Working at KFC

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Hi everyone, this is my first post on these forums -

I'm 15 years old male with mild AS and mild ADD.

About 5 weeks ago, I somehow landed myself a job at my local KFC due to the fact that the restaurant manager's daughter is a friend of mine and in my class.

After I passed the extreme anxiety of the interview and the orientation day (completing modules on the computer basically) I ended up having my nightmare of a first shift.
I was put on the window cashiering and the assistant manager who was on at the time either didn't know it was my first shift and expected me to know everything and perform well on a busy tuesday night, or she just expected me to learn everything and perform well right off the bat.
It did not go down well and I needed to be constantly reminded how to do stuff and kept screwing up, I was confused and stressed out and the manager was very annoyed. (This wasn't my friend's mum it was a different woman)

In the end I was told to call up my parents to pick me up an hour early and by that time I was basically crying and had to wait outside the KFC at night for half an hour in the cold.

I have since gotten to know the place better but every shift since then (once a week so far) I make at least one major screw up every shift and several minor ones. Here are some examples

- Giving out the meal without collecting the money (In my defence I thought i had)
- Dropping the eftpos machine on two consecutive shifts
- Not knowing the abbreviations on the screen and therefore not repeating the order when handing it out, annoying the manager
- Being a bit clumsy at times & not understanding directions

I'm getting all anxious about my work now because I hate disappointing the managers, I'm not all that bad but I'm not great either, I think the other trainees they hired are faster learners and better than me because they are getting more shifts.

I often find myself too worried about my job to focus on my assignments and homework and i really want to get better and impress the managers but i'm just finding it really difficult and embarrassing at work. I think the fast paced, stressful environment isn't the best workplace for someone with Aspergers.
I don't want to quit or get fired but this problem is really eating away at me.

Can anyone offer some advice or like, I don't know, share their experiences with their first job or something? Or just say your opinion on the situation, thanks

Years ago, I took a part time job selling gas at a gas station. I had worked at a full service gas station before and had no problem there.

But the first night on the job, a Friday night in late fall, at this place was much different. The manager showed me the ropes and left. The gas station had more pumps and was strictly self service.

It should have been a slow and easy first night. And it was, that is it was until the high school 4-A regional football game held at the local college football field was over. It became an instant madhouse and stayed that way until closing. There were cars at every pump and I couldn't keep track of them all.

With the prosopagnosia (which I didn't know about at the time) made it much worse. When someone came into pay, I had no idea which pump they had been on because I couldn't identify them by their faces. I just had to take them at their word which pump they were on.

Somehow I made it through that night okay, but it was crazy.

How do u handle all the high pitched beeping noises and the Fluro lights I know those things make it hard for me to go there In The first place?

You're doing the best you can. Even if you get fired, it's not going to matter (although quit before that happen) I wouldn't even work at age 15. Enjoy your life.

Go back to the work force at 17.

My first job was at 17, and I stayed there for 1.5 years. Knowing what I know now. Education is WAY MORE IMPORTANT **learn your math, master that ** than working at some lame minimum wage job. Life is too short to work for pennies. I regret that I work minimum wage until 21 years old.... well look at my recent thread I am joining the military; free education, 20k a year, it's 10x better than minimum wage I imagine.

I am so happy with my decision you wouldn't even believe it. I feel like I have a sense to living again.

I had a job at MacDonald's once. I only lasted one day, I hated it. I think it was the silly cap I had to wear that tipped me over the edge.

KFC was the only place where I ever got called in for an interview. They didn't hire me.

A certain percent of supervisors, especially for entry-level jobs, are just plain lousy, and sometimes you can work with them and sometimes you can't. For her to expect you to know stuff the very first day is not reasonable.

If it's become a negative or hostile work environment where co-workers shy away or treat you like a second-class citizen because they are also afraid of being negatively labeled, that's a good reason for giving two weeks notice if you can.

And if I read you correctly, it sounds they are currently scheduling you only one day a week? If so, that's hardly even a job. You still want to give two weeks. And I'd recommend just giving a vague reason such as 'family events' or 'school only' and not letting them draw you into a conversation. Or, leaving written notice or an email, which is probably a good idea anyway.

The really difficult question is your friend whose mom is the manager. And I recommend measured honesty, giving an honest answer but not TMI (too much information). In theory, her mom could have coached up the other manager even though neither one is the boss of the other, but relatively few people have these skills, which work only some of the time anyway. Maybe just tell your friend this other manager was really impatient and it was a negative workplace, and leave it at that.

They're really expecting you to be like a NASCAR pit crew, fast, accurate, precise, and there's no way for that to develop overnight, and a good business person understands that.

When I visited japan, one thing a lot of the cashiers did was to place the customers money on top of the register, make change, then place the money into the register.

Perhaps you could do that, so that you will always know if the customer has paid or not.

Also, is there a reference sheet with the abbreviations? Could you ask for a copy? When I was first starting out as a waiter, I took a menu home a few nights to study.

I've worked similar jobs before. If you can stick it out ( and I know how tough that is), each day you will make fewer mistakes. Before you know it, and sooner than you think, you'll know it like the back of your hand. Jot yourself reminders, and just take it step by step.

Does KFC still have the twister?

Is it true what they say about the chickens?

Hey guys thanks for the responses, I have stuck it out for a few more shifts and this week I actually got 2 shifts finally, lol.

I think i'm getting better but the atmosphere at KFC is still stressful and alot of my coworkers are pushy and impatient, however the feedback I received from you guys made me feel a bit better