Day 19: Another school fundraiser

McTeacher Night.  My school started a new fundraiser 2 years ago.  We get to work at McDonald’s for several hours.  We greet the families, take orders, sell cookies, serve ice cream, and yell ‘portillo like’ rhymes to let the families know their order is ready.  When this idea was presented to us initially we were skeptical.  Another after school activity making for an extra-long day.  What exactly would we have to do?  Would the workers be happy that we were there or annoyed with us invading their workspace?  The first shift arrives promptly at 4:00pm and the families are already arriving.  The kids are so excited.  They get to see their teachers outside of the school setting.  There is small talk and laughter as they order their food and we fumble around the register getting the order just right…after a few mistakes.  The ‘real’ McDonald’s workers are fantastic!  They are so helpful in guiding us through this process because that register is no small feat.  You don’t just scan some item and watch numbers pop up on the screen.  There are pictures galore….meal purchases, individual items, ingredients you want and options for those you don’t.  There is the primary screen and sub screens with extra options.  Occasionally, there was just your average customer, not one from the fundraiser, who had to tolerate us teachers taking their order.  I must say, the families, the regular customers, the workers, and the teachers were all wonderful, fun, and genuinely happy to be there.  I asked one of the employees if this is a day they like or dread.  She told me that they like it.  It breaks up their regular work routine.  It’s different and fun.  It’s like a party and, ‘we get to blow up balloons, we don’t usually get to blow up balloons’, she says.  I was so appreciative of her, of her enthusiasm and all of her help.  It truly was a great time.  My shift ended just a bit too soon and I am already looking forward to next year.