I spent the summer between high school and college scooping ice cream at a well-known national restaurant/ice cream chain and yes! it's hard on the wrists, arms, neck and back, especially when you are forced to use a technique that has you use the scoop to sort of "curl" the ice cream so that it is just open air in the middle, but looks large on the outside. We were made to practice this special technique over and over during slow times, so that each scoop weighed a certain amount. (We put the practice scoops on fresh waxed paper to weigh them, and then put them back into the ice cream freezer.) It's not digging ditches, but it ain't easy, either. That said, I think it benefits teens to have experience working with the public as waiters/waitresses, etc. Teaches patience and courtesy in the face of, well, often trying circumstances.
