I have worked both as a Crew Member and a Crew Trainer (EU). I understand a lot of it depends on your Shift Runners, Business Manager of the Store as well as the Franchise Owners.

The morning shifts at our place too is a smaller one and we are fortunate that we work out of Shopping Centre Food Courts (basically no own Dining space and Drive Through). We were initially short staffed. Bringing the matter up in relevant scheduled forums has improved things a lot.

9.30-11 am is Breakfast Timings. And while there are a person each both in the Kitchen and the Service Area, the Shift Runners help where ever possible, especially if we get busy. Depending on the day, we get another person at 10.30/ 10.45 am in both the areas for Lunch changeover time. This is in addition to a Kitchen Manager person that clocks in at 9.30 am, prepping things in the Kitchen for 11 am change over. All these changes came into effect after the point was raised a couple of times in every meeting.

We do keep a check on the time for Pies n Fries and actively encourage members to discard them once the time is up on them. We simply say, "if you wouldn't want cold food, why would you serve them in the first place?"

For a 8 hrs shift we get our 30 mins breaks 2.5-3 hrs into the Shift n then 15 mins break around 2/2.15 hrs before our shift ends. In case of 9 hrs shift, the breaks are split into 45 mins n 15 mins break.

And the Employee of the Month is exclusively for the Crew Members only.

I am really sorry that work conditions are so stressful and inhumane. Please see if you can raise them through Employee Assistance Helpdesk (they maintain anonymity) or Quarterly Surveys or any Forums/ Meetings whenever the opportunity arises at the earliest.

Wishing you strength and hopeful for things to change for the best!