When teenagers think of summer jobs, they often think of getting a job at a fast food restaurant. Sound simple? Think again. Teens who have actually worked at a fast food place like Kentucky Fried Chicken or McDonald’s say it’s not as easy as it looks.
Mai Chor Lee, a KFC employee, said, “Working at a fast food restaurant is a lot of work for a teenager. You have many expectations and you have to be very patient.”
Customers aren’t always in the best mood. If they are having a bad day, they will be grumpy and possibly rude. If you make the slightest mistake in their order they could cause commotion. If you say anything impolite to them they may complain to your manager, and that could lead to a job loss.
That’s not the only downside.
“I gained 14 pounds working at McDonalds,” said Cory Borgan, a former McDonald’s employee. Fast food isn’t a very healthy choice, but employees at McDonald’s get a discount when they eat there. So they tend to eat at the restaurant during breaks because it’s easy.
Another downside is that “You come out smelling like fast food,” said Perla Andrade, another former McDonald’s employee. After a while you can get tired of the atmosphere, the smell and the food. But the experience can help you get a different job.
The jobs require you to stand up most of the time, and you need some slip-safe shoes — the floors get slippery because of all of the fried food. Working at the cash register isn’t simple either. At the end of the day the money is counted to make sure that everything is in order.
At both KFC and McDonalds you have to wear a uniform: pants, a t-shirt with the company’s logo on it, and sometimes a cap. If you ever forget your uniform you have to borrow a friend’s uniform, including their name tag.
Being at school and having a fast food job isn’t that tough because most places let you adjust your schedule to suit your needs. Restaurants will hire teens as young as 15, but they often opt for adults when the job market is tight, as it is now.
It is work though, so you do get paid. If you are an inexperienced employee, you will usually get paid $6.50 an hour, but as time goes by, you may get a raise. You learn to work with other people, manage your time and deal with different types of people — experience to take to your next job.
I completely agree. Fast
I completely agree. Fast food is has to be one of the most challenging summer jobs. Not only do you have to put up with grumpy customers, but secret shoppers put pressure on the business to be perfect. One simple mistake can get you fired.
Geez, Mark ...
Aren’t you being a little harsh and more than a bit arrogant? How much about the world did you know at age 15 or 16? I bet you could already fill out your own tax form without ANY help whatsoever. I bet you filed your very own 1040, too, when you were a teenager. Had the answer for every question thrown your way. Got straight-A’s.
Part of the purpose behind ThreeSixty is to help students develop writing skills. You’re being disingenuous, to Luis and his friends, with your snarky remarks. Enjoy learning about their lives from THEIR perspectives. You might learn something about yourself along the way, too.
Life is about learning, Mark. We can’t all be expected to know how best to behave or manage our lives when growing up. Heck, there are plenty of adults out there who probably eat way too many fast food meals but can’t figure out why they’re so obese.
But if you just can’t make yourself aware that a 15-year old is not going to be as wise and experienced as, say, a 30-something (who, frankly, can also be stupid compared to 50- and 60-somethings), I would respectfully suggest taking a break from the Internet because there are an awful lot of people out there a whole lot smarter than you.
“Customers aren’t
“Customers aren’t always in the best mood. If they are having a bad day, they will be grumpy and possibly rude. If you make the slightest mistake in their order they could cause commotion. If you say anything impolite to them they may complain to your manager, and that could lead to a job loss.”
Welcome to the real world. I never knew that it was the customer’s responsibility to make the employee happy; I always thought it was the other way around.
In response to Cory Borgan gaining 14 pounds:
I know people who used to work at McDonalds and they told me that they don’t eat there after seeing how the food is “cooked.” How long did it take you to gain 14 pounds and was it McDonald’s fault or your own for not taking care of yourself?
In response to Perla Andrade smelling like fast food:
I work in a kitchen and after washing dirty dishes in the dish room you smell and feel like crap. That’s life. The question is whether smelling like fast food is worth the pay check.
“At both KFC and McDonalds you have to wear a uniform”
Really?
There are people who are living on the streets who can’t afford to eat and you’re complaining about gaining weight, smelling like fast food, and wearing uniforms. People are living in poverty that would jump at the chance to have what you have.
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