Company: McDonald-s
Date: 2014-11-30
Overall rating: 1/5
Employment status: current
Experience level: Junior

I couldn't wait to leave.
Pros: Free breaks (up to certain amount) and discount throughout stores. 
Co-workers easy to get along with.
Good opportunity for a first time job. 
Handing in your resignation is the most satisfying thing in the world,
Cons: I took a job at McDonalds when I was 16, as I wanted to start saving for university and also so that I was not so reliant upon my parents for money. I applied one day, got an interview the next and then started a week later. The interview process was quick and informed, making me excited to start within my position at McDonalds. 

 I arrived for my first shift, to the most patronising women I had ever met, who introduced herself as my crew trainer. Whilst I was doing my health and safety and food hygiene quizzes, she was complaining to a fellow co-worker that having to train me was 'wasting her time.' 

She then took me out onto the front where she told me I'd be on till, she hovered over me for around 2 customers and then disappeared and left me on my own. Understandably, I wasn't very fast as I had just started and I had some of the most rude customers who were complaining about me being slow- my crew trainer suddenly appeared and laughed along with them, afterwards telling me 'the customer is always right'-which I beg to differ.
I had extremely great shifts and extremely terrible shifts, there was never an in between. 

The older serving workers of McDonalds were all 'best friends', who joked around together and excluded those who were new. Especially the shift managers who had spent most of their life at McDonalds and had become power obsessed. However the co-workers were all nice and helpful.

 I specifically remember one lady who was shift manager, showed a clear dislike to me and on many occasions I heard her talking about me with fellow colleagues about how I was quiet and not very fast. She would leave me in peak time on my own in window 1 of drive thru, taking orders on head set and money at the same time, while complaining at me that I hadn't put the clothes in the washer. I had asked her several times if she could send someone to help me out (there was around 3 shift managers stood out front doing nothing) and she rolled her eyes and huffed at me. She then told me I 'worry to much'. 

After a while of being there I was put on drinks. Which I enjoyed much more than till. However the pressure of serving 'fast food' caused the management to constantly be pushing for better times on serve customers. On one specific cold day, we had orders of 9 hot drinks, yet we only had one hot drinks machine that makes a drink at a time. As the shift manager screeched at me to hurry up she told me to use drive-thru's, which I also had to wait for as it was in use. By the time I was hurrying around the corner with the drink in hand, I slipped on the wet floor and spilt hot coffee down my arm, the shift manger said nothing but to hurry up with the drinks.

I took the job during my summer holiday and specified to them that I was also taking 4 a-levels a sixth form and therefore my availability will have to change. Despite telling them this several times and changing it myself, they scheduled me during my college hours, I would ring them and tell them and every time they would be annoyed at me. My original manager, a nice man, who was extremely helpful left a few weeks after I arrived at McDonald's and was replaced my the sister of the shift manager who already disliked me. Some weeks she would schedule me in for one shift and then some weeks, 3-4 times. One week she put me on for 21 hours, leaving me on 3 shifts of 7 hours- usually without a break. The management was extremely unorganised and would leave the store either being over staffed or under staffed, it was never right. I was once sent home 5 hours early due to over staffing. 

The customers either made me hate my shift or enjoy it slightly more than normal. Rude customers were one of the worst parts of the job, they spoke down to you and treated you as If you were completely stupid. I had several who shouted at me for just clarifying orders. I remember one day the milkshake machine breaking (nothing that could be helped, especially by me), I told the customer this and they sat and shouted at me, telling me I needed to fix it- but I had to remain calm and apologise (as the customer is always right), I also had one man when clarifying his order shouted at me 'yes. exactly like the first time I told you.' I was also faced with many young males who made comments about my body and they way I looked and thought it was completely acceptable. (Also despite management being around the witness this, they never said anything) However the kind customers made a lasting impression, that I will always remember. 

I can honestly say I learn a lot through McDonalds (despite most of it being bad). Without the experience I received I would not have had the opportunity to take the job I now have, which makes me extremely thankful. My advice would be if you have a job at McDonalds do not see it as a long-term opportunity as those that do, seem that they will be serving burgers for the rest of there life- and have little other prospects. Along with leaving the job at McDonalds I no longer eat from there- as I have witnessed how the food has been cooked and prepared. Cooks don't wash their hands often (usually just one, at the start of their shift) and I have also witnessed food being dropped on the floor and still be used.