The work environment for a fast-food worker has drastically changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. For many fast-food employees, various aspects of the workplace were modified to meet new health standards. It didn’t just stop with the mask and gloves requirement. Even with protection and precautions in place, many workers still feared that it wasn’t enough. As time went on and Long Island moved from one phase to the next, more problems emerged.
I work at a Wendy’s restaurant in Seaford, New York. For some time, the only way we were allowed to serve our customers was through the drive-thru. As a cashier who could no longer interact with customers in the dining room, this affected me greatly. I was eventually moved to different positions and it took me a while to adjust. During this change, I, along with other employees, had to wear masks and gloves. While it seemed simple enough, it was hard to hide our faces from our customers. Learning how to work while having a mask took some getting used to.
Once the dining room reopened after months of inactivity, some issues and fears emerged. When customers were finally able to order and eat inside the restaurant, they sometimes forgot, or flat out refused, to wear a mask. This resulted in us refusing service to them, which ultimately led to anger and frustration on their end. Oftentimes, the anger only emerged amongst adult customers, while teenagers just shrugged off the issue.
Once I returned to working the cash register, I was afraid of having to handle cash. It touches so many objects and germs throughout the day, and I began to wonder if my gloves were enough to protect me. Should I wash my hands after every interaction with a customer? Should I change my gloves in between each order? Several questions plagued my mind. In an interview on The News & Observer, one McDonald’s employee shared similar concerns that she experienced in her time working during the pandemic. She explained how when shields were finally put up in front of the counter, it only shielded one register. I shared a similar experience where only one of the registers was shielded and the counter where we place meals. I’ve also encountered an issue when taking a customer’s order because it’s difficult to hear them behind their mask. It’s a bit of an inconvenience on either side of the register. While it does produce frustration for customers and employees, it is something that we have to work through.
I do not hold the fear I once did at the beginning of the pandemic, but I’m still very cautious. I repeatedly wipe down counters, tables, doors, soda machines, and any other surface as often as possible. I continue to wash my hand multiple times throughout my shift, as do other employees. We also go through multiple boxes of gloves a week due to how often we change them. We are all just doing our best to keep one another safe.
Many aspects of work have changed for fast-food workers during the pandemic, and getting back to “normal” has been a process. I, along with other fast-food employees, have encountered some of the same issues during these times. Adjusting was the most difficult part, but in the end, safety was our top priority.