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“De-Serve” (A Recipe To Serve!) OK, so that was kind of a crazy thing to write, but I was thinking about that place with the golden arches and their old slogan. Remember? It was that catchy song about what you deserve – you know – like a break today? However, as I grow older and older I am finding that what I think I deserve ain’t all it’s cracked up to be! I bet you can’t get that song out of your head now, can you?  In my youth, I had the “prestigious” honor of being a “crew member” of the McDonald’s Restaurant team – aka, a “hamburger flipper”. I lived, breathed and literally ate McDonald’s. I don’t know how it is now, but back then, McDonald’s was run like the army and there was a real pride in the job and a sense of ownership in the company. Each year there was a competition for all crew members in order to become part of the “All American Team”. The more All American Team members at a store, the more prestigious the store in the eyes of the corporation. Competition was fierce and hard and not just a little scary. It was like participating in the Olympics, only instead of swimming you were waiting on and serving customers in under a minute, or in place of throwing the shot put, you were assembling, wrapping and tossing cheeseburgers onto a warming tray to a stop watch. The competition went on during the day while customers were actually being served and “The Suits” were there watching your every move. The one year that I decided to take the plunge, I competed at the cash register and outside the restaurant in grounds cleanliness. I won. I have proof. But I’m still waiting for the endorsement offers.  Now, I need to remind you that cash registers at the time were not the electronic wonders they are today. Computers were something only ‘brainiacs’ even considered and, as far as we were concerned, still occupied an entire room with magnetic wheel thingys (my hubby tells me they were called column tape units and he would know) whirling synchronistically . If that isn’t a real word, it sounds good – can’t you just see it?? Yep, the cash box on which I registered counter sales was an upright mechanical monster with round, brown keys in rows all down the front of the unit. The first vertical row was for the cents, the second, tens of cents, the third, ones, the fourth, tens and so on. The number totals showed up in white on black placards, side-by-side, in a window above the buttons. In order to put in a monetary amount, one had to punch each row of places matching the numbers of the entry. I remember starting out punching one button at a time with one finger as the customer stood there looking at me like, “You moron, can’t you work any faster than this? My Big Mac is gonna mold before I get it.” However, I eventually mastered the beast and could use multiple fingers to put in a total all at once – three fingers for “$1.99” and the thumb and first finger to “enter”. I thought I was hot stuff. And, oh yes, I was there when the Big Mac was first introduced. I had a “Mac Attack” on a regular basis.  I learned to count back change. Those cash registers only told you what the total due was, not the total cash back. A $20 bill for that $1.99 order? A penny – two dollars, three dollar bills – three dollars, four dollars, five dollars, a five dollar bill – ten dollars, and a ten dollar bill – twenty dollars. Give a clerk today, if there is no computerized cash register, a ten dollar bill and a nickle for a $1.95 purchase and watch him slowly come unglued trying to figure out how much money you should be getting back!!! Crew members were required to be “versatile” and one’s pay scale and evaluation was based on just how many things one could do in the restaurant. That meant that I didn’t just work the front, but I cooked too and I loved it. It was a fascinating process and I am here to tell you that a McDonald’s hamburger or French fries are no more unhealthy for you than a hamburger or French fries that are fried at home. Food is food and frying is frying. Back then, however, there was one breakfast ingredient that seems to be missing these days and that was butter. But I’m getting sidetracked – back to versatility. Another job that was a requirement back then was being a morning host or hostess. That has gone by the wayside too, apparently, but it was a fun job that involved making sure tables were clean, visiting with the customers, refilling coffee and bringing extra food items requested. It is a job that taught me the value of a servant attitude. I found that the more gracious I was and the more willing I was to do for the customers, the kinder they were and the more appreciative they were. Even when I would get a real grouch, I found that if I didn’t take offense and just treated them kindly, their grouchiness didn’t bother me and they seemed to leave a little less grouchy. It’s a lesson to practice every day.  I never would have picked McDonald’s as my career of choice at that time. I was fresh out of college with a degree in Fine Arts, but there weren’t any jobs out there in “Art” even if one did think that one’s art was “Fine”. McDonald’s was the only job I could land. I found out however, that even though I was not getting what I thought I “deserved”, I was learning an enormous amount of information and wonderful skills that would serve me the rest of my life. I’ve found that to be true in everything I’ve done that hasn’t jived with what I thought I had to have. I have figured out that I really don’t know what is always best for me and that I just have to chill and let God do the leading to whatever “best” is. It has led to a much more peaceful life, believe me!! We are at the beginning of a new year and stress is pretty heavy in the country and in the lives of many individuals. Seeking to serve rather than to be served is a heck of a way to deal with stress. When we seek to serve, rather than focusing on what we think we “deserve”, there is a change in attitude and actions for everyone involved. Anyway, because with any life’s lesson there really has to be food involved, it is time for a recipe. The following is my way of using the homemade English Muffins, from the last post, for egg and muffin breakfast sandwiches. Your kids will love you for them! Sandwiches Per Sandwich: 1 egg or two egg whites 1 English Muffin 1 slice American Cheese 1 slice Canadian Bacon or 2 slices thin-sliced Smoked Ham Melted butter or olive oil              |
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Tags: Breakfast, Egg Muffin Sandwiches, Eggs, English Muffin, McDonald's, recipe, service
Wow! That sounds wonderful. Not sure I will attempt it, though. Perhaps one morning when I feel adventurous….
You won’t regret it if you do!! They are yummy.
looks delicious!
“Seeking to serve rather than to be served is a heck of a way to deal with stress. When we seek to serve, rather than focusing on what we think we “deserve”, there is a change in attitude and actions for everyone involved.” – So very true! These look great and while I’m not sure I’m up to the homemade muffin stage yet, the rest looks quick and easy.
Thank you.
Those look delicious! Can’t wait to try making them for my boys. 🙂
Thanks, Erin! You’re entered.
There’s nothin’ wrong with the store bought muffins!! 🙂 But I assure you that the homemade kind aren’t hard at all. You are entered in the drawing!
I love muffin sandwiches…but I like to put sausage patties on mine…they are good on bagels too!! Yummy
I like sausage on them too. It’s just that the Canadian bacon or Ham has so much less fat. I guess that’s why sausage tastes so good!!! You’re entered. 🙂
Those look better than anything I have ever bought at McDonalds!!
Why, thank you Patricia!! They are so easy and only take a matter of around 15-20 minutes to throw together.
These look so delicious. I am always looking for new breakfast ideas and this will be fun.
I just wanted to add a huge thank you for sharing the story and pictures from your time at McDonalds. Very interesting and fun.
It was fun! Kinda crazy that I kept all that stuff, huh?? 🙂
These look so YUMMY!! I really need to try this recipe! So happy that I found your site! I am a fellow Okie in Paden!
Thank you for sharing! Congratulations on winning the McDonald’s award!
Taking pride in your job and what you do and who you work for, is a great thing. I’ve done that most of my life and have saved my own memorabilia. Now I’m off to McDonald’s. Talk to you when I get back.
(:D) Best regards…
Kenna! Welcome to a fellow Okie. Paden isn’t very far from us!
Beth, I hope you enjoy them. They really are easy.
Sherry, good for you!! 🙂
Paula – thank you. I guess that I kept them because I’ve won so few things in my life!!
I can’t wait to try this recipe. It looks delicious!
Look very very yummy…gonna have a go at trying to make em, tho mine wont look as nice lolll
Stephanie, thanks!
Lori, loooove your email address! Cute. 🙂
Wow, that looks so good! Looks easy enough for me to make!!!!
Congrats on the awards!!
Kim, it IS easy! Hope you try them.
Love this article! Especially the part about paying with cash. I have started using cash to pay for eating out, and I have noticed the looks that you referred to when you hand over a $10 or $20 bill. Can’t wait to try the breakfast muffin sandwiches.
Good for you Tina!! Sure helps on the budget, doesn’t it??
I found your blog through the Consumer Queen, and I’m loving what I read! I can’t wait to try the English muffin recipe!
By the way, I’m a fellow Oklahoman, living in the western part of the state.
Oh my goodness ; I do remember those cash registers . It took a while to get used to them ; but as I see it that’s what the employees need nowadays. Some can’t figure up your change and I think that’s really sad. I always pay with cash and that seems to keep me on budget. When the cash is gone I have nothing left to spend.LOL
Diamond, sometimes I think that we’ve so technologicalled ourselves (like that word?) that we have become crippled. Heaven forbid that business be done without electricity!!
Mary – welcome to a fellow Okie. My son lives out close to the panhandle so we know the western part of the state well!!
Not a big fan of McDs, but I do like the homemade egg and muffin sandwich. I’ll give it a try sometime.
You will find that it is quick and easy, Andrea! You’ve been entered in this month’s giveaway for commenting. 🙂
I just tried your buttermilk biscuit recipe and they turned out amazing! Hubby said “better than momma’s”, so I know it is a keeper. I will definitely be trying the breakfast sandwiches soon. Thanks so much for the great recipes and detailed pictures.
Oh wow. Better’n momma’s?? THAT is quite a compliment!! Thanks for sharing that!! You are entered in the giveaway for posting.
I worked at McDonald’s, too : ). Had to attend some of my university classes in uniform, smelling of fast food. I learned a lot working there.
Jennifer – would you like fries with that?! How about folding the bag away from you twice? I notice they don’t do that anymore. When I get a paper bag, I still – out of habit from lo these many years – fold the bag away from me twice.
Mary Beth,
Ah, the bag folding brings back memories. I often baked biscuits and then cleaned the ice cream machine. Didn’t mind the early mornings.
My first paying job was at McDonalds. I was the biscuit maker in the mornings and as soon as the doors opened, the front counter person. Although this was in 1987, and we had computer registers, we still had to learn how to count back change. I loved my job there, met many interesting people including 1st boyfriend, and learned many skills that have translated to every area of my life.
The english muffin sandwiches look really good. Maybe I will try them soon.
Yum! I have recently taken to making more and more from scratch but still enjoy some of the things I grew up with… this is a great way to do BOTH. Thanks
Rhonda, now that’s a great way at looking at things! I appreciate that thought.
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