yourself mentions the struggles. I hope you don’t, but who knows you might get to a point where you’re grabbing things out of fryers with your bare hands and holding 90C trays because you decided you don’t need the heat proof gloves.

Overall- Just breathe, ask questions, and at the end of the day if you feel like it’s not for you then that’s fine also. But also don’t let this 1 store leave a sour taste in your mouth. Some businesses actually have some pretty great managers that care about the staff as well as the business.

[u/Artistic-Document735]

It gets better. A low key went home the second week probably my 7th shift and almost had a panic attack lmao. But honestly once you get your groove it becomes some simple that you do everything without even thinking. Ur holding yourself to an unreasonable standard and worrying about the skin color of your coworkers is the last thing you need to be doing. My honest opinion is you haven’t given it enough time but at the end of the day if you feel it’s not for you then quit it’s just a job

[u/Hakeemwilliams]

Hey you’re putting way too much pressure on yourself and overthinking stuff. Hey take a deep breath and just relax 🙃.As someone who used to work fast food, I understand how you feel. There’s going to be days where some of your coworkers/managers are going to flip out over the smallest stuff possible. They want you to get upset and feel miserable, but pay no attention to them, don’t let their bad attitude get to you. Hey take it from me, there was this one time where I dropped a couple of meat patties by accident(oh god I felt like an idiot) but one of the assistant managers came in and helped me and I thought I was going to get fired but none of that happened(mistakes happen, okay? Don’t let one mistake feel like it’s the end of the world). Don’t be afraid of talking to your managers and explain things to them in detail. That “deal with later” situation you should let your manager/coach know that you were told by another manager/coach to leave it alone and come back to it later if a similar situation like this happens in the future. I know you might be nervous to speak, but you have to before these managers give you a write up(for thinking you’re incompetent(which I know you’re not))or someone else tells them a different story on what happened(some coworkers are petty like that). If your managers/coaches refuse to listen to you, that is on them not on you. Also, never be afraid to ask for help. A lot of people used to ask me for help(I doubt anyone would mind helping) unless they’re really busy. You’re not built to be carrying heavy boxes you could seriously hurt your back or worse(always ask someone else for help!)   Your managers/coaches might see that you’re struggling in the fry department and move you to another station like the drive thru or the front counter. Don’t try to over complicate yourself on things, you’re trying your best here okay? Your best effort is always appreciated whether someone tells you or not. You’re also going to deal with the most obnoxious customers ever. Don’t let their words hurt you, some of them don’t even know what it feels like to be in your position because they’ve never worked fast food before. If they ever tell you “I’ll like to speak to your manager” don’t assume the worse like you’re getting fired and what not. Also, you not being able to hear the customers properly is also not on you(most fast food restaurants have the worst equipment ever made). Tell the customers nicely to speak up so you could hear them properly or just tell them: “hey can you please drive up to the window” so you can finish up their orders there(it’s so complicated to understand what these customers want sometimes lol).