When I found out that our start-up softball team was volunteering to work in the concession stand at some State College Spikes’ games, I said, “Sign me up.”
“How hard could it be?” I thought.
As it turns out, working in a concession stand means more than selling hot dogs, pouring beer and making change.
Simply put, spending several hours on your feet in a cramped concession stand isn’t as easy as it looks.
My first night at the Spikes was July 8. A large group of us arrived around 5 p.m. and, following a short training session, we went to work.
Since I had worked with a cash register before, I was chosen to be one of two cashiers. I had worked on a register at a grocery store in Pittsburgh, but that was a lifetime ago. Technology has changed since the 1980s, so I had to learn the system fast.
While the system is simplified, it’s not a piece of cake. There are codes to type in and it takes a little getting used to.
The gates opened to season ticket holders at 5:45 p.m. The general public followed 15 minutes later. Once they were in the gates, the onslaught began. They were a hungry bunch.
Hot dogs. Nachos. Pretzels. Chicken tenders. Pizza. The stand where I was working sold it all — and plenty of it. As a cashier, I simply took the order and the money. I had to re-learn how to properly pour a beer and learn just how much ice to put in a soda.
Once I got into a rhythm, I had a blast. There certainly were a few hectic moments — the register next to mine went down at one point and all the unfortunate customers were funneled to my line. I wasn’t exactly fast, so I’m sure an already long wait for a hot dog and beer got even longer.
Over the course of the first evening, I met some great people — the Spikes’ workers welcomed us with open arms. For the most part, they made the night fly by. They also made it fun.
And, you customers weren’t so bad yourself. While I struggled to find the right keys on the register, you waited patiently. When I poured a bad beer — and I poured several — you didn’t flinch. When your burger took a little longer than expected, you didn’t pout or roll your eyes.
In this day and age of instant gratification, you waited while those around you got their food and went back to their seats.
And, while most of the customers were polite and kind, there were a select few of you who need to put down your phones, speak clearly and simply be nice. Those working the stands are there for you. They want to make your experience at the ballpark not just good, but great.
However, it’s a two-way street. My mother always told me to be respectful — whether I was speaking to a garbage man or my boss. It’s really not that hard to do when you put your mind to it.
On night No. 2, it was more of the same. It was bobblehead night, so fans were through the gates early. And when our soda machines went down, there was no panic from the staff. While they worked to get the machines up and running again, we informed customers they’d have to find their Pepsi at an alternate stand.
Once again, the night flew by. Once again, it was fun. Sure, cleaning out a sink or scrubbing down a counter might not sound like the best way to spend a weekend night.
But, when you’re doing it for the right reasons, it all makes sense.
