Company: McDonald-s
Date: 2016-04-30
Overall rating: 4/5
Employment status: former
Experience level: Junior

Great Entry Level Job
Pros: Great employee meal discount (50% off a single meal and free drinks during work hours). 

I worked at a franchise McDonald's so the staff were very close and like family (some were even actual family members). The company does not require too much prior experience and only a willingness to work. It is a great job to start learning how to deal with customers.

The management took it upon themselves to schedule many staff outings and events to establish camaraderie and closeness with the team. Whenever there were unexpected rushes, management also never hesitated to stop what they were doing in the back and help out either at the window or the grill.
Cons: Has some of the worst and rudest customer clientele of any retail job. Customers are extremely messy and don't clean up after themselves. Also attracts many homeless and hooligans around graveyard hours or downtown locations.

If you're working at a 24 hour McDonald's, periodic graveyard shifts are required but management is very reasonable about defecting these shifts to other employees if you are currently underage or still in secondary school.

An understaffed McDonald's can be very stressful to work. The counter space can be very cramped and it is difficult to organize customer orders. This problem has been addressed since though with a new number system and writing names on receipts.

The break room at my location was about as spacious as a cramped bathroom stall. If you were sharing your break with anyone else it was very uncomfortable.