Normally, I never leave bad reviews -- but this experience truly broke me. This was one of my first jobs in fast food, and after what I went through, I'll never work a job like this again. I started off optimistic, eager to learn, and I was picking things up quickly. But instead of encouragement, I faced micromanagement, public embarrassment, and emotional manipulation -- particularly from the assistant manager, Athena. On my very first day working the drive-thru, I was nervous but doing my best. Rather than offering support, Athena mocked me. She said, "All you have to do is read," and criticized me for small mistakes. I was laughed at and micromanaged while other managers sat around talking with coworkers instead of helping. I remember specifically when she put me on drive-thru. I was so nervous from how she was acting that I told her I wasn't ready. She said, "This is how you learn." And I understood that -- but the truth is, I couldn't learn with her around. Her energy, the pressure, the lack of support -- it made me shut down. How can you expect someone to learn when you're making them feel small, scared, and on edge the whole time? One night, I misheard a direction from Athena while at the register. When I finally understood, she sarcastically asked, "Are you sure?" three times, then snapped, "Read the front of the register." I held back tears, then walked to the bathroom crying. That wasn't the only time I left in tears. On another occasion, I was counting a register for the first time and accidentally entered the wrong amount of coins into the calculator. Athena smirked and mockingly asked, "You think that's 94 dollars?" I was clearly upset, but she seemed to feed off my discomfort -- I even caught her smiling when I made a mistake in front of a customer. Every time I asked for help or clarification, I'd get, "Remember when I told you?" -- not in a helpful way, but in a condescending, demeaning tone. It felt like a power trip, not support. No matter how hard I tried, it felt like I couldn't do anything right in her eyes. What made this worse is that just the day before all of this started, I told our general manager how great I thought Athena was -- how well she trained me and how much I appreciated her help. I even told her I passed along the compliment. The very next day, everything changed. She became cold, passive-aggressive, and even mean. It felt personal. There were many other examples. One day, I was swamped with online orders -- barely able to keep up -- while Athena stood behind me talking casually with other coworkers. Not once did she offer to help. During a major corporate visit, my friend (another employee) politely asked for assistance on orders and was completely brushed off. I saw this kind of thing over and over: Athena micromanaging people unnecessarily, speaking down to them, and acting hostile -- while also sitting around, clocked in, chatting with coworkers instead of stepping in when it counted. It was my first month working there, and I was still learning -- but instead of growing, I found myself getting worse whenever Athena was around. I'd get so anxious that it would start affecting my focus. My brain would feel foggy, and I'd hesitate or make small mistakes simply because I was so on edge. She was always quick to criticize me about those mistakes, but never once stepped in to help me feel calmer or more capable. The strange part is that whenever she wasn't there, I worked much more smoothly. I wasn't micromanaged, and I didn't feel that constant pressure and fear of being humiliated. My confidence and performance noticeably improved. The contrast was undeniable -- Athena's presence actively made it harder for me to succeed. To be clear: I wasn't the only one. At least two other people left because of how they were treated, and I understand why. I even mentioned Athena's behavior to two coworkers -- because on top of everything else, it seemed like she was just lazy. They hinted that "it's just what it is," like this type of treatment was normal or expected. That only made it worse. There were also moments when I would try to spark conversation with Athena and be genuinely nice -- not trying to kiss up, but just to create a normal, friendly work environment. Still, she never responded with the same energy. She acted friendly with everyone else, but it felt like she needed to constantly assert dominance over me specifically. No matter what I did, it never felt mutual or respectful. The environment was toxic. I always showed up with kindness, patience, and a willingness to improve. But Athena's behavior didn't just make me feel incapable -- it made me feel small, like I wasn't welcome or respected for even trying. If you're considering working here, please think twice. No one deserves to be treated this way at work, especially when they're new and doing their best to learn. read more