Please. Tip. Please.

So, whenever you see those banners up for Sonic Fundraisers for organizations of some sort- band, choir, churches, etc... Perhaps you think something along the lines of the following, "Oh dear. Those dang, un-trained kids are working there today. I will DEFINITELY not be stopping at Sonic."

Or, if you do stop there, you don't tip the kids car-hopping you. "All they're doing is just bringing us our food. How hard is THAT? I'm not going to tip them. And besides. It takes them FOREVER to get our change."

Well... I worked at Sonic yesterday for a Choir fundraiser. Car-hopping is not at all as easy as it sounds. (We didn't actually cook the food, though. The Sonic employees did that. I figure it's a health-code thing.) The job description DOES seem easy -I mean how HARD could it be??- but by the time I was done with my 3 hour shift, I was sweaty, exhausted, and achy.

Let me explain. I was on my feet for three entire hours, waiting for orders to be completed, drinks to be poured, and receipts to print in a hot, crowded, noisy kitchen.

And that's not all. After that, I had to juggle mints, straws, drinks, and bags of food on heavy trays that I carried it to the cars; give the customer what they ordered, collect their money, run back inside to collect change, and deliver the change to the customer (and hope that they give a tip!)... Of course, all this happens when you're supposed to be "bubbly" and "smiley". *harder than it looks!*

Needless to say, it was a lot of running around and lifting - espicially when I had to give the guy in the monster truck his meal. As for the change, there was one lady making the change in the kitchen, and the only reason it takes "forever" is because kids are throwing money and recipits at her left and right... it could get very busy.

Phew. I'm tired just thinking about this!

So, please, please, please. Tip the poor volunteering childeren. Now that I've "been there, done that," I know that it's not just a silly "buy cookie dough", easy kind of fundraiser. It's actually hard work. Give an extra dollar, or even a few cents next time you see a fundraiser going on at Sonic. It's the least you can do.

Looking back, though, it was really fun. But I'm DEFINETLY not looking to work at Sonic anytime soon!