Karsceal Turner – I Got Next!
There is an uproar over the wages paid to fast food workers across the country. While I do not disagree that these workers should be paid a decent wage for the service they provide, SOME of those workers need some customer service, people skills “tweaking” before making demands for better pay.
I understand that here in Florida, specifically Orlando, many fast-food workers are uniting towards the common cause to the point of mobilizing and organizing protests for fair wages for a fair days work.
Metro-Orlando ranks dead last in terms of the lowest paying job market in the U.S.
Across the country, U.S. workers are demanding that hourly wages be raised to $15 an hour. The strikes and protests come against the backdrop of growing calls for raising the federal minimum wage to $10.10.
Florida’s minimum wage is currently $7.93 an hour. Recent bills before the GOP-led Legislature, to increase the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour, failed to get to the House Floor.
My question is this: based on personal experience from past occurrences at drive-thru windows and service at some of these restaurants who are in the picket lines, do these fast-food workers rate the compensation they are bitching about?
Before you get upset at me for calling them out, consider the times you’ve visited an establishment and were greeted with a scowl by some person (usually high-school aged worker) with a “I don’t care, I’m turned up attitude” or mad because they are at work on a Friday or Saturday night and your order is preventing them from turning up?
Too many workers feel entitled to your hard earned dollars for that grub, which is made of lord knows what. But the folks want a raise though.
I won’t mention the jacked-up orders I’ve received after going through two separate windows with two separate people who clearly do not want to be at their jobs. But the folks want a raise though.
It becomes highly difficult to take you serious when your co-workers are making you look like a jackass as they lobby for higher wages…dammit for what?
Oh, I’m going in on them now.
I once visited Pollo Loco in Miami, and those fools had the nerve to tell patrons they had run out of chicken and there would be an hour-long wait. Imagine that, a chicken joint, known for tasty bird is out of fowl. I cried FOUL and promptly banned them from my dollars henceforth.
I once gave Steak and Shake a stern talking to because they shorted me on a Chili 5-way. It had a splash of sauce, a smidget of meat, and a ton of onions. Trust me, they made things right but that is besides the point.
Those are personal examples. Allow me to dig into your memories for a moment. On any given day, McDonald’s or Checkers’ shake machine is down. You realize this is Memorial Day weekend, the beginning of Summer, right? Folks are thirsty maaan! Don’t get me talking about that filthy ice you pour drinks into. It’s hard not to digress on this subject but the people want a raise though.
How many times have you returned home from the drive-thru to find your order dead wrong? There’s nothing like finding a juicy red tomato on your burger, but you’re allergic to tomatoes.
This rant continues with more of your favorite questions at the fast-food joint:
Can I get some ketchup?
Why is it, when I ask for five ketchups you tell me I can only have three?
Can I get some utensils for my salad?
Can I get a straw for my Drink?
Can I get some napkins to wipe my lips?
Dammit, I asked for sweet tea. Who in Florida drinks unsweetened tea?
Have you ever had to speak to a manager about the customer service surrounding some cold fries, no eating utensils, or absence of ketchup only to be greeted by a less than desirable attitude AFTER you have already forked over fees? I call it instant refund and banishment.
The number of establishments I’ve been forced to banish continues to grow. Currently it consists of McDonald’s and El Pollo Loco. There are also a couple Mom and Pop eateries I can’t fool with because their prices change every time I drop by. Like really?
Lastly, can I get all of the above without the smacking of your teeth, the rolling of your eyes, and the smugness of my patronage? I really desire service with a smile and for my order to be prompt and correct, THEN, PERHAPS, people will lend an ear to your gripes about a decent pay increase.
This wasn’t meant to belittle any one of the brothers and sisters trying to grind it out as a fast-food worker. I truly have met some who have been a credit to thier organization. However, some of your co-workers got you looking really crazy right now as you fight for increased wages.
As for me, I’m doing a lot of cooking at home.
