As the Chicken Fries...

“My pleasure.”

If you’ve ever been inside a Chick-Fil-A restaurant or thanked me for holding doors open as you entered a room, you’ve heard these words countless times. “It’s my pleasure” has been my mantra for the past five years of my life. Two weeks ago, however, I ended my time as a Chick-Fi-Lady. Upon reflection of my waffle fry days, I realized CFA has taught me two invaluable life lessons.

Firstly, word choice matters.

Management had a right, as dictated in my contract, to dock my pay if someone reported I failed to respond to a “thank you” with “my pleasure.”  I hated replacing “Can I get you a refill?” with “May I refresh your beverage?” You should’ve seen the look management threw at me when I unthinkingly responded to a refill request with, “Can you take your top off, please?”

Though the differences may seem subtle or silly at times, the response in a guest’s face was not to be denied. They beamed at every unconventional phrase.

Secondly, never judge a customer by his car.

My fellow team members and I would play a game to see if we could guess a guest’s appearance and order based on the vehicle we saw pull up to the drive-thru speaker box. Mini-vans that showed up on the car cam were immediate cues for groans and exasperated sighs. We’d begin mentally preparing ourselves for an overly complicated order we wouldn’t be able to hear over screaming children. They’ll need ketchup. Lots of ketchup.

Every now and then though, you’d get the college kid who’s rolling in his mom’s mini because he’s already working two jobs to pay for his education. He’s maintaining a 4.0 and managing a girlfriend for whom he’s picking up dinner. He just wanted a number one with a coke.

I’ve learned perspective is everything. I always have a choice in how I view and react to every situation. I can make people feel special and I can appreciate that if I ever feel someone’s not worth a little extra effort, I may be missing part of a larger picture.

So, I’ve decided to employ my Chick-Fil-A cultivated conduct in all areas of my life. At work, I serve guests not customers.  When I dine out, I enjoy quick-service restaurants not fast-food joints. In response to gratitude, I do not answer with “you’re welcome.” 

It’s my pleasure every time.