Basildon McDonald's workers are the top bun! (From Southend Standard)

Basildon McDonald's workers are the top bun!

5:10am Saturday 26th May 2012 in Echo News

THE best of the best of McDonald’s staff are being sent to the Olympics to prove they are top bun.

Nineteen workers have been chosen from Basildon to be part of the fast-food chain’s Stratford restaurants which will serve help to serve some of the 9.7million visitors to the Olympics this summer.

The workers are part of the 2,000- strong Olympic champion crew who were chosen following a rigorous test of their speed, customer service skills and ability to work in a team.

Staff were shortlisted from more than 87,500 who work for McDonald’s in the UK after being nominated by their restaurant managers.

They will work across four temporary restaurants in and around the Olympic park, including the biggest McDonald’s in the world, which holds 1,500 customers.

Elizabeth Meecham, 50, from Broomfields in Pitsea, who works at the McDonald’s on the Mayflower Retail Park restaurant off the A127, said: “I am over the moon to be selected to work at the Olympics, as it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

“I am so looking forward to being part of the atmosphere during the Games and I can’t wait to meet new people from all over the world, as well as from McDonald’s. My family are so proud and excited for me, they wish I could take them with me to London.”

Kris Galtry, 19, from Clifford Close, Basildon, works at the Eastgate restaurant in Basildon town centre.

He said: “It’s great to be part of an Olympic Games. I would love to meet any Olympian, although I don’t know who all of them are.”

To get the gig, staff were split into teams and had to demonstrate how quick they were at serving people.

The number left was whittled down until the remaining candidates were taken to Lakeside where they were monitored on their customer service skills during a day-long session.

Basildon McDonald’s franchisee, Gen Isikgun, said: “It’s a fantastic opportunity. I’m proud so many staff from Basildon have been chosen.”