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

Nothing wrong with working in McDonalds. Each time we go there, DS says he'd like to get a job there. If that's what he wants to do, then why not?

A friend of ours, who has a degree, works in a supermarket café. She's happy, and the hours work for her so that she's home when her DC get home from school.

I've experienced the same OP, and it feels rubbish!
I've worked at KFC a few years ago and most of the morning staff were parents who could do their shift after dropping kids off at school and were able to finish in time to do the pick up.
Teens and young adults were mostly on afternoon/evening shifts and weekends. It really can fit a family schedule quite well and a student's schedule too. It's a flexible work environment and it's easy to get cover if DC gets ill etc.
I actually enjoyed it on some days.
Like you though, I have found many people seemed almost embarrassed and looked down at it. I always felt like I had to justify myself with saying "it pays the bills" but in reality I did like it and it was a good experience. My colleagues were great.

Sometimes, depending on who I was talking with, I felt it was easier to say I worked in a restaurant rather than in a fast food. I just didn't want to see their judgment (as some have really upset me). I don't know why people feel the way they do about it.
It's hard to ignore those comments, but there's nothing wrong with working in a fast food restaurant (and enjoying it too)! xxx

Working behind a counter and dealing with the public is bloody hard work (I know, I've done it). You're working, earning, it suits your set-up, you like it.

Your friend is a judgemental cow. Ignore her. To quote another poster 'all work is honourable.' I know there are jobs I couldn't do (street cleaning comes to mind) but I very much appreciate the people who do them.

It still does, a friends grandson works at McDonalds in Australia, his own mum thought it was just a stop gap while he was at college until she attended an awards ceremony for him and other McDonalds employees. He’s since been offered a business management course with them.
OP, ignore your friend, she’s a snob. I had the same attitude from friends when I went into retail..shelf filling was mentioned, One friend came into the shop and saw me behind the counter, she made a beeline for me so I’d have to serve her. “Can’t believe you’re shelf filling”.
I was actually the manager on that particular department.

It's a bike usually hired out by hen parties and the like, OP! Everyone cycles while they get more and more drunk. Maybe it's a Belfast thing. People here are always looking for new ways to get blootered.

This thread has been enlightening. I have to admit that if someone I knew ended up working at McDonald's I would probably feel bad for them. I definitely have negative associations with it and I think it can be seen as shameful. Which is terrible! Reading all the replies has definitely made me think again. I didn't realise they were a respected, flexible employer.

PS we have Ukrainian refugees with us. The mother who has 2 degrees has gone from being a lawyer in a highly specialised area to cleaning rooms in a hotel and she's proud of what she does because it puts food in her children's tummies, means she can contribute to bills and gets her out of the house. She's been here a year and is now a team manager. She obviously misses the career she worked hard for as I'm sure you sometimes do but like you has taken what life's thrown at her as have you.

I’m a teacher and often think about leaving the job to work in Mcdonald’s.
Keep your head high and take no notice of your friend. Be proud of adapting to your families needs and enjoying the job.

Your friend is a judgemental dick, I never judge people for what work they do, only for the ones that don't work when they could. If you were my pal the first thing I would have asked was 'do you get free food?'. That perhaps says more about me though!

My brother used to work for McDonald's and people underestimate how hard the staff there work. Ignore your friend.

@Tessisme that is amazing! 😂

@Shgytfgtf111 we do get free food! A free meal each shift and unlimited drinks/coffees.

However, you are part of an organisation that is a significant contributor to poor diet and obesity in this country

Anyone would think they're sending out hit squads forcing people into their shops.

My son in law worked there as a student when he was doing his Accountancy degree. He did part of the Management training programme whilst he was studying and during the holidays.
When he graduated, he fought of fierce competition for graduates for a top Accountancy firm, because he'd done the McDonald's training. Absolutely excellent.
Wish people weren't so sniffy about McDonald's, it's a fabulous career.

To clarify, I wouldn't be asking the friend to get me free food, it would be to class it as a perk. Never mind. I want a maccies now!

I second this. I've never worked at McDonalds but have been leading on one of their contracts and I was amazed at the type of organisation they are. They treat their supply chain really well and really looked after us through the covid period (when our other contracts ditched us). They were very reputable and I'd not hesitate to recommend them as a company to work for. I've even encouraged my DSs to apply for a job with them when they're old enough as the training they offer staff is excellent.

Your friend is being horrible.

Lucky for my waistline, I don't have a car! 😂

Except that working in McDonalds isn’t low skilled or dead end, nor is it unpleasant.

There’s also no flipping burgers and it isn’t the same as working in somewhere like Pret, because there isn’t the same world class training or excellent profession there as in McDonalds.

I have an amazing job and make well over 100k.

My first ever job was in McDonald's. I think I was on £2.80p/h. I learnt the value of money and to take pride in a job well done. The amount of cleaning and standards expected were a total shock to me. It was the hardest job I've ever done and I learnt more from that than any other job I've had since. Your friend is a mug.

There's never ever any shame in hard work. Your friend is an idiot.

She is a twat.

I'm a oil & gas engineer but I work PT as a dinner lady at a school be cause like you it fits with family life.

I would do any job that fit around kids, no job is too good for me. People who look down on jobs are idiots.

I have also worked at McDonalds when I left school, I found it a fabulous learning curve , its fast paced and stressful at times. I felt it gave me a great work ethic. Plus they are a great employer.

Ignore that moron.

My daughter finished her A levels last year, working part time for McDonalds throughout. She then couldn’t decide what she wanted to do so continued to work for them, picking up enough shifts to work full time. She is currently area leader and looking to move to shift manager in the next few months.
It really wasn’t what I wanted for her, my own snobbery, but she loves it. She wants to go to work each day. She has so many friends there and actually enjoys herself. I’m not sure too many of us can say that and our working years are quite long.

What a cow. If it fits in with you and your family then that's all that matters.

No one should.be sneered at for what they do. If anything you are to be applauded because it looks like bloody hard work to me. I can imagine that there are great career opportunities at Macdonalds. It will certainly help develop skills and provide experiences that will be useful for your CV. (Start noting down strong examples as they happen eg how you dealt with a difficult customer; how you resolved conflict within your team; how you noticed something you can be doing more efficiently and how you presented it to your boss etc )

Having said all of the above, we all had time to think about your situation and respond appropriately. To be fair on your friend, she was put on the spot and didn't really have time to reflect. If we are honest, I think we'd all be a bit surprised at a friend with a degree working for Macdonalds. I'm sure you friend on reflection will understand why you're doing what you're doing.

She's a snob with no idea.

I worked at McDonald's through uni, as did many of my friends. Most of us ended up in the management programme, I did breakfasts before lectures, and it funded my degree. One friend who was studying economics actually stayed with McDonald's after graduating and is now vv high up.

What does she think you should be doing instead?

What a horrible friend.

It's hard to find employment that fits around family life.

Working at McDonald's is because it's hard bloody work! I applaud you for doing it at the same time as being a mother.

Great company to work for too from what I've heard.