Current & former mcdonalds workers

[OnionRings]

How bad is it honestly to work at McDonald's? I've never worked at a quick-service restaurant before so I'm honestly pretty terrified that I won't be able to keep pace and I'll just get yelled at or that I'll have to deal with a shity customer.

 

I start sometime within the next week and I'm just trying to mentally prepare myself because the only two jobs I've ever worked was a super laid-back campus security job and at a Wawa convenience store which was fast pace during breakfast rush but I was mostly just the cleaner so the quickest I had to go was just to clean up coffee spills that arrogant assholes left behind.

 

Any advice or tips is appreciated.

[Beerzerker]

If possible be in the back (Grill area) away from the public.

You'll thank yourself over it.

 

You don't have to deal with them directly or be reponsible for a register, esp when it comes up short...... And it will sooner or later.

 

It can get hectic since it's "Fast Food" but that's the nature of it anyway.

Prepare for stress - Lots of it.

 

The flexible schedule is really not, all it really means is your schedule is flexible to the point you can be called in anytime to work any shift for any reason (unless you're a student) and on busy days such as times when events/holiday events and so on are going on, you will be working instead of being able to enjoy the event and that happens with all such events period.

The managers and supervisors running around "Terrified" whenever they get word the District Manager is coming to pay them a visit or (God Forbid) an inspection.

I mean they get really paranoid about it and will have everyone stocking and cleaning EVERYTHING in sight, inside and out of the store no matter what it is just to get an "Atta Boy" because it's expected of them.

 

And that's just the tip of the iceberg.

 

Been, there, done that for around 9 years or so - I don't miss it.

[Ecchi]

I worked at a McDonalds for almost 2 years. I was a crew trainer for a year of that.

 

Its non-stop. In the down time, your expected to clean up, re stock, sweep, ect... Theres almost no time to catch your breath (During the day shift). I mostly opened so I'd come in at 5/6am to open the store, this meant setting up the front counter and or setting up the kitchen. Turning on the grills, doing the DPSC, ect.

 

I'd normally be the one to do the stock in the morning. So I'd go into a freezer every morning (It'll be around -18 to -20) to get a massive list of things, then  do the same with the dry stock. They'd give me a list of about 20/30 items and ask me do it in 15-20 minutes, it would end up taking me closer to 30. 

 

 

In my opinion, the kitchen is the place to be. The easiest role, in my opinion is chicken fryer. Its somewhat relaxed and is the easiest station to learn and master. As I was a crew trainer I'd have to do all jobs, I hated the front counter. During the busy lunch times, some people would treat staff like dirt, sometimes you'd get someone swearing at you for forgetting ketchup, but that was probably just my store as the local area wasn't that nice. Honestly, the kitchen is the best place to be, you'll be a little busier but you'll be able to actually have fun and have a little laugh from time to time. Also the kitchen staff, if its overstaffed, normally get sent home early. Win win.

 

 

13 minutes ago, Beerzerker said:

 

The managers and supervisors running around "Terrified" whenever they get word the District Manager is coming to pay them a visit or (God Forbid) an inspection.

I mean they get really paranoid about it and will have everyone stocking and cleaning EVERYTHING in sight, inside and out of the store no matter what it is just to get an "Atta Boy" because it's expected of them.

 

And that's just the tip of the iceberg.

INSPECTION. At my store, we had one coming up and they called me at mid-night the day before asking me to come in at 3-4am so we could, "deep clean" the entire store, the freezer, the dry stock room & the grills. It was hell.

 

13 minutes ago, Beerzerker said:

 

 

The flexible schedule is really not, all it really means is your schedule is flexible to the point you can be called in anytime to work any shift for any reason, and on busy days such as times when events/holiday events and so on are going on, you will be working instead.

 

The schedule is a joke, honestly @OnionRings try to get on the good side of the manager that deals with it. It worked in my favor.

 

 

I could write an essay on this. I'd highly recommend finding a different job after a couple of months.

[maartendc]

You might not have a lot of options, but I don't envy having that job.

 

I never had a fast food job, but I worked at a large supermarket for 3 summers (equivalent to a Costco), and I think I would prefer that over a fast food job. Even though that is hard work as well (hauling 40 lbs bags of cat food around is better than any workout let me tell you), and working the cash register is hectic and you have to keep your wits about you.

 

I had a friend who had a part time job in fast food. I think the best you can hope for is to have good / fun colleagues and try to enjoy it / have a laugh.

 

Good luck!

[maartendc]

double post

[Beerzerker]

I've worked every position in the store from open to closing except for the front counter in my time (Glad of that BTW) and that does include "Maintenance" or as I call it:

Shit scrubber/getter/do'er because that's really all it was.

 

During my time I've ran the grill solo after lunch until about 4 or 5 in the evening, that in itself had me FLYING in the back, esp when we got buses in..... And I did that occasionally by myself and actually handled it for the most part.

Maybe some help from the lone manager of the day and that was really it for help with it all.
Did that for a couple of years, wasn't too bad but it was what it was.

Speaking of the freezer, unloading the truck was fun when you played catch with cases of fries on an ice-slick floor and it would knock you all the way to the back just catching it, then you'd "Ice Skate" back up just to catch another one.
They also wanted those trucks unloaded ASAP, as in yesterday when it arrives.

And don't miscount what comes in, double or even triple-check things to make sure if you're short on something according to the paperwork, it wasn't you that made it that way.

And if you are short something you'd best say so immediately.

 

Ecchi is correct about being on the good side of management because if you're not, it can be alot worse and you don't have to guess what that consists of with some of those in management just to get there..... And stay there too.
BTW that applies to any fast food place, not just there.

You do occasionally get into one that's decent to good to work at, if so in your case, count yourself lucky.

 

I'll admit I did learn alot during my time there, I just wish I could have learned alot of those lessons elsewhere.

 

[RasmusDC]

a big part of my cousins worked in McD as normal employees one was the guy that runs the full site from the day it was buildt.. they all loved it..

 

The culture, and the hard working, and the friends.. they had a really strong bond as employees.

 

that was the Danish McD, at the younger days when it started in Denmark, all are on to bigger and better things, and most just as part time while studying, only one as a early career..

 

the base salary in Danish McD was okay.. and it was a clean working enviroment. and you got "%" on top when called in outside normal working hours or doing extra time..

 

The danish BASE salery for a new employee is around 25 dollars / hour guess it is 50% on top for extra working hours and 100% for weekend hours, or more than 2 hours over work..

 

i´ve heard the working enviroment has degraded since 20 years ago. 

[OnionRings]

Well judging by everybody's experiences (ty for sharing), it sounds like pure hell... I really hope I have a better run at it, but ill probably look for other work pretty soon into it if I don't like my first 2 weeks or so. It wasn't my first choice by any means but I have been unemployed for almost 4 months now and my unemployment checks are running dry, plus they just aren't enough. I wouldn't even have this opportunity if it wasn't for my brother in law already working there and putting in good work for me... I think what I'm dreading the most is that I have to walk 1.9 miles to and from every day, I plan to get a bike once I can afford a good one with a good comfortable seat, but until then, I gotta get these gamer legs pumping.

[kokakolia]

1 hour ago, OnionRings said:

Well judging by everybody's experiences (ty for sharing), it sounds like pure hell... I really hope I have a better run at it, but ill probably look for other work pretty soon into it if I don't like my first 2 weeks or so. It wasn't my first choice by any means but I have been unemployed for almost 4 months now and my unemployment checks are running dry, plus they just aren't enough. I wouldn't even have this opportunity if it wasn't for my brother in law already working there and putting in good work for me... I think what I'm dreading the most is that I have to walk 1.9 miles to and from every day, I plan to get a bike once I can afford a good one with a good comfortable seat, but until then, I gotta get these gamer legs pumping.

Can you find a job in construction? It’s way less stressful than working in a chain restaurant. You get to joke around all day long. You mostly wait and work a little. It’s not as physical as it seems.

[OnionRings]

11 hours ago, kokakolia said:

Can you find a job in construction? It’s way less stressful than working in a chain restaurant. You get to joke around all day long. You mostly wait and work a little. It’s not as physical as it seems.

I can try but im a bit unfit atm

[TempestCatto]

On 3/11/2020 at 5:17 AM, OnionRings said:

Wawa

Fuck yeah, better than Sheetz (or Shitz as we call it).

(sorry, just came here to say that. i'd fight to the death for Wawa)

[nonsense42]

14 minutes ago, TempestCatto said:

Fuck yeah, better than Sheetz (or Shitz as we call it).

(sorry, just came here to say that. i'd fight to the death for Wawa)

kwik trip = seven eleven = wawa

 

 

cHAnGe mY MinD

[TempestCatto]

5 minutes ago, nonsense42 said:

kwik trip = seven eleven = wawa

 

 

cHAnGe mY MinD

None of those are equal though.

[nonsense42]

1 minute ago, TempestCatto said:

None of those are equal though.

i've been all over the country and i've seen it all.

 

sure they're not exactly the same, but the same can be said about all linux distros, sure they're slightly different but when you boiled it down they're the saaaaame. you can get hot dogs in all 3

 

 

 

i have this argument with my roommate every day.

[kokakolia]

8 hours ago, OnionRings said:

I can try but im a bit unfit atm

You don’t have to be fit unless you’re building roofs.