Fast food companies

[gunhilltrain]

I've never worked at one of their outlets. Someone I know told me that during her stint years ago she would change into her uniform on the premises. I assume they had lockers. I had always assumed that the employees kept their outfits at home and put them on there.

Does that vary from company to company? Is that still the way it works? Yes, it does have relevance to a story I'm doing.

 

[Lumiere_Amie]

When my wife worked at a fast food place in High School she wore her uniform to and from work. No place to change.

 

[OverconfidentSarcasm]

I've never worked at one of their outlets. Someone I know told me that during her stint years ago she would change into her uniform on the premises. I assume they had lockers. I had always assumed that the employees kept their outfits at home and put them on there.

Does that vary from company to company? Is that still the way it works? Yes, it does have relevance to a story I'm doing.

Yeah, it really depends on the company. The fast food joints I worked in while being young required little more than a specifically colored pair of pants and a polo shirt the company gave me. Consequently, I've never seen one with anything remotely resembling a dressing room. We just put those clothes on before going to work.

Though, a friend who (at the same time) worked in a country club DID have a dressing room. Though, that hardly qualifies as a fast food joint or a diner...

 

[SimonDoom]

I worked at a fast food restaurant in high school. It was so many years ago I don't remember exactly, but I think I put the uniform on at home before showing up at work.

 

[Wonderer67]

my son worked at cracker Barrel. They had a little changing area with lockers.

 

[Bazzle]

Most peeps arrive in their uniform.
There are of course toilets to change in...but 99% arrive ready to work.

 

[BarracudaSwordfish]

Many years ago, my nephew got in our car in his KFC uniform after his shift.

The smell lingers with me to this day and it is a not pleasant recollection.

 

[MrPixel]

We frequently see the young'uns around here in their uniforms to and from their job. No on-site changing is evident.

 

[gunhilltrain]

I can see it varies. The woman I talked to worked at Burger King around 1974. She was sure that they had to change there. I guess it doesn't matter that much in the story. But yes, she came home with the smell of Whoppers on her.

There are a lot of professions with uniforms, and I don't know what they all do. Police usually change at the station house, at least in New York. I've seen nurse's aides coming and going in their purple or blue work outfits.

 

[Helgamite]

Yeah, it really depends on the company. The fast food joints I worked in while being young required little more than a specifically colored pair of pants and a polo shirt the company gave me. Consequently, I've never seen one with anything remotely resembling a dressing room. We just put those clothes on before going to work.

Though, a friend who (at the same time) worked in a country club DID have a dressing room. Though, that hardly qualifies as a fast food joint or a diner...

friend of mine worked at a McDonalds, back in the 90's. he had to change into his work clothes in the bathroom then stuff his regular clothes in a backpack. after that, all backpacks were stored in the managers office in a locked case. said it was the WORST job he ever had. Lasted only 6 months there, started looking for a different job after 2 months.

 

[oxbowguy]

Years ago when I worked in fast food, but there were employee bathrooms that had a changing room attached. More of a broom closet, but I'd change there, felt less like work if I walked in/out in my own clothes. And if I made plans to go out after I could at least look like a regular human, until you got close and picked up the scent - it just clung to you.

 

[gunhilltrain]

Yeah, it really depends on the company. The fast food joints I worked in while being young required little more than a specifically colored pair of pants and a polo shirt the company gave me. Consequently, I've never seen one with anything remotely resembling a dressing room. We just put those clothes on before going to work.

Though, a friend who (at the same time) worked in a country club DID have a dressing room. Though, that hardly qualifies as a fast food joint or a diner...

It's difficult as a customer to tell what is in a place behind the scenes. Also, the uniforms have changed over the years at different companies. I haven't been in any fast food place in the last three years. I might be able to find some info on-line about what they all looked like at different times.

As an aside, I've seen old movies where cab drivers wore uniforms. Maybe that's just Hollywood fiction; I don't know. I don't think that was ever true in New York.

 

[Seadog777]

Burger King, McDonalds and Subway, do not have a locker room.
You come in wearing your uniform.

 

[Paul_Chance]

I've never worked at one of their outlets. Someone I know told me that during her stint years ago she would change into her uniform on the premises. I assume they had lockers. I had always assumed that the employees kept their outfits at home and put them on there.

Does that vary from company to company? Is that still the way it works? Yes, it does have relevance to a story I'm doing.

It varies franchise to franchise. Some of them have just a bathroom or a store room to change in. Some have employee changing rooms and lounges for the employees. (A lot depends on if they bought the franchise building or not.)

 

[gunhilltrain]

It varies franchise to franchise. Some of them have just a bathroom or a store room to change in. Some have employee changing rooms and lounges for the employees. (A lot depends on if they bought the franchise building or not.)

Thanks, I never thought about franchises. I know McDonald's used to give them a very detailed manual on how to cook burgers and such so they were identical everywhere. But they are getting more leeway on how their interiors look. I have no idea if that company says anything about employee changing rooms.

 

[MrPixel]

Now that we talk about it, I was dating the girl who became my first wife when she was working at a Carl's Jr. I recall driving her to work on a couple of occasions with her wearing the uniform. So no locker room there.

Of course that was 1974, so .

 

[M_K_Babalon]

Not really fast food, but I worked at Steak N Shake and Pizza Hut, nowhere to change clothes there. I don't know where people get these notions from. Same for Kroger, too.

 

[Smuttyandfun]

Burger King, McDonalds and Subway, do not have a locker room.
You come in wearing your uniform.

You have to launder them at home, too. And they stink to high heaven of French fry grease.

 

[Devinter]

The more high-class the establishment, the more likely that people will change into their uniform on site. For example, on the more extreme side of things, I am a member of a very snobby 'Gentleman's club' (for business reasons; I don't care much for the place) and there the workers aren't even allowed to take their uniforms home. They are provided - tailored to their exact measurements - by the club, and look incredibly formal. To make matters even more silly, they have to wear something "decent" to even get in the door so they can CHANGE into their uniforms. If you'd show up in sweatpants and an Iron Maiden t-shirt, you wouldn't make it inside despite having your proper work clothing waiting just beyond the threshold. Bizarre. (Patrons are also required to wear a suit, tuxedo or tailcoat to be on the premises.)

 

[Seadog777]

You have to launder them at home, too. And they stink to high heaven of French fry grease.

Yep they do.
My very first job when I was 15 years old, was at a Hardee's.
Seems like a lifetime ago, since Hardee's are very rare to see anymore.

 

[Kumquatqueen]

UK police are supposed to change at the station for safety reasons, though probably depends what their own street is like.

Hospital staff used to all be expected to change at work, but with reduced funding for changing rooms and laundry, many staff became expected to wear work clothes to and from, unless there were actual hygiene reasons - cue many arguments.

 

[MrPixel]

Hardee's are very rare to see anymore.

Oh? You're getting Carl's Jrs where you are? Or are they closing stores? We're all Hardee's all the time in the greater region, and it's frequently the only fast food in whatever small town we happen to be in at the moment.

 

[gunhilltrain]

Now that we talk about it, I was dating the girl who became my first wife when she was working at a Carl's Jr. I recall driving her to work on a couple of occasions with her wearing the uniform. So no locker room there.

Of course that was 1974, so .

Well, the story is set in 1974 if that makes any difference. That was just around the start of a huge increase in fast food outlets. That seems to have leveled off. For one thing, the prices of gone up a lot in the last year or so. The last time I ate at Five Guys (they are better than McDonalds and such) a single patty burger, fries (admittedly a lot of them for a "small'), and a drink was over $18.

 

[gunhilltrain]

You have to launder them at home, too. And they stink to high heaven of French fry grease.

Yes, my source referred to "the stink of Whopper."

 

[gunhilltrain]

Not really fast food, but I worked at Steak N Shake and Pizza Hut, nowhere to change clothes there. I don't know where people get these notions from. Same for Kroger, too.

It depends of how you define "fast food." I might say those first two places qualify.