Are there any fast food workers here?

Jess Stryker

Jess Stryker

Mama said to knock you out
As the title suggests, I'm curious as to who is working at or has worked at a fast food place. Reason I'm curious is because I've been looking for a job now on and off for about 10 months with no luck. And because I know how my luck is, I get the feeling that I'm going to have to soon consider a job in the food industry, at least for the time being, as much as I'd rather not.

Basically, my question is this. What is it like to work at a fast food place? I've tried looking it up on google in the past, and all I ever seem to get are the horror stories. Sure, it's not glamorous, but it can't be THAT BAD, can it?

Also, waiters, waitresses, people in the food industry that aren't in fast food, feel free to chip in. I just didn't include you in the title as I don't personally think I have what it takes to be a waiter and I know I can't cook worth a damn.
 
It sounds like you think working in the food industry is beneath you. Pretty smug for a guy who can't find a job in 10 months.
 
I never worked in fast food persay..but during high school I worked at a Pizza Hut as a cook as well as a busser at a high end restaurant. Pizza Hut really was not that bad. I actually enjoyed working there as a cook. I enjoyed working with people from my school along with hearing stories from the older people that worked there. The pay was not that great and I eventually went back to bussing where I made a good amount of money for my age.

**edit** and I think jimmieeeemac hit on the head when he said that you feel that you are better than fast food. Why even consider it if you're just going to belittle it.
 
I'm considering it because I'm starting to run out of money (down to around $400). And it's not belittling it more so out of fear. I know I can't cook, I doubt I could be a waiter, and with the stories I hear about fast food places...
 
[quote name='JStryke']I'm considering it because I'm starting to run out of money (down to around $400). And it's not belittling it more so out of fear. I know I can't cook, I doubt I could be a waiter, and with the stories I hear about fast food places...[/QUOTE]

The reason why you hear so many bad things about the fast food restaurant industry is that you have to deal with crap from the customers. It's really how much you can tolerate crap.
 
[quote name='kilm']The reason why you hear so many bad things about the fast food restaurant industry is that you have to deal with crap from the customers. It's really how much you can tolerate crap.[/QUOTE]

I understand that, but at the same time, you hardly ever (or at least not as much compared to fast food) hear the bad things about retail jobs.
 
[quote name='JStryke']I understand that, but at the same time, you hardly ever (or at least not as much compared to fast food) hear the bad things about retail jobs.[/QUOTE]

You really are a CAG in training. All I see on here is people complain about retail jobs. Find a job, get paid, and look for a better job while you work if you feel your job is beneath you.
 
Look for a high end restaurant and try and see if they need any bussers. It was a really sweet gig for me in high school. Doing so will probably get you paid the same amount as a fast food job per hour plus you'd get tips as well.

That is all the advice I have.
 
[quote name='Dingleberry']Look for a high end restaurant and try and see if they need any bussers. It was a really sweet gig for me in high school. Doing so will probably get you paid the same amount as a fast food job per hour plus you'd get tips as well.

That is all the advice I have.[/QUOTE]

Explain this please. I'll admit I'm not the most knowledgeable when it comes to the workings of a restaurant, but how does the busboy get the tips? Or is that only for places where the tips are split amongst the staff?
 
[quote name='JStryke']Explain this please. I'll admit I'm not the most knowledgeable when it comes to the workings of a restaurant, but how does the busboy get the tips? Or is that only for places where the tips are split amongst the staff?[/QUOTE]

Every place that has bussers, that I know of, the servers have to tip a percentage of their sales to the bussers as well as bartenders. This is true at the restaurant I worked at and I know for sure at Red Robin.
 
If you live in California, Arizona, or Nevada In-n-Out is a great place to work. I worked there during high school for a couple years when the minimum wage was $6.25 and starting pay at In n out was around $7.50.

Working as a bus boy doesn't seem to bad, and might fit you better since you don't seem to want to work fast food.

Since you're on this site, I'd recommend a job at a game store or other retail store. I moved to Best Buy after In n out and enjoyed it a lot more because the discount was nice and I loved working with electronics.
 
[quote name='JStryke']Explain this please. I'll admit I'm not the most knowledgeable when it comes to the workings of a restaurant, but how does the busboy get the tips? Or is that only for places where the tips are split amongst the staff?[/QUOTE]
Tips are typically split between the waiters, busboys and the hostess(not sure about the last one).

I worked at In-n-Out for a bit over 2 years and honestly, it wore on me. A few months in front of a deep fryer and my hands started to smell like fries no matter what I did to them. Working there was also bad for my health as it raised my blood pressure a good bit and i gained like 20 lbs.

Like others have suggested, go for a sit down restaurant if you want to work in the food industry. At least then you get some sort of tips when you work and have to take crap from irate customers who blame you for their mistakes.
 
A job is what you make it. I never worked in fast food, but have worked retail. It was interesting. Basically seeing all walks of life everyday is highly amusing, IMO.

Always remember: ANY income is better than no income and just because you work somewhere that kind of sucks, you don't have to be there forever.

But then, who knows. You may turn out to like it. Work hard, get promoted and move up. As long as you have an income who cares what you do.
 
hmmm no lube hand jobs, what do those run these days? $5
Glad to see back Jimmie

Just take the job OP, just don't be like me and realize a year or so down the road you might be in it for the long haul, you can always keep looking.
 
I took a cook job at Ruby Tuesday while I was looking for work in my field and I absolutely hated it. I like to cook as well, but it's a different animal in a restaurant kitchen. Some people are cut out for it, but I wasn't. Some of the guys took adderall to keep up on the weekend rushes and I always lagged behind. As someone else said, after working with the fryer the smell will linger on your body and your clothes and my bedroom smelled like it from the clothes as well. My ex managed a restaurant as well and she'd come home with that same nasty kitchen scent on her too and it drove me crazy. I'd go retail if I found myself in that position again.
 
Have you heard the one about the choosy beggar?

EDIT: One thing I keep forgetting to mention about fast food businesses: you can get a promotion to management quicker.

After you have a year or so of management experience, that will trump education with many employers.

For example, I have a BS in Computer Science, but I'm still tech support. If I had lead a group of horny teenagers through the lunch shift at McDonald's for a few months, I could be a lead, supervisor or manager with no more than an AS.
 
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I hear working for In-N-Out Burger is actually pretty damn awesome. I hear the people who own the chain actually give a shit about employees AND customers.

[quote name='Brownjohn']If you live in California, Arizona, or Nevada In-n-Out is a great place to work. I worked there during high school for a couple years when the minimum wage was $6.25 and starting pay at In n out was around $7.50.

Working as a bus boy doesn't seem to bad, and might fit you better since you don't seem to want to work fast food.

Since you're on this site, I'd recommend a job at a game store or other retail store. I moved to Best Buy after In n out and enjoyed it a lot more because the discount was nice and I loved working with electronics.[/QUOTE]
 
I worked at McDonald's in high school. I was actually an order taker for the lobby and sometimes the drive-thru.

It really wasn't that bad. Pay with McDonald's was 75 cents or so over minimum wage, which was nice. Some customers were rude/unfriendly, but if you can shake it off and not worry about it, it's an easy job.
 
[quote name='fatherofcaitlyn']Have you heard the one about the choosy beggar?

EDIT: One thing I keep forgetting to mention about fast food businesses: you can get a promotion to management quicker.

After you have a year or so of management experience, that will trump education with many employers.

For example, I have a BS in Computer Science, but I'm still tech support. If I had lead a group of horny teenagers through the lunch shift at McDonald's for a few months, I could be a lead, supervisor or manager with no more than an AS.[/QUOTE]
Less than that honestly, at least around here.
 
At the end of high school and through my 2 years at community college I worked at McDonalds for a total of 3 years. I know people make fast food out to be a terrible experience but mine was more enjoyable than anything else. Working part time with people your own age fucking off while making sandwiches was good times. Of course you have bad times there but its really what you make of it. I honestly had a lot of fun working there.

On the other hand I worked at a Halloween store one season and absolutely hated it. My employer made me do the stupidest shit and the people were generally assholes. A majority of the time was me standing there waiting for someone to ask me a question which was beyond boring.
 
I worked in the back in a Hardee's for a few months nearly a decade ago in college.

It pretty much sucked. Hot, dirty, greasy work that paid minimum wage. Working the front is a bit easier, but then you have to deal with asshole customers, so it's a trade off.

I'd suggest looking for a job waiting tables if food service is a serious option. It still sucks, but not as bad, and you'll make a lot more money.

Otherwise, working retail in a place like Macy's isn't bad for minimum wage or a bit over. Much easier than fast food food or a grocery store since you're just working a register here and there (only constantly busy on the weekend and near the holidays) and spend a lot of time just putting new clothes out out on the floor and new price tags on things that have been marked down.
 
I got to say something about this to the OP, I can certainly relate to being unemployed for so long (almost a year here) but have you even consider starting up a business? I have and now wished that I could of started this long ago.
 
[quote name='JimmieMac']It sounds like you think working in the food industry is beneath you. Pretty smug for a guy who can't find a job in 10 months.[/QUOTE]

This is exactly what I thought after reading the OP.
 
[quote name='EnronLackey']I got to say something about this to the OP, I can certainly relate to being unemployed for so long (almost a year here) but have you even consider starting up a business? I have and now wished that I could of started this long ago.[/QUOTE]

That's definitely an option if he has the capital--or can get the needed loans with credit still being tight.

Also it's KEY to have a very clever idea for the business to provide something that people will spend money--even in this economy and people being much tighter with their spending.
 
[quote name='dmaul1114']That's definitely an option if he has the capital--or can get the needed loans with credit still being tight.

Also it's KEY to have a very clever idea for the business to provide something that people will spend money--even in this economy and people being much tighter with their spending.[/QUOTE]

http://www.gmarketing.com/

Depends on the business.
 
Don't just limit it to fast food - you can always check out working retail, too. Back in high school and college, I worked as a cashier at an Ace Hardware. Yeah, it was boring and sucked hard once it got busy (especially the day after Thanksgiving and weekends around Christmas), but it wasn't so bad... just boring and not very challenging. Sure you have to put up the retarded general public, but whatever, make a joke of it. And, hey, a paycheck's a paycheck!
 
[quote name='fatherofcaitlyn']http://www.gmarketing.com/

Depends on the business.[/QUOTE]



Of course, which is why I said it's key to be clever and think of something thats unique to your area that people will spend cash on.

If it's too much of a luxury, it will probably tank. Or if its something that has a lot of competition, it will probably tank, as the people still spending money on that are probably loyal to the existing businesses.

But if you can find a need in you area, and fill it well, you could do very well.
 
Worked in a family restaurant when i was younger where we specialized in catfish. Imagine being 15/16 coming home smelling like onions and fish when your friends are out doing it big...and it was just me, my aunt, and a cousin. Yep.

I also worked at KFC for a semester my freshman year in college. I just did cashier for like 20 hours. The worst part was the uniform, because I'm a big guy and you know...one wash and that XXL goes to a XL...but there was a TV, radio w/speakers (I would plug in my ipod during the slow hours and have it like a club in there!) and all I had to do was take orders and wipe everything down

The good 'ol days....I wouldn't prefer to do it again, but, I didn't mind it (the KFC part...the family restaurant part....NEVER AGAIN, even though I'm now grown and the only way I would involve myself in it would be if I had to take it over)
 
[quote name='tcrash247']
On the other hand I worked at a Halloween store one season and absolutely hated it. My employer made me do the stupidest shit and the people were generally assholes. A majority of the time was me standing there waiting for someone to ask me a question which was beyond boring.[/QUOTE]

Question about the halloween store. I saw they're building one not too far from me (called "spirit" iirc), but are they only open for the holiday rush or are they open longer than that? I'm suspecting the former, but this particular one is opening where the old circuit city used to be in my area, so not too sure.

[quote name='EnronLackey']I got to say something about this to the OP, I can certainly relate to being unemployed for so long (almost a year here) but have you even consider starting up a business? I have and now wished that I could of started this long ago.[/QUOTE]

[quote name='dmaul1114']That's definitely an option if he has the capital--or can get the needed loans with credit still being tight.

Also it's KEY to have a very clever idea for the business to provide something that people will spend money--even in this economy and people being much tighter with their spending.[/QUOTE]

While it's not a bad idea, dmaul hit the nail on the head. I don't have any credit, and being out of a job, I don't have much in the way of money right now (I'm down to about $400). I have done random browsing in the past though and saw something interesting. Some place (I forget where) called Sarah's Smash Shack. Basically how it sounds. You go in there, and pay to break plates or whatever. I thought that would be neat, and while this particular business is successful, I don't know if something like that would work around here or not. People do have frustrations and allowing them to vent is something, and would be a unique market, no doubt about it. But not having any way of going about it doesn't leave it as an option at this point in time. Plus, I never saw myself as management / owner material. So I guess there's that downside of it too.

[quote name='ducttapeBigSexy']Don't just limit it to fast food - you can always check out working retail, too. Back in high school and college, I worked as a cashier at an Ace Hardware. Yeah, it was boring and sucked hard once it got busy (especially the day after Thanksgiving and weekends around Christmas), but it wasn't so bad... just boring and not very challenging. Sure you have to put up the retarded general public, but whatever, make a joke of it. And, hey, a paycheck's a paycheck![/QUOTE]

Retail is actually what I have been trying. Grocery stores, pet stores, hardware stores, random stores in the mall, etc. Answer I always get is we're not hiring or we're accepting applications or even when I do get an interview, I never hear back. EVEN WHEN I CALL THEM BACK FOR AN ANSWER. Just once, when somebody says they're accepting apps, I want to tell them that I don't fucking care if you're taking apps, I fucking care if you're hiring.
 
Missed these posts, but since several people mentioned it, won't quote any single person.

@Pizza Drivers - I thought about driving in the past. But a few things that bug me.
1. Do you need to be good with directions? I thought I heard it's just reading a map and planning your route which doesn't seem to be too difficult, but when you're night driving, is it difficult to find the addresses?
2. I know the pizza is different, but I tried using a chef boyardee pizza kit a couple weekends back to see if I could make pizza. While it tasted ok, it was a pain to make as the dough kept sticking to my hand, wouldn't spread easily, and wasn't the best looking pizza in the world. I know that depending on how busy it is, the pizza boys sometimes help with making the pizzas too. And seeing them do the crazy things they do like throwing it in the air and what not, how easy is it really to make the pizzas? Putting topping on it is one thing, but doing the things I've seen with the dough, I dunno...

@People saying about fast promotion to becoming a manager - Yes, I know they can make more money, but there's a few reasons I have to say no to that.
1. My situation right now is very iffy. I'm moving here sometime this fall (although local), but the problem is, I might be moving again as early as next winter (depending on a situation with a friend of mine). If I take his offer, I'll be moving west about 800 miles iirc. So for the time being, it doesn't look like a wise move only for the possibility of a short tenure.
2. While I know it's a different business (newspaper industry - district manager), I know a manager personally. And the shit they put him through is not worth it. He's claimed management tore his family apart among other things. The hours are long, always on call, etc, and if something goes wrong, you gotta foot the bill. Let's say somebody quits, who's going to fill in for them? You are. That day off or vacation you were looking forward too? So much for that. Maybe I'll change my opinion on it whenever I move out, but for the time being, I don't see being a manager in my future at all. It's like I said in my previous post, I don't see myself as much of a leader either.
 
I worked at a Wendy's for a year and a half a couple of years ago. The job sucks obviously, but it's quite manageable. Being 16-17 at the time also helped as there was a lot of people my age that I became great friends with and that made that job awesome.
 
I'll amend.

First off, you need to be persistent in looking for ANY type of job. Now is the time to really hammer away at trying to find retail with seasonal positions opening up. It might be temporary but they might like you and try to keep you on after the holidays.. if not it's something for now. I'll sum up my experiences for you and maybe it'll help.

My first job was at a grocery store cashiering.. it really wasn't a bad gig at all and you get to work with people your age (something I ABSOLUTELY miss now that I work in accounting). I moved on to a different grocery store chain and hated it because they only let me bag at first and they'd leave me in the parking lot for an hour or more at a time to collect carts, so I left there rather quickly. After that I worked at a ohio based drug store chain and it was pretty good. Again, working with people my age I made friends and even dated a few co-workers (not always the disaster people say it is if you handle it right). I spent a year away at college and worked at Papa Johns for a month and it wasn't that great either. I had to beg for breaks and I was constantly yelled at for not using measured amounts of toppings (the pizza would sometimes look way too bare that way.. not what I would want if I ordered). It wasn't hard to make pizza but there's a slight learning curve to throwing dough. The key to getting it not to stick is tons of flour.

Anyway, I came home and went back to work for the drug store and things were good but I decided to try my hand at management and it turned me off so much that I took college courses on the side and basically took more each semester because I'd come home frustrated. It was hard to deal with people who don't want to listen to you because you're young (I was 21-24 when I managed) and I was third in command behind the head manager who devoted most of his time to skirt chasing and an assistant manager who was so messed up and doped up from depression from his divorce that he was constantly 'out of it'. In the end, I really wanted to care but I had no support and ended up burning out completely on the thought of sticking with it.

These are my experiences and my viewpoints from the circumstances they came about, so don't let me scare you away from anything. Like I said, some people are cut out for jobs that other people just aren't. And to be totally honest, I hate working altogether.. not because I'm lazy but because I haven't yet had a job that holds my interest and challenges me (looking for a new one right now). BUT if you can find a job you can stand and people you like to work with, it will make all the difference. You're young and you shouldn't have any problem with that yet. I still say go the retail route and just walk down the strip at your local mall and hit up everyone for apps and then call back a few days after to follow up. Keep a list if you have to, but you'll get some bites.
 
[quote name='JStryke']Question about the halloween store. I saw they're building one not too far from me (called "spirit" iirc), but are they only open for the holiday rush or are they open longer than that? I'm suspecting the former, but this particular one is opening where the old circuit city used to be in my area, so not too sure.[/QUOTE]

I'm pretty sure they're just renting the store, that seems to be the case for all Halloween stores around here. I have never heard of Spirit Halloween before but I did pass one the other day and it too was in a big place. The place I worked at was just in a mall, so I guess this could be different. Hell, there are Christmas shops that are open all year round.
 
Spirit Halloween in my areas always opens in an empty anchor building, they aren't permament at all.

'Accepting applications' at a retail joint usually translate to 'not hiring right now, but building up a backlog of people to call in case we need to or in case someone overly-qualified person applies'. Go ahead and turn one in, they stay on file for a few months on most places, but don't expect them to call you.

The main problem you're going to have in any retail/waiting tables/fast food job is people. Can you put up with idiots asking what's on a hamburger and arguing 10-cent price differences all day? Then you'll be fine. (And trust me, you'd be surprised what people will ask.) Just keep trying, especially now since the Christmas hiring season is starting up... a lot of places do that hiring now, to train you before the holidays.

If you want to increase your chances, say you'll work for minimum wage and have full availibility (if you aren't already.) This is very important, retail hours SUCK- they change constantly, the more time you can say you can work the better. Check online, too, lots of stores have online applications that apply you to every store in the chain nearby... save yourself some time.
 
[quote name='DuelLadyS']
The main problem you're going to have in any retail/waiting tables/fast food job is people. Can you put up with idiots asking what's on a hamburger and arguing 10-cent price differences all day? Then you'll be fine. (And trust me, you'd be surprised what people will ask.) Just keep trying, especially now since the Christmas hiring season is starting up... a lot of places do that hiring now, to train you before the holidays.

If you want to increase your chances, say you'll work for minimum wage and have full availibility (if you aren't already.) This is very important, retail hours SUCK- they change constantly, the more time you can say you can work the better. Check online, too, lots of stores have online applications that apply you to every store in the chain nearby... save yourself some time.[/QUOTE]

I pretty much know both those things already to be honest, seeing how I had exp working in a gas station. The people I met were pretty friendly for the most part (small town, so was mostly the same people half the time), but yeah, there are jackasses. But they were more the exception than the norm in my time there. And the hours...oh yeah. I don't know how many times I got stuck closing + opening the next day and of all the people that worked there, I ALWAYS got stuck with the one girl who I could never get along with (and I'm usually a pretty easy going person in that sense).

The time thing + minimum wage thing is another thing I've already been doing. It's like the old saying about how you can only do so much (they have to want to interview you / hire you as well).

[quote name='perdition(troy']Dear OP, get off your high horse.[/QUOTE]

Speaking of old sayings (and you aren't the first this applies to *cough*jimmiemac*cough*), but aren't you familiar with the saying if you have nothing nice to say, say nothing at all? Seriously, people who act like the way you just did annoy the hell out of me.
 
[quote name='JStryke']Missed these posts, but since several people mentioned it, won't quote any single person.

@Pizza Drivers - I thought about driving in the past. But a few things that bug me.
1. Do you need to be good with directions? I thought I heard it's just reading a map and planning your route which doesn't seem to be too difficult, but when you're night driving, is it difficult to find the addresses?
2. I know the pizza is different, but I tried using a chef boyardee pizza kit a couple weekends back to see if I could make pizza. While it tasted ok, it was a pain to make as the dough kept sticking to my hand, wouldn't spread easily, and wasn't the best looking pizza in the world. I know that depending on how busy it is, the pizza boys sometimes help with making the pizzas too. And seeing them do the crazy things they do like throwing it in the air and what not, how easy is it really to make the pizzas? Putting topping on it is one thing, but doing the things I've seen with the dough, I dunno...

@People saying about fast promotion to becoming a manager - Yes, I know they can make more money, but there's a few reasons I have to say no to that.
1. My situation right now is very iffy. I'm moving here sometime this fall (although local), but the problem is, I might be moving again as early as next winter (depending on a situation with a friend of mine). If I take his offer, I'll be moving west about 800 miles iirc. So for the time being, it doesn't look like a wise move only for the possibility of a short tenure.
2. While I know it's a different business (newspaper industry - district manager), I know a manager personally. And the shit they put him through is not worth it. He's claimed management tore his family apart among other things. The hours are long, always on call, etc, and if something goes wrong, you gotta foot the bill. Let's say somebody quits, who's going to fill in for them? You are. That day off or vacation you were looking forward too? So much for that. Maybe I'll change my opinion on it whenever I move out, but for the time being, I don't see being a manager in my future at all. It's like I said in my previous post, I don't see myself as much of a leader either.[/QUOTE]

It's not really that hard to find your way around. There is a huge map on the wall and you plan out you route, very easy. You will never have more than two deliveries at a time. Night time driving is easy, 99% of the people have their lights on so you can find their house. I will say this, apartments fuckING suck. If your a driver, the only time you touch the pizza is when it's being cut up and boxed up or when your doing prep, which is when you get frozen pizza dough( like a dough disk) and put it on the pan and then put it in the walk-in freezer. Very good job making tips, gas reimbursement and your hourly wage. This all at pizza hut, but its not too different at other chains. Good luck in your hunt for a job.
 
[quote name='dmaul1114']You could always get a GPS unit too, if you go that route. I've noticed a lot of delivery drivers using them now.[/QUOTE]

That's not a bad idea. Can't really afford one at the moment however.
 
[quote name='JStryke']That's not a bad idea. Can't really afford one at the moment however.[/QUOTE]


In theroy its a good idea, but I am going to be honest with you, you won't need it.
 
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