I recently read an editorial by another rich guy referring to fast-food workers as "burger flippers" and I'm just not having it.

Let's Start With What They Actually Do

Like many people, I worked at a fast-food restaurant. For me, it was a Texas Dairy Queen and it was tough work. Not only do you stand near a hot grill for your shift, you also have the pressure of getting those orders out, prepping foods, and some truly brutal cleanup up including scraping that hot grill you just spent all day on. At the end of the day you are spent, hot, possibly burnt, and your feet hurt. It's a lot to ask of someone

You're No Better Than Them

So why do we continue to demean these folks by calling them "burger-flippers"? They're cooks and they're trusted with the safe handling of your food, and even the very success or failure of a restaurant. It seems to me that some people want to feel better about themselves by having someone else to kick down on, and these people don't deserve it. They also don't deserve the low wages. A lot of people want to push back on the idea that these people don't deserve more than minimum wage and refer to these positions as "starter" or even "kids" jobs. Well, you may want to take a look inside your favorite fast-food restaurant again, because it's been a long time since I've seen a kid running one.

They Don't Deserve The Disrespect.

You have no idea if a single mom is starting over by working at a fast food place. It may be the only job within walking distance for someone who is without transportation. Some seniors just like to stay active and take these jobs. Some people genuinely enjoy serving the public and consider these jobs "fun".  I believe that anyone who is working and making an effort deserves respect. You have no idea if a family tragedy kept them out of higher education, or if they're even the owner putting in a shift.

So What's The Point?

The average fast-food worker in the U.S. is no longer a "teen-age burger flipper", the average age is now 23! Just be nice to people. If you express your gratitude to these folks it builds up their self-respect and will possibly mean they are even happier to serve you next time around.

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