Why working at McDonald’s is a great idea
One morning, my daughter and I hopped into the car and drove to the nearby McDonalds to pick up breakfast. It was early Sunday morning and while there weren’t a lot of people waiting to order, there were a lot of activities behind the counter. My daughter says, “They are up early!” I counted at least five people including the manager and said, “The restaurant opened at 7am but they have been here earlier than that!” My daughter shook her head and said, ‘I’d rather sleep.’ “That’s not true. You wake yourself up at 4:30am to prepare for your swim practice.” But that’s different. I like swimming. “I think you should get a job here. At least one summer.” Why?
As the largest fast-food services company in the world, McDonalds’s is a well-run company. Kids shouldn’t just look at this restaurant as fun fast foods, but increasingly as a source of business acumen. The company is a leader in the industry with fantastic brand recognition and strong marketing. It’s a mature business that response well to changes and adapts globally.
Kids shouldn’t just look at this restaurant as fun fast foods, but increasingly as a source of business acumen.
McDonald’s is about education and teamwork. Every employee who walks through the door is given a crash course on restaurant operations and taught essential workforce skills dealing with people and process. This is universally essential in any job with any company in the world. Young people who start working at McDonald’s literally learn the textbook meaning of standardization, prioritization and operational consistency for maintaining efficient workflow. Team members don’t just perform one task (like cashier) but rotate through and are exposed to every role and function working with crew, management and, of course, the franchise owner. There’s even a Hamburger University based in Chicago which is a training facility to instruct high-potential managers on restaurant operations.
One of the best experiences for young workers is dealing with the customer at the front line. People of all stripes and all moods come in and everyone expects (and appreciates) timely, professional and friendly service to ensure that they leave happier than when they came in. My daughter remarked on how friendly the crew was, chatting and laughing with each other and even joking to the unseen crew working the grill at the back. She couldn’t help but feel the positive energies and it made her feel welcomed.
By the time we wolfed down our Egg McMuffins and hash browns, she was convinced that McDonald’s was more than a place to pick up a Happy Meal. She already knew it had good, fun, fast foods. She saw friendships and camaraderie amongst the crew. And now she knows about opportunities for advancement. Then I added, “I think they give you free food when you work your shift!” Her eyes lit up and asked, ‘When can I start?’ I laughed eying her hash brown, “Are ya gonna eat that?”
