I got my first job recently at Wendy's. Can someone answer my questions about what to do when I get there?

Those are questions that your employer has to answer.

Try to remember that everyone is “the new guy” sometimes. You sound kind of sweet and humble, so your manager and co-workers are likely to like you immediately, and help you however they can.

Don’t be timid about asking questions. People appreciate that.

Whatever you do…..please pay close attention to the answers.

Good luck, you’re going to do great, I can already tell….

The first few days are the toughest at any job. My suggestion is to talk to the manager and see how they want you to do it. Sometimes they will write it on the schedule, what station they want you on. But the key is to learn all you can and to always give it your best. Making fries or burgers may not always seem like important to you, but it is to the person that is getting them. After a while you will get so you can walk in and see what needs doing and just pick it up and go. You manager will appreciate that sort of thing, generally.

This is in General so I have to answer the question.
The first few days will be a challenge, but after a couple of weeks, you will fit right in.
Congratulations @BBawlight ! You seem to be so sweet and I think you will make a great employee.

I have been there just not at Wendy’s.

And I have been a manager at a place similar. So here is my advice. Your fuck up that would have really taken me 15 seconds to clarify with you will take me 10 minutes to fix in the payroll system if you screw up. Ask. If your boss thinks you are stupid for asking for help the first week your boss is no good.

Sane people remember their first days and will be cool.

Yes, I agree with the others. Ask you manager. As you go along you can also find other employees to ask questions of regarding how to do things.

I agree that you should just ask all those questions directly to the manager. It will take two minutes, and he’ll be glad you asked.

Usually, people are supposed to clock in at their scheduled time.

I worked at Wendy’s a looooooong time ago. My second day on the job I was told to keep the salad bar stocked. I dropped a slippery crock full of bleu cheese dressing. The manager got so mad at me!
Do ask your questions, don’t be nervous. Soon it will be great, and you will have the feeling you are really part of a crew. It sounds hokey, but when things get busy and everyone is moving right along, crew becomes a cool word. You might even have regulars that you know so well you already have their order in your head when you say, “Hi! Can I take your order?”

The others have all posted very helpful things here.

First, thank you for coming to us with this new situation in your life. We appreciate your trust in us.

Now, while you’re new, you can ask any question you want. There really are no dumb questions especially when you’re new.

Your manager probably interviewed you, so this person knows this is your first job. They expect you to ask lots of questions.

Here’s a secret: if you arrive on time according to what you’re scheduled and if you stay for the whole shift, your manager will love you. Just having you there is a huge deal for managers.

Another secret: tell the manager now while you’re new, that you want to learn how to do a good job. This will be another reason for him/her to love you.

Finally, it’s OK to tell the manager you’re nervous.

Enjoy your new job. :)

On top of the great advice above, I would say if you think there is a problem – you don’t know how to do something, or you think it could be done better, or whatever – go to your boss and say “here is this problem, and maybe we could fix it by [whatever you think might be a good solution].”

Or if you don’t have a solution, say that. “Here is this problem and I don’t know how to fix it.”

Also congrats on the new job!

Some good answers above; I may not be able to add new specifics – having never worked in a fast food chain before (though I do have institutional kitchen and dining hall experience from way back in another life). The big thing for you now, since everything is all so new and probably strange, is to learn to prioritize, and how to prioritize.

So what you’ll want to ask about and know about the most are the issues that relate to safety and security. That’s “food safety” as well as “customer experience” safety (watching out for wet floors, for example, and spills of all kinds, and keeping the rest rooms clean – which may be one of your jobs from the start), but also the real life-and-death safety issues (as you may have been exposed to at the fry station, for example). So those are at the top of the priority list of “what to learn”: anything that has to do with safety of the employees, customers, delivery people, parking lots, etc. (even people who walk by on the street), and a close second to that would be the safety and protection of the building and equipment itself.

After that, I’d say (but defer to your management if they say otherwise), would be “security” of the building: closing and locking doors at the proper times, and when doors must be left unlocked during business hours, for example; keeping aisles and doorways clear and unobstructed to permit quick exit in case of fire (or even robbery; which is a thing that every franchisee is aware of), and proper handling of cash and other valuables.

Aside from that, as your training should indicate, there will be a list of “must do” items and probably a matching list of “must not do” things. Memorize those things, and then follow the instructions.

Above all else, your attitude will be key, as well as your ability to gradually manage that prioritization and memorization of must and must-not items. Everyone likes a puppy, and that’s what you’re going to be for awhile, but like all puppies, the quicker you can become housebroken (or in this case, used to the routine and able to figure out new things quickly, based on what you will already be learning), the more you will be appreciated.

And it’s never too soon to start saving for retirement. And I’m not kidding.

Thank you for all of the great answers and support. I got it all sorted out today and worked really good today.

Now, if I may, I have more questions about being productive. I’ve been learning the fry station these past two shifts and I have a hard time keeping the ball rolling. I’ll do some orders amazingly and get out the fries and nuggets before they have to tell me. But there are other times where everyone is waiting on me to do the fries because I forgot to drop them after a rush.

I’ll have the ball rolling one minute and I’ll be feeling good, but I end up dropping it soon after. How do I keep my productivity up and stay on the ball? I know some of it comes with practice. I just want to show them that I can do my best and put forth my best effort.

We all drop the ball sometimes. If that weren’t true, we wouldn’t have that saying.
For me, that sort of thing comes when I get distracted.
Just try to notice what is happening whenever you lose your place.
If it is right after a rush, could there be horseplay starting, you know, to kind of shake it off. Usually, someone comes in, and everybody is like, oops, find my spot.
Once you notice a pattern to when things get off track, you can respond better in the future.
There are also ways to make up for it. If people are waiting for fries, get drive thru first, because pulling ahead is a pain. Tell anyone at the counter (with a big smile) “You get super fresh fries, but they need a minute. If you want to sit down, someone will bring them to you.” I usually shoveled extra fries onto the tray just so they would feel special.

I know this sounds cliche’ and a little trite, but I promise you that in a matter of days you will develop a natural rhythm with how things go there, and will feel more confident and comfortable every day than you did the day before.

You will soon become so good regarding these ‘timing’ issues that in a week or two you will be laughing at yourself regarding how unnecessarily nervous you were.

Hang in there. Stay strong.

Before work each day, look in the mirror, make a muscle with your bicep, and say out loud…...

“I got this”......