How to Survive as a Fast-Food Worker: Tips and Tricks to Make Shifts Easier on the Mind and Body
Photo taken by Jenna Salyers
Long shifts in a loud, chaotic environment can quickly lead to burnout. Fast-food work is both physically and mentally exhausting.
Even in the middle of that chaos, workers find ways to keep going. Some depend on specific shoes. Others use personal routines to stay grounded. Their strategies reflect a shared commitment to maintaining stability in a stressful environment.
Many fast-food employees finish their day with sore feet. The pain often spreads to the knees, hips, and back. Some workers have found that investing in supportive shoes makes a significant difference.
“I used to buy those cheap ones from Walmart,” said Robin Cavins, general manager of Dairy Queen in London, Ky. “But I finally broke the bank after 30 years of working on these concrete floors. If the feet don’t hurt, it’s easier on the back too.”
Foot pain is one of the most common complaints among fast-food workers. Top doctors said choosing the proper footwear to maintaining foot health and overall well-being. For those on concrete floors day after day, the wrong pair of shoes can make the shift nearly unbearable.
For others, the combination of good shoes and basic over-the-counter medication is what keeps them going. Maison Dugger, who has worked in both full-service and fast-food restaurants, said, “If I didn’t have good shoes and Tylenol, I literally could not work here.”
Work also demands steady energy. Many employees avoid eating the food they serve every day, often packing protein bars or snacks from home. Dugger said eating the restaurant’s food too often “makes me so sick sometimes.” She now brings a water bottle and light snacks to stay energized during shifts.
Hydration and nutrition are essential when working a physically demanding job. Many employees don’t want to eat at their workplace every day. Story Changes stated, eating healthy can reduce sick days, improve morale, and performance.
While the physical toll is significant, mental strain may hit harder. The multitasking, the noise, and the constant customer service all add up. Loud conversations from dining room customers mix with managers calling orders and the relentless beeping of timers. That kind of overstimulation can wear anyone down.
Photo taken by Jenna Salyers
Finding mental focus is essential. “I sing to myself when work gets stressful,” said William Wagers, a grill worker at Dairy Queen. “It keeps me focused on one order at a time.” A study by Harvard shows that singing can enhance performance by reducing stress and increasing engagement.
TJ Ball, owner and franchisee of Dairy Queen, said fast-food environments can be tough to manage if workers try to tackle everything at once. “The best way I handle the stress is to just focus on the most immediate order and task,” Ball said. “At the end of the day, it is just a burger or a cone. That’s nothing to lose your head over.”
Even outside of rush hours, staying productive helps keep stress low. Wagers said he uses slow times to reset. “When I’m not getting a million orders, I try to keep my station as clean as possible and stock my freezers,” he said. “It makes the rushes much easier to manage.”
He added that some coworkers may get tired of his constant movement, but those habits make the job more manageable. “I think my coworkers get tired of me—singing and running around all the time, but I think it makes work more manageable,” Wagers said.
Support also comes from the people who share the kitchen. Fast-food restaurants are staffed by a wide range of people like high schoolers, parents, college students, people between jobs—and often that diversity builds quiet solidarity.
“I see all walks of life in this restaurant,” Cavins said. “High schoolers, felons, single mothers, college students, they all work the same for the same reason.”
Relationships often form between unseen pairs. Dugger recalled a former manager who made a strong impression. “My favorite manager and someone I considered a friend was a 40-year-old woman with four kids,” she said. “She was always kind to me and listened to my problems when I was a teenager.”
Comments
Post a Comment