That was my first reprimand at my first paying job as a 15 year old in Lynchburg, Virginia. I believe it was in summer at McDonald’s near the public library. The manager had placed me at a register and was watching me from the lobby. I had learned the manual well of the various phrases from “Welcome to McDonald’s. How may I help you?” to “Would you like some fries with that?” and so on. I was a bit perplexed by the smile comment but I gave it go on the next orders throughout the day. It was midweek and during a block of time when mostly older folk would come in and buy a cup of coffee or tea. And what happened near the end of my shift? Well, as I took a silver-haired lady’s two dollars and gave her some change back, she took my hand, patted it and said, “My dear, you have a lovely smile. You have a good day.” And I said, “You too, ma’am. See you tomorrow.” What brings to mind this memory of making people feel welcome? There’s been an interesting series of articles in the New York Times about people, especially seniors, sitting too long in the fast food restaurant. As with any story, there are many ways to dissect the issues but I think this morning’s article about “lessons learned” from the recent clash presents some good food for thought, not about how a business should be run but more about how over time people operate in the world: The Urban Home Away From Home.
Words + Images 