would you work in Mcdonalds and the like?

Robsweezie

I would be of the opinion that a job is a job, but I've noticed that working at McDs and the like has become a cultural symbol for failure and underachievement in life, the ''fries with that'' line used as an insult in internet memes and general mocking. is a job at Mcdonalds really something to be scoffed at?

I used to think that working there would be embarrassing and a personal downgrade for anyone, to be honest I still wouldn't work there unless I was desperate, mainly because of the stigma itself, if there were none than I would gladly do so. but that's just me succumbing to societal pressure. I sort of get the stigma as the work related is seen as unchallenging and mundane, ''flipping burgers'' and serving up chips. but I've been to McDs recently and the staff are usually a nice bunch, so no disrespect to them as people. the image of the ''school dropout'' and hearing parents telling kids ''I don't want you ending up working in McDonalds'' doesn't help either. In some quarters its seen a quite a rewarding role full of opportunities, it being one of the most if not the most successful franchise in the world. and it IS a job. if you work hard and have a great attitude then you've little to be ashamed of surely? office jobs, medical pursuits, college degrees aren't for everyone. I think twice before looking down my nose at the staff nowadays, especially when they're as down to earth as they are. it's just a job to me. it pays the bills.

so how about you? and would you mind your kids working there if its what they chose?

Stheno

Worked there when I was in college, some of the hardest work I've done

Was in the older one on O'Connell st in Dublin, we used have two people doing crowd control at the weekends

catallus

That's a bit of a snobby and outdated notion, if you don't mind me saying so.

Working in any of those places these days you have to have a fair bit of intelligence and ability to follow rules.

Personally, It wouldn't really be my idea of a great job but the pay isn't as bad (for the work you do) as a lot of people make out.

Aard

Personally it wouldn't be my first place to look for a job. But if were down on my luck then why not?

kneemos

No.

biko

I would but hope it never comes to that if it's anything like Des Bishop Work Experience in Abrakebabra

nokia69

a job is a job

I have always found that its easier to find a new job if you have one already

so any job is better than no job IMO

and of course you can't beat a good blow job

Fr_Dougal

I would never look down my nose at anyone that's prepared to work for a living.

Stheno

I actually enjoyed working there there was a real team spirit

The Backwards Man

I would no problem but I wouldn't eat their shite

vicwatson

Wouldn't bother me

Penny Tration

Worked in a similar place for a few years. No shame in it. I'd rather that than claim the dole for those few years.

Sunnyisland

Iam lovin it

Oink

I hope the day never comes when any honest job is beneath me.

FionnK86

I worked in a similar place and though it was unsatisfactory and was regularly scolded for having something slightly out of place on my uniform, it was better knowing I earned my €8.65/ hour and put myself through 2nd year of college rather than sit on my arse playing call of duty and asking my mam for a tenner to go out every friday.

The Backwards Man

Oink wrote: »

I hope the day never comes when any honest job is beneath me.

You'd be no good at the turf so!

FionnK86

The Backwards Man wrote: »

You'd be no good at the turf so!

Ahh footin' the turf is grand, especially doing it all for a few bottles of bulmers

nathang20

The first "real" job I ever had. I was 16 at the time and managed to work in McDonalds in Dalston, London. It was just before I was due to sit the leaving cert. For the couple of month I was there, I learned, a lot! It designed my brain to work in a different direction from the town I came from. I loved it there.

magentis

The Backwards Man wrote: »

I would no problem but I wouldn't eat their shite

No i wouldn't eat the sh1te of a mcdonalds employee either.

Kermit.de.frog

Anyone working to pay their way deserves respect whether it's a road sweeper or multi billionaire.

Anyone who is a lazy cock happy to scab off the dole for life or live off inheritance deserves ridicule and a whole lot more.

Robsweezie

Robsweezie wrote: »

I would be of the opinion that a job is a job, but I've noticed that working at McDs and the like has become a cultural symbol for failure and underachievement in life, the ''fries with that'' line used as an insult in internet memes and general mocking. is a job at Mcdonalds really something to be scoffed at?

I used to think that working there would be embarrassing and a personal downgrade for anyone, to be honest I still wouldn't work there unless I was desperate, mainly because of the stigma itself, if there were none than I would gladly do so. but that's just me succumbing to societal pressure. I sort of get the stigma as the work related is seen as unchallenging and mundane, ''flipping burgers'' and serving up chips. but I've been to McDs recently and the staff are usually a nice bunch, so no disrespect to them as people. the image of the ''school dropout'' and hearing parents telling kids ''I don't want you ending up working in McDonalds'' doesn't help either. In some quarters its seen a quite a rewarding role full of opportunities, it being one of the most if not the most successful franchise in the world. and it IS a job. if you work hard and have a great attitude then you've little to be ashamed of surely? office jobs, medical pursuits, college degrees aren't for everyone. I think twice before looking down my nose at the staff nowadays, especially when they're as down to earth as they are. it's just a job to me. it pays the bills.

so how about you? and would you mind your kids working there if its what they chose?

Its all in you head, two of the best paid people I know started out working in a franchise restaurant ( not McD ) as teens and now are in the senior management of the organisation. They are very well paid.

YurOK2

If I found myself out of work, I would obviously try to find work in my current field, which I have worked in for nearly 10 years. If I was unsuccessful I would then look anywhere else.
I wouldn't be embarrassed to work anywhere.
I would be more embarrassed to be sitting at home, scratching my arse, living off taxpayers and making no effort to find work.

thelad95

I know people working in McDonalds. They're paid relatively well for what is a low-skilled job, treated well by management and generally there always seems to be great camaraderie amongst the staff. It would certainly beat walking around a nightclub collecting glasses till 5:30am which some people would classify as better than working in McDonalds.

To Elland Back

Don't know the pay and conditions but from what I can see it is good, honest hard work. Of course, I would

JaseBelleVie

I worked in a fast food joint as a teenager (it was a "private" firm, not a McDonalds/BurgerKing/etc.), flipping burgers and the like. At the time, I hated it, but now, I'm looking back on it with almost American Beauty levels of fondness and nostalgia! In fairness, I was working with some great friends, we literally just spent a few hours there, got our money and then went drinking in the park for a few hours. All summer. Was great.

Nowadays, if I suddenly found myself unemployed and needing a job, I'd shovel sh*te from behind elephants at the circus if need be in order to pay the bills.

And, as Kevin Spacey himself said in the aforementioned film, "I have fast food experience!"

Fr_Dougal wrote: »

I would never look down my nose at anyone that's prepared to work for a living.

QFT. Anyone who is willing to go out, put the shoulder to the wheel and contribute to society is deserving of respect. Bear in mind, without the so-called "little people" (I hate that term) who serve us in shops, get us our coffee at Starbucks, serve us in restaurants, etc. the whole house of cards comes crashing down. Not everyone can be a bloody surgeon, architect, engineer, etc.

Also, bear in mind, most of the people working these jobs (or a good portion anyway) are college students or school kids who will soon move on to bigger and better things.

But for those who graft and make a living out of their jobs (no matter what the job is), they deserve respect. Even the most heartless c*nt alive can surely appreciate that fact?

Grayson

I know someone who worked the late shifts in abrakebabra in Castlebar. They were a student and so only worked night shifts. I think anyone who caters to drunken irish students deserves a medal.

The Backwards Man

Grayson wrote: »

I know someone who worked the late shifts in abrakebabra in Castlebar. They were a student and so only worked night shifts. I think anyone who caters to drunken irish students deserves a medal.

If their name was Barry that would be class.

FionnK86

FionnK86 wrote: »

Ahh footin' the turf is grand, especially doing it all for a few bottles of bulmers

And the tae, hang sangwiches, maybe even a simple aul salad

RayM

I wouldn't work in any job that involved serving anything to the general public. Flipping burgers would be grand, cleaning the toilets would be tolerable... but if there's one thing that I learned from working in a shop, it's that I'm not suited to dealing with customers. I'd sooner starve.

dudara

Wouldn't be first choice - but if a job is required, I wouldn't be thumbing my nose at them

freelancerTax

I worked in both already, while I was still in school for the princely sum of £3.20 an hour.

anyone who works any job deserves respect

I now work in a different industry and earn a lot more than 3.20 an hour, after working many different jobs since I was 14 and finally finding a career I liked

Miall108

Wouldnt let me dog work in there, some of the ignoramuses that come in there would be leaving through a window if I was working there and received the dog abuse fast food workers have to put up with at times. Either that or they'd be finding a creamy surprise in their McChicken Sandwich

Ruu

I worked in telemarketing, being roared at by customers over the phone at least 70% of the time for 8 hours a day, wouldn't turn down any job.

TheBeardedLady

I've worked in almost every kind of service job going and I'd have do any service industry-type job now if I had to but I'd probably draw the line at McDonalds/Burger King/KFC etc. I'd even work in Miffy's Tasty Burger Diner in Ballyfermot (doesn't exist - don't look for it) before I'd work in any super chain fast food place but I can't really explain why - probably 'cos I don't eat in places like that and the food is depressing and made of polystyrene and cows lips 'n' shizzle and the staff don't look as if they've much a larf when you go in. The larfs with fellow workers would be what keeps me going in a job like that.

Penny Tration

TheBeardedLady wrote: »

I've worked in almost every kind of service job going and I'd have do any service industry-type job now if I had to but I'd probably draw the line at McDonalds/Burger King/KFC etc. I'd even work in Miffy's Tasty Burger Diner in Ballyfermot (doesn't exist - don't look for it) before I'd work in any super chain fast food place but I can't really explain why - probably 'cos I don't eat in places like that and the food is depressing and made of polystyrene and cows lips 'n' shizzle and the staff don't look as if they've much a larf when you go in. The larfs with fellow workers would be what keeps me going in a job like that.

Myself, two other managers and most of the day staff used to run around the kitchen squirting ketchup from sauce guns at each other. Does that count as a laugh?

catallus

Jenny Thalia wrote: »

Myself, two other managers and most of the day staff used to run around the kitchen squirting ketchup from sauce guns at each other. Does that count as a laugh?

Euphemism?

TheBeardedLady

Jenny Thalia wrote: »

Myself, two other managers and most of the day staff used to run around the kitchen squirting ketchup from sauce guns at each other. Does that count as a laugh?

Indeed it does. The secret laughs going on behind the scenes! Sign me up!

Worked there in college. They were good people and they had promotions, manager progress if you wanted to stay in it a bit longer, they had scholarship offers, very flexible about shifts if you needed more/fewer what with college work etc. It was hard hard work all right, had the "below min wage" going on, and the customers, jaysus. Plus I was lucky as we were a non-restaurant franchise so no cleaning up tables or bathrooms
Shame, though? No shame in it!!
Got people thinking you must be thick if you worked there all right though which was pretty infuriating. friend of a friend tried sneering at me one day "oh well you work there so you can't be the brightest" - my friend bless her put him straight fairly sharp. He wasn't the only one though

Ah well

Aongus Von Bismarck

I never worked in McDonalds, and I've moved rather further along in my career in Finance to consider taking a job flipping burgers and dealing with drunks at 3am in the morning. Nor would I ever consider defiling my body by eating the horrific food they serve up. That said, they do seem to instill a good work ethic in their employees. A McJob is no bad thing to have in your work experience if you are a young graduate looking for your first 'real' job.

The Backwards Man

Aongus Von Bismarck wrote: »

I never worked in McDonalds, and I've moved rather further along in my career in Finance to consider taking a job flipping burgers and dealing with drunks at 3am in the morning.

Never say never Aongus.

mikemac1

McDonalds treat staff better than many Irish hotels

They have better cleanliness and food hygiene too!

Sanchez83

It should be mandatory to work in a fast food chain for a period of time when your young.It would probably be more beneficial than 4th year in secondary school.
It would install a good work ethic from a young age and encourage teens to better themselves so they don't have to ever go back to it!

SMJSF

I applied for a position for the airport drive true last year, and got through the first interview process, and "failed" for the second.
You've to go around the seats cleaning, giving vouchers to people, and balloons to kids.
The place had 3 customers.1 reading the paper, and two drinking coffee.
For 15 minutes, I walked around the place nearly losing my mind! It felt like 2 hours!.
And this is the one near O'Connell bridge.
After that I knew I didn't want it. I didn't get it, thankfully after that torture! was kind of offended, because the little voice started saying: well if your not "good" enough for McDonald's, what good are you for anyone 0.o

I was talking to someone about it recently, and said that McDonald's don't particularly like taking people on who they think will have an opinion, or say what they could approve on (which I do, alot!!). And I've a list of things McDonald's should change- including some very uncomfortable solid plastic seating In some places!!!

Nucular Arms

I actually applied there about a year or two ago when I couldn't get any graduate work and got rejected.

If ever there was a day for re-assessing my life it was that day!

jimgoose

Probably not at this hour of my life, but I certainly wouldn't see it as anything to be looked down on. A week's wages is not to be sneezed at, there'll be owt f'nowt anyroad, lad.

DareGod

I would not like to work in any fast food place. No job is beneath me, but I am too insecure in myself.

A lot of people will say that they would have no problem working there, but I don't believe a lot of them.

DrGreenthumb

look at all the sweet and sour comments

Wang King

FionnK86 wrote: »

Ahh footin' the turf is grand, especially doing it all for a few bottles of bulmers

Bulmers me bollix! You'll be doing it for cold tae in a glass milk bottle and a hang sangwich!

How Soon Is Now

Never worked in Mc Donalds but worked in three Burger kings.

Dogs work.

IsMiseMyself

I wouldn't--but that's my laziness talking.

CiDeRmAn

I worked there while I was in college, way way back in 89.
I have to say, there were useless slackers, odd balls (like me) and nice and genuine people, all working away.

What people don't get is that, regardless of the "status" of a given type of employment, there is an intrinsic value to a job well done, to give good service, to do your best.
This is not to say people aren't exploited but this again isn't the exclusive purview of the lower paid.
McDonald's, at the time I was there at least, placed great value on a job well done, done to a high standard and respected and rewarded those who sought promotion.

Society is as dependant on lower paid, unskilled labour as it is on higher paid professional classes of employment, it might be true to say that it might crumble quickly if lower paid workers simply disappeared, despite Ms Rand and her claims it's the other way around.
All strata are interdependent, but our system puts greater value on the executive level, the managers rather than the doers.