Hijinks At Work, Part Deaux

I have to ask - was this a written, multiple choice, true - false or physical test? If anything other than physical, I’d LOVE to hear some of the questions.

GO DODGERS!!!

That sounds classic. I did my stint in the restaurant trade back in high school and worked at the big 2 (McDonald’s then Wendy’s). I only lasted a couple of weeks at the arches primarily because they had no qualms about working their people to death.

I started on a Saturday at what at the time was their newest and largest store in the US. Ray Kroc, Jr. was actually there flipping burgers.

Since it was my first day, they kept me on something easy like prep (dressing buns, dropping fries, etc.).

I started at 10:00 am and was supposed to be off at 3:00 pm. We were so busy and overwhelmed that they asked me to stay another couple of hours, which led to another couple of hours - you get the idea.

I ended up “closing” and walked out of there at THREE AM - 17 hours in one shift. Too many of those weeknights along with falling asleep in class and I was done.

Wendy’s was a fun place to work. The managers were really laid back and didn’t hassle us, staying in their back office 90% of the time.

Lots of hotties working there, too - a bonus. Plus I almost always would get scheduled for Sunday’s and after playing softball was usually too drunk to go in so my girlfriend would call in and say she was my mom and I was sick.

They finally stopped scheduling me on Sundays. 😝

GO DODGERS!!!

Not too shabby for what I’m guessing is around four hours? I’m SURE the hours McD’s worked me were illegal, but here I was, 16 year old kid in high school with a beast of a first car that NOBODY ever wanted to contribute gas money for.

In my first two weeks, I grossed nearly two grand - that was a helluva lot for fast food in the late 70’s. But after the initial “high” and adrenaline fade, I was pretty cooked by week three and handed in my uniform shirt the following week.

Wendy’s was a SIGNIFICANT improvement. Our managers used to take us to bars and buy our drinks - none of us were even 18 or old enough to be IN bars at the time.

One of the best perks was hitting the drive thru late on Friday or Saturday with no money and trading whatever beers or alcohol we had left for food with these same managers. A couple of beers would get us a double or triple, large fries & soft drink / Frosty.

Pretty sure they broke a lot of laws (and company policies!) but they were the coolest managers I ever worked with.

Funny thing happened a decade or so later. My wife and I were looking to buy our first home and we found a small attached townhouse we liked and could afford.

The selling agent actually lived in one of the other units in this small three building development. He looked SO familiar but after years of abusing my brain with liquor and drugs, I just couldn’t place him.

Turned out he was one of my managers at Wendy’s! Crazy!!!

GO DODGERS!!!

We had a drive-thru that would sell to anyone in a car. Fake State ID’s were available for around $7 from a downtown variety store which we all purchased when we were 16.

There was also 3.2 (alcohol %) back then that you could buy when you were 18, but it was pretty horrible, took twice as much to get a buzz, so we only got it when desperate.

I used to get “carded” at this drive-thru all the time and shown them my fake ID which showed I was 21. When they’d ask for my drivers license, I’d tell them it was suspended (while sitting behind the wheel of my car). They’d shrug and ask what we wanted. Sometimes they’d even give us suggestions for what was new, good and / or on sale - ALWAYS a plus!

I remember one night we stopped in there and they had these new premixed “Cocktails for Two”. Mostly easy drinks like screwdrivers, piña coladas, etc. We bought the ENTIRE display.

GO DODGERS!!!

Just took the first of those three new tests. Unfortunately they make you watch a video & you can't fast-forward it. So I put the volume on low & watched television. Got 100%.

Checked my queue just to make sure.

My Scheduled Training
0 Exam Schedule(s)

Hmmm. Two more to go. Interesting...

Oh F me! This has to be him screwing with me. Last course. (For today anyway.).

Security Awareness - Management Training 

He's the f'n manager. I told him / them in no uncertain terms at the time of my hiring I want no part of management. Damn this guy.

Went in at 3:00 PM yesterday & got off at 1:10 AM this morning. A Mexican party. Hehe. My boss hates giving me those because I don't speak Spanish. One lady rattled on at length in Spanish asking if I speak her language or not. My boss sheepishly (& somewhat sarcastically) said I didn't. I looked directly at him & said I was bussed in to meet a government quota. He looked embarrassed. A couple customers laughed.

Happy Hour for the first two hours. The host had an open bar. First it was for $1,500. Then she increased it to $2,000. People can be such terrible leeches. I literally sold $2,000 those first two hours. Total mental defects too. "I'll have a margarita." "Okay." "And a Pacifico." "Alright." "And, you know what? Another margarita." "Gotcha." "And a whisky & Coke...Hmmm...Malibu & pineapple juice...Duh...A Corona...No. 2 Coronas...3 Coronas" "DOH!" Like they couldn't hold more than one thought at a time. My boss was running up & down the line asking if anyone just wanted a beer. With this group, that was playing with dynamite. Of course they'll tell you they only want a beer. At the time they say it, they might even really mean it.

For the first time in two & a half years there I needed help. It was the way they were ordering. Later, when the host cut off the open bar, we issued poker chips good for two drinks. That eliminated all that lollygagging & indecision & things sped up to light speed.

I tipped out one food server $20.00 in front of everyone else. Naturally my supervisor found fault with that. Don't tip anyone else in front of the others. It will get them to talking. He was missing the entire point. I've tipped them all in the past & WANT them talking. A reminder. Take care of me & I'll take care of you. I tipped him another $9.00 later. Talk!

Wound up selling $3,500. That's a new record. Grossed $310 in tips, gave Pedro $29, thought long & hard at the timeclock while talking to a dishwasher, decided $67 sounded good, claimed that & walked with $281. We both laughed.