It has been reported that the average fast food worker makes minimum wage, $7.25 an hour and for most the fast food job is an entry-level position or a job to fill the gap between another job. Most of us who ride through that drive thru don’t think much about the person taking the order or the one handing us our fries unless our order is incorrect.
I was watching the footage of the protesters last week and the ones who decided to speak said they needed a better wage to support their families. One man said he had worked at one fast food restaurant for 30 years and his hourly wage wasn’t much over $9.00 an hour. He also said it had been a long time since he had a raise.
This protest has put me on the fence. Let me think, do I think the employees should make more than minimum wage? I say yes if they are in a supervisor position or have been there for longer than a year. Perhaps the increase could be a merit increase, do an exceptional job and your salary goes up.
I am not eating as much fast food as I used to but I have a lot of experience with fast food restaurants so I can speak from experience. There is one hamburger spot that I frequent that often gets my order incorrect. On my last visit I didn’t realize it until I got home and had to drive back to have it corrected. I wasn’t happy. In order to get the order corrected I went inside of the store instead of the drive thru. There was a more than adequate staff working that evening and they seemed to be enjoying their evening bantering back and forth to one another. I think I interrupted their good time. When the person who made my first salad was told of the error he said, “I don’t do salads real good.” I thought to myself “what is there to do? Follow the instructions that I know are written down and build it and put the food in the bag.”
If fast food workers would be fortunate enough to get a raise to $15 an hour I sure will expect a totally different experience. I want to be asked would I like ketchup with my fries, at all times I want a napkin in my bag and a straw for my drink. Also I think it would be nice for the drive thru person to make sure I have the right order before I drive off and to apologize if I should have to come back to replace the order. I don’t want attitude with that shake, just a smile or a courteous thank you will do.
Instead of a raise this is what I think will happen. There will be more automation of the orders and older workers will be hired, probably those who are supplementing their social security. Wake up people, the job is designed for the minimum wage worker, change your skill set and work elsewhere.
(Email the columnist at debbienorrell@aol.com)
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