Heeey, I'm Quick Service Food and Bev starting on June 1st. Just wondering if theres anyone thats done the role before that can tell me more about it? Whats the best and worst parts, what kind of stuff does it actually involve doing etc? Thaaanks xx
It depends on where you are as to what you have to do. ODF (Outdoor Foods) - you work outside, I don't know exactly everything you do. In the restuaurants, there are 4 main areas: kitchen, cash, bussing and counter/greeters - some locations will train you on more than one, others only on one as you're not there very long. For me, I worked in the Columbia Harbour House in Liberty Square, and the best bits were the people I worked with, the fact we closed before the park (BIG diff between leaving at 11 and leaving at 3!), and just the general job really (I loved it!). Worst: flushing c-bars (don't ask!) and the bonnet. I hated the bonnet! Any others qs, feel free to ask! xx
oooh thats real helpful thanks i was wondering what kinda work is involved... bit worried, but not...at the same time! i just wanna go!! what other stuff do you do? and are hours generally good or naff for the majority of qs-ers!? sorry to ask more questions!!! xx
Does anyone know if we actually have to cook the food or is it more front of house because i'm a really really bad cook and i'm scared i'll poison someone lol x
haha i was wondering that!! i think maybe on the stalls you have to cook stuff.... eeeeeeek!!!! bad times!! xx
OK - sometimes you will have to cook the food. If you are on an outside cart you will have to - but you will be fully trained (and before training starts there's a 4 hour class you have to attend. Fun stuff!), but otherwise unless your location kitchen trains you, you won't be cooking. I was only trained on counter, most places like you to settle in a bit first before training you on more than one thing, but kitchen is unlikely to be the next thing. But, if they are short staffed you may be trained - it's not gospel! But there's several people there, and timers and thermometers and whatnot, so it's unlikely you'll make mistakes! And if you do - guests will complain pretty quick! OK - kind of work depends where you are. At Cosmic Rays, when your greeting you play with hula hoops with small children (sorry - I only really know about the Magic Kingdom, as thats where most of the QS people I knew were!). At Harbour House, counters jobs were drinks, food running to guests, interacting with guests, stocking the counter, helping guests with their food if they were struggling, magic moment, stocking/cleaning condiment bars, greeter (main door, ringing the bell, keeping the lines moving), and closing counter and c-bars. We also had mid-prep - where you make up trays with chocolate cakes on, bring down bread, and put chicken in bowls. I loved mid-prep! Bussing clean the tables, do trash runs, chat to guests, replace the furniture, sweep the floor. Cash - work the registers, taking orders. Kitchen - cook the food, stock the kitchen. In terms of hours, it depends where you work. Generally, you will start off closing (CP = closing person!), and the only opening shift I had was during training. Some locations are open different amounts of time, so how early/late you will be there depends. You most likely won't be there the entire time it's open - unless it only has really short hours. I had all different arrival times - depending on how long my shift was (I usually closed, extending the half hour even when I wasn't closing). It really is good fun! Just keep asking questions, I love talking about my time! Another thing though, don't call in too many times or you will get termed - my friend got termed on Monday for attendance (so now their short staffed in kitchen at their busiest time... oops!) xx
I think Katie's got it pretty well covered, but I'll just in two bits for ODF since that's where I worked! To be honest, I wasn't sure about ODF when I was first that's where I would be working. By the end of the summer though, I thoroughly enjoyed my experience and enjoyed it more than I think I would have enjoyed being at a QS restaurant or anywhere else. When you start out, they train you at each of the different carts in the park. I was at the Studios, so there were Popcorn, Ice Cream, Nuts, Churros and beer carts. The only things you needed to "cook" or prepare were popcorn and nuts. Everything else was either packaged, or already made. I also worked at the Herbie Cart and Teen & Tween (it's right outside of Rockin' Roller Coaster), though Teen & Tween, I believe is now handled by QS for Sunset Strip (All the QS places on Sunset Blvd). If you are in a different park, there may be different carts ie: eggroll cart in MK. It was good to be at the studios in ODF because their Popcorn Carts have A/C, where as no other park has that benefit, but this was only on the Popcorn carts. It was a little bit different than most other positions because the carts are spread out all through the park. So it's hard to coordinate breaks for everyone because the individual who covers you, goes from cart to cart. For that reason, I usually had just 1 break for a shift. Whether it was 5 hours, or more than 8, it would be just one. (The 5 hour shift was one 15 min break, the 8 or more was a 1 hour break). So that was a bit different because normally people would get 2 15 mins and a 30 min break. After a while, they may train you to be either a "breaker" or a "stocker". Breakers are individuals who cover breaks at all the carts through out the day, so obviously you need to have been trained at all the carts before they will let you do that. Stockers are responsible for bringing out stock to all the carts. When you are stationed at a cart, you will need new supplies throughout the day (In July/August, when it is scorching hot out, you will go through bottled water like there is no tomorrow). I would say, ODF can be one of the more physically demanding jobs, at lest when you're a stocker, because you are bringing out cases of soda, water, boxes of ice cream, kegs of beer, vats of oil and pushing carts loaded with ice and drinks. At the studios, you also get to work at fantasmic, which can be pretty fun, though the shifts are usually fairly short there. All in all, ODF is definitely an interesting place to work, and in my opinion, an amazing experience! But you'll have fun wherever you are!
aww thanks guys thats really helpful!! ahh i feel i know a little bit more about what im getting myself in for now!! xx
Hey that was really helpful, thankyou! I have a quick question, I see on here people say different things about CM's getting free water/gatorade/sunscreen but it seems to depend on different roles or indoor/outdoor, does anyone know what it is for QS? Thankyou ;D
We had free water/powerade at our Outdoor Foods base, so you could fill up at the start of your shift, on your break etc... I don't know about sunscreen, I would assume they have it, but I never used it because I tend not to burn... ever, lol If you're indoor, they might not have powerade, but they should at least have water. I think overall the managers are pretty good, so if you have a concern you can bring it to them. I know mine were always making sure we were staying hydrated and healthy, so that's always good to see!
Indoors you get free drinks from the fountains - water, lemonade, sprite, fanta, coke, diet coke, apple juice - or an combination thereof! You can have a small drink during work, and a large drink on break - as many times as needed. It was lovely! - a benefit no-one else got! Breaks depends on your role though - attractions, merch get different breaks to food (I think we got different breaks to everyone else!) xx
i am getting so excited, thanks for the detailed descriptions i was worried qs F&B was gonna b a horrible job but ti sounds so interesting! yeeeeeay!
