To think I shouldn't be sneered at for working at McDonald's?

[Dinkleberg]

Regular poster but NC for this. I have a degree. I did have a full time job related to my degree but unfortunately was made redundant whilst on mat leave in October last year (and wasn't entitled to redundancy pay as I'd been there less than 2 years). So when my mat pay ended last month I needed to find a job fairly swiftly! Unfortunately I couldn't find a job related to my degree and bills were piling up, so I applied for anything I could find, and McDonald's came up.

I got the job and am really enjoying it, its it's a 10 minute walk away, the hours fit in perfectly around my children and DHs hours (I do evenings and weekends) and of course it helps pay the bills and put food on the table! I'm starting my Masters in October and again the flexibility the job offers is good.

But recently I had a catch up/conversation with a friend who I hadn't seen for a few months. We talked about what we were doing now etc and when I mentioned I was working at McDonald's she seemed baffled and embarrassed for me? Said "But you have a degree so why are you working there?". When I said it was to pay the bills until I could complete my Masters, and that the hours were perfect for me in terms of childcare ect she was like "But surely anything is better than bloody McDonald's?"

Is working at McDonald's really something to be embarrassed about?? A job is a job surely? And said friend eats at McDonald's so surely she realises someone has to prepare and serve her food? I should say a lot of my colleagues are students.

I left the conversation feeling quite deflated 😞 I know I shouldn't care what others think but I do! Sometimes too much.

YANBU - she's being horrible and you shouldn't be sneered at
YABU - she has a point

Currently work for NHS - and I know full well that you are probably paid better and treated better than me.

Anyone who thinks working in Mcdonalds is beneath then needs to give their head a wobble. Its got so many benefits and career progression for their staff.

Your friend is a huge snob. You keep doing what's best for you and your family and ignore any negativity.

Ps my niece started at 16 in McDonald's and now is a store manager, as in the top manager (fully company owned branch) they sponsored her various qualifications and she owns a house at 24 (not SE I admit)

YANBU

I wonder how pragmatic she would be if she had to feed her children, and how positive her attitude would be.

I’ve done shelf stacking and honestly preferred it to a lot of the office work I did for decades.

They have a good reputation as employers and I know a lot of people who worked for them and loved it, particularly as students working around other commitments.

I wouldn’t work there because I’m a geriatric hippy with a long memory - McLibel in particular. They were responsible for terrible environmental practices for decades and having campaigned, marched, protested etc against them throughout the 80s and 90s I’d be a hypocrite to work for them now.

However, the world has changed and they are much more environmentally responsible now, thanks to changing laws and public pressure.

Any job that puts food on the table is indeed as a poster said above honourable. Also McDonalds is an excellent employer.

This is the job that suits you and you can bounce from should you wish. McDonalds has excellent progression.

Even if you stay there for a long time in the same role you love it and it's fits in with your family.

Everyone I know has had jobs below their educational level for whatever reason and we've never looked down on each other.

This is no friend.

Good point

@Nocaloriesinchocolate her husband is a high earner so she doesn't! Absolutely nothing wrong with being a SAHM if you can afford it but not all of us can. I think this concept baffled her 😂

What a bumface!

Sounds like an ace job. I've always been so impressed by how staff work together well as a team in the kitchen, bit sad but I love watching.

Lol I've just sat here trying to work out where in the weekend I can nip off for a sneaky MaccyD's 😅

DD is working in between her degree and post grad in a minimum wage, but "worthy" job. Her best friend from her course is working at Tesco and is on £3 an hour more than her.

People really seriously piss me off sometimes. Your friend is being ridiculous. Our friends' son worked on one of those beer bikes while he was a student. There was a lot of teasing about it from various people, but a couple of people made remarks along the lines of 'well at least it's not McDonald's' - one of those people was his own mother😲 I do not get this at all. The staff at our local McDonald's are friendly and professional. We're in there a lot as my 10yo has a number of issues around food and one of the few things I can get him to eat at the moment is a McDonald's plain burger (sometimes two!)

You are brilliant. My son worked night shifts at a Tesco express when he was doing his masters. His now wife worked at a Jamie's pizza place. They had money to live on and time in the day to work on their degrees. You will need space in your brain to think about your masters work. If you were doing a hugely demanding job at the same time it would be too much with a family in the mix too. The routine of a customer facing job will allow you to earn while you learn and to add useful money to the family pot. Ignore your " friend". I took early retirement from teaching and got a job in Waitrose. When I told my mother the utter horror rendered her completely speechless. All she could say was " But whatever will your husband think". My husband thought the staff discount was excellent

There is nothing wrong with it. I did all kinds of jobs to support myself while I was doing my degree as a mature student.

@Tessisme I've never heard of a beer bike but it sounds fantastic! 😂

I think it is a hangover from teachers saying this in school. But everyone I've known who worked in McDonald's ended up doing better in life than those who didn't. Actually the one who stuck at it longer time is out earning everyone else now as got into management and then poached by a big company. I would never turn my nose up at it. We spend quite a lot of time and money there because it's the only place my neurodivergent kids will eat out, is affordable even on a very low budget and it's a lot cleaner than other fast food places as well. They have great toilet facilities, they can cater for most dietary requirements. They treat their staff well compared to other jobs in that area and give plenty of room for training and progression if you want to stay, and life balance/ flexibility if it's just a stock gap like in your case while studying. The only person I ever knew to not benefit from working at McDonald's is because they though they were too good for it, and that's the one thing McDonald's doesn't make space for, entitled snobs who won't muck in and be a part of the team.

It's a job. Is it the nicest job in the world? No. I did it myself for two years as a student, it was bloody hard work. There are plenty folk who work there and end up training and going into management and as far as I know, it's a very well regarded programme.

Anyone who sneers at someone for working at McDonalds, it says more about them than you.

I’ve got a STEM degree and speak several languages

my “dream job” is order-picked at sainsburys 5-8am. 😁

yoir friend is being a giant (s)nob.

in reality, many people working in shops, bars, fast food places are working there because it suits them at that time for whatever reason.Some have degrees, PhDs etc or are qualified skilled workers. I never make assumptions about people working in these places as one minute they might be working there and next they are elsewhere. A mum from the fee paying school where my daughter went now works at Tescos. Clearly the hours suits her. Her husband is a highly paid consultant. She gets to talk to everyone whilst at the till and loves it. Win win all round for Tesco’s and her.

1. no shame in working at maccies. You are contributing to your household in a COL crisis.

2. as other say, maccies has great career progression. Someone who went to school with my sister started flipping at 15. Now nearly 40 she is an area manager type earning mega bucks (posh sports cars designer handbags type mega bucks) with no traditional qualifications after GCSE.

3. double cheeseburgers are delish.

ditch her and keep enjoying your job

one of the best times I had in my life was when I worked in catering - hard work and low paid but rewarding and fun

people don’t believe me

I was a ‘shelf stacker’ in school, stayed part time while at Uni then joined their management programme. Became a store manager 10 years later, but still felt that people looked down at me because I worked in a supermarket. I think everyone needs to work in a customer facing role at some point -they way you are spoken to while working by customers can be absolutely disgusting.

I am speaking generally but some people enjoy retail/food industry or whatever just because they enjoy it, not just to earn money for uni, inbetween jobs as a second job

Some people just like it

Mines an double sausage and egg mcmuffin, hash brown and a coffee please.

Seriously she should get off her high horse. What's she suggesting you do.. claim benefits? You've got a job that fits your other commitments with a reputation for being a good employer and offering a structured promotion program.

OK so you're not earning as much as a city banker but neither are you commuting for hours to spend 10 hours in the office looking at screens. It sounds like Mcdonalds is perfect for this period of your life and she needs to take a long hard look at herself.

What a twatty attitude
Not good enough for you but you're happy if you get something from it ?