Ice cream mess x 3

Returned with a medium to good attitude today. I was on close again, meaning I have to clean up the entire days front of house mess - while also serving customers in the evening, our second peak time just slightly behind lunchtime - but there are double the amount of staff on then. This is it self is really no problem, it means I'm always busy. But when the manager decides to remind you of every single thing that you've not done yet (for good reasons) - because after all I already know the front of house job better than he does it, then it becomes more of a problem. Anyway got out at about normal time today - just at points it seemed to drag, but then there seemed like there wasn't enough time.

We had a crazy amount of salads prepared today - so I felt good we could offer the full range, and I could offer fries or salad. A grand total of 3 people today wanted salad. It is always on the days when we don't have any salads, or just a few that every other customer wants them.

Argh then there was the ice cream mess. I arrived and there is already a puddle of ice cream on the machine, counter and floor. It was all totally melted so it had been there long before I arrived. No one bothered to clean it so I dealt with it. Mess on the floor means getting the mop and yellow sign out. And if another store has nicked our sign - go and find it, but wait, you've got to serve! No sign = no mop. Luckily today we had a new sign (I was told not to lose it!) so that was plonked out and I mop and cleaned up. In the mean time a group had arrived at the counter (a group which were together but appeared seperate) so out pops the manager. He serves them, seeing I'm busy. He didn't say anything, but I could tell you was wondering why I hadn't served them.

Then about an hour later - the same mess had occured. Dealt with it, this time no customers popping along. Then on close the ice cream tray thing, which collects the drips was FULL. I didn't realise this, as it is white, and guess what ice cream is white. So off goes the ice cream all over the floor again when I move it. I had more ice cream go on the floor that night than in all my other shifts put together.

The usual possy of "It is 5 minutes until close so we'll order some specials, some large meals, something they'll have to cook or prepare specially". This members of this possy are the ones who if at 1 minute past closing time will kick up such a stink and mutter phrases such as "Well I ain't bloody coming here again" and "A Pizza Hut without any Pizza!". Now I was a remember of this possy before when it came to KFC and McDonalds. But now I realise, it is simply a waste of food to cook a full range before close. And on close we need to shut everything off in order for it to cool and allow us to clean.

But, I do love customers, they are what make my job interesting. If I was just pressing buttons on a touch screen, putting food through a hatch and cleaning, there is not a chance I would do this job. People are interesting, you get a good idea of what people in the real world is like. Most people are great, but you just get odd customers who aren't - but I suppose they make the most interesting stories.

A nice story for a change. A gentleman aged approximately 60-70 bought a meal with an upsell (always a good start) and an ice cream. This was at around 20 minutes to close. I informed him of what we had ready or if he would like to wait around 8 minutes for another choice. He made my life easy by having what was available (a reasonable selection actually). This gentleman was very polite, gave me some pound coins (which is always a very good thing!) to pay for his meal, and went off an ate it. He was considerate to the centre staff by sitting on a table near the outlets, so that they could clean the other areas.

He sat there, eating, presumably enjoying it. He got his ice cream without making mess (yes adults make a hell of a lot mess too), and went back to eat that. He had finished by around 15 minutes passed close. We keep our shutter up slightly later than others to allow refills of drinks etc, and to mop the floor. I was mopping the floor when he was walking past and said "Thank you very much, I really enjoyed that - it was lovely. Cheerio!". Now that is a really satisfying considering we are a fast food restaurant (not a full serve Pizza Hut) I didn't make the pizza he he so much enjoyed, neither did anyone else at our branch, the Pizza Hut recipe did - but to get a comment like that, makes the whole night worth everything else. He had a clean ice cream machine to use, a clean drinks machine, a pizza he liked and a service which I feel beats any of our competitors in the centre we are located. I know that customer WILL be back. He made me happy, he will make the company happy - and we made him happy.

Thank you for reading my online sermon!! Possibly upto 4 posts next week - aren't you in for a treat?!