Dione wrote:
I survived working as a cashier/waitress for nearly three years and will tell you that it's not quite as difficult for aspies as one would expect, considering I am on the low extreme as symptoms go. The regulars were pretty easy going and loved how as soon as I saw them coming I would have everything ready. My boss had explained that serving people was the ultimate goal of my job, so I made it my number one priority to memorize everything; in fact I had over one hundred people's regular orders as well as proper spelling of everyone's name.
The only people I couldn't handle were the snowbirds; a lot of them were jerks. The ones from the south were the worst, because I speak a lot faster than most people from my city and they didn't like that and they loved to make fun of the way I said coffee.
I did cashiering, but, couldn't wait tables (
physically disabled and unable to lift the heavy trays without dropping something).
Cashiering was okay, because you're only with people a short time, and you can pretty much script it, they're not usually there long enough for things to get awkward.
I did other things, like assembling displays, doing calligraphy for our price signs... and I memorized regular takeout orders and the part numbers of dozens of items in the shop.
Some people were really big jerks though... tourists, rich folks. Not to mention the arrogant-saa traveling musicians and athletes who'd pop in and assume you're as available as anything else on the takeout menu.
Luckily, due to my deadpan voice and logical approach, people didn't eff with me too much... and, in fact, I was often asked to step in and stick up for other employees when they were being mistreated by customers. ~baffled~ ~shrug~
My favorite was covering my disdain for people who would lie to get free things.