You start your shift off with positivity. You are working in one of your favorite spots and everything is perfect. As the minutes go by, you get one rude customer. You keep going with your shift, keeping a smile on your face. Then the early evening rush comes through, car after car, you need a boost at the window, extra help. You get through the rush. You get another snippy customer whose food is wrong and of course it is YOUR fault. You keep going. You get through the night and finally after about a thousand “have a nice night” and a few rude people, you go home and sleep after a shift of hard work.
That is a typical day for someone who works in a restaurant. I have been employed for about three months now. I work at Chick-Fil-A. As a teenager, money is needed for basic things; like going to the mall, getting food with friends or even just having it to keep for the future. I searched for months for a job. I tried stores, gyms and even considered babysitting. I found the link to apply to a new Chick-Fil-A that was opening. I took a shot, got an interview and landed the job. I think working in a restaurant was honestly the best thing for me. It has taught me responsibility, organization, teamwork and overall how to be a good person. What I mean by that is, I have noticed more about how customers treat the workers. I now keep that in the back of my mind to always be kind to workers and have patience, because I know how it feels.
Working at a restaurant as a teenager is very beneficial. Whether it is serving customers, taking orders or even cleaning. It can improve your teamwork skills, responsibility, people skills, patience and time management. Having a restaurant as your first job is more than just a way to earn money; it teaches real-life skills that sometimes schools alone cannot do.
One of the benefits of working in a restaurant as a first job is learning responsibility. You are scheduled for a shift, so you are being depended on to show up and do your job. Time management also ties into this. Having a job means you have to manage your schedule and make sure you are on time for your shift. The University of Michigan Health say “that having a part-time job can teach teens responsibility and independence while also helping them gain valuable experience outside of the classroom.” Working in a restaurant environment can help you with these things and improve your skills.
Some days, you are going to deal with rude customers. It is important that you keep your feelings contained and stay professional. Another benefit to working in this specific environment is improving your people skills. You learn how to communicate clearly, solve problems and interact with customers and your coworkers. The Mums Club has shown that teens who work improve their social and communication skills by handling customer interactions professionally, meaning no matter how the customer is acting, they stay in “character” and assist them with whatever they need. These certain situations can help teenagers working for the first time learn how to properly work with people, speak politely and overall prepare them for later when they are adults.
The last reason why teenagers would benefit from a restaurant job is teamwork. As an adult, you may end up working in an office or a company. Those require you to be able to collaborate with others, specifically with coworkers. You could have busy moments at your workplace (rush hour) and it will only go well if you all work together. Everyone has a responsibility and all together it makes things go smoother. This can prepare and show teens how to communicate and work with others. The Mums Club again, presents evidence by saying that “part time work helps young people develop teamwork and communication skills by having them interact with coworkers and work toward a shared goal during their shift.” Being able to work with others is an important life skill that everyone needs to have.
Overall, working in a restaurant as a teenager is challenging and sometimes draining, but it is also very beneficial. It teaches responsibility, patience, teamwork and how to deal with all kinds of people in lots of real-life situations. There are skills that cannot fully be learned at school in a classroom at this certain age and will be useful no matter what career someone may choose in the future. Although restaurant jobs can be stressful at times, the lessons learned and the growth that comes from them make the experience worth it. Working in a restaurant helped shape me into a more skilled and social person. It is a job that I believe many teenagers can benefit from having.
