When you think about fast food, the first thing that comes to mind is McDonald’s. Interestingly, McDonald’s part-time jobs are very much sought after, not only in the US but also in other countries. But what is it really like to work amongst the crew and most importantly, is it worth your time?
We shall find out more in this review.
Employment Facts
McDonald’s that hire part-timers are the eatery outlets, who are actually independant franchisees. A franchise, in case you don’t know, is a separate business entity that is legally permitted to use McD’s logos and food products to operate their restaurants.
Hence, your potential employer is the owner of the restaurant and not the big corporation itself. They are the one who will be responsible for ALL employment matters (hiring, scheduling, firing and etc.) and may have certain policies and practices which are different from other outlets.
There are basically two types of jobs you can find in a McDonald’s restaurant. The first one is the store manager (full-time position, committing 21 to 35 hours per week) who is in charge of the daily operation, ensuring every staff delivers good food and quality service for the customers.
The second one is the crew members which are divided into Kitchen, Counter, and Maintenance staff. That means you could be assigned to tasks like preparing food, managing the cashier or cleaning duties. This position is usually open for part-timers who are willing to commit a minimum of 20 hours per week. Any hours more than that, you’ll be considered full-time staff.
So, what do you need to get the job? Apparently, not a lot.
While the official minimum age is 16, some places may even hire minors as young as 14 years old. In terms of education, a high school qualification should be good enough. Skillwise, you’re expected to be able to do simple calculations, follow procedures, keen to learn and most importantly, work in a team.
If you possess these basic criteria, you can certainly look for job openings at nearby outlets or job posting sites online. Upon passing the interview, there are several phases of orientation and on-site training to go through but once you’re done with all that, you should be pretty much ready to work in one of the most famous restaurants in the fast-food industry.
How Much Can a McDonald’s Part-Timer Make
Like most fast-food chains, McDonald’s pay part-timers on an hourly basis. Depending on the task, you could make anywhere between $8 to $11 per hour – the more experience you gained, the higher the salary. These are the rates for US workers so the numbers may differ from where you are.
If you commit for a year, you could make an average of $17K+, taking into account bonuses and overtime hours. Obviously, managerial posts will earn you more but that’s not within the scope of this article.
The Benefits of a McDonald’s Part-Timer
There are several reasons why McDonald’s is nominated as America’s Best First Job and I am sure you can relate to these advantages as an applicant;
(1) Since the education requirement is low, a part-timer position is very ideal for high school students, college students, homemakers and retirees who are looking to make some extra money during their spare time. The company is constantly hiring crew members so a job may be easily available at your nearest outlet.
(2) Working in a fast food service line can teach you a lot of rudimentary skills like time management, client communication and task orientation which can also be applied to other parts of your life. You will also get the opportunity to work with different people from diverse backgrounds.
(3) As a part-timer, your hours are more flexible, you get free uniforms and employee discounts when buying food from the restaurant.
(4) One of the biggest perks would have to be the company’s comprehensive education strategy called Archways to Opportunity. Launched in April 2015, this exclusive program offers employees a chance to improve their English skills, earn a high school diploma, work toward a college degree, and help eligible candidates (and their immediate family) with their education and career plans.
So far, more than 50,000 restaurant employees in the U.S. have benefitted in terms of education and financial assistance from these programs.
The Downsides of Working Part-Time at McDonald’s
If you’ve worked part-time in any restaurant, the disadvantages are evident in terms of financial gains and personal benefits.
(1) Firstly, most employers will not provide medical/dental benefits, paid leave and 401K. In case you don’t know what that is, a 401K is basically a retirement savings plan created by an employer for the benefits of an employee’s future savings.
So while you get to keep most of what you make, you’re not reaping the most as would a full-time worker. Without the additional income, you can’t compound money through investment plans and therefore, can’t grow your wealth.
(2) In today’s economy, you can’t really rely on a part-time salary to survive, especially if you’re the breadwinner or have family members to look after. The average salary of $17K is way below the minimum average income of $47K in the US (as of the year 2019).
Today, people are still fighting to raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour (and a union) and McDonald’s is one of the big corporations to be caught in the center of this movement that’s happening across the nation. Big cities like Seattle and New York are making changes to the laws but it’s not yet universal across all states.
(3) In terms of job satisfaction, we can’t readily assume that it’s the best place to work either. A fast-food restaurant is always fast-paced and stressful. There are days when you need to work during weekends and public holidays, with minimal or no compensation.
And there are times where you’ll encounter rude customers and disrespectful employers too.
It’s just part and parcel of being in the service line and working with a large brand. Remember, your position is easily replaceable by other people so it’s not like you’re an asset for the business unless your credentials prove otherwise.
Is Working Part-Time at McDonalds Worth Your Time?
Well, it depends on your career goals. If you’re planning to pursue higher education and in need of financial help, I think the Archway to Opportunity is worth the shot. Granted, you must be able to prove that you’re worthy of the program through your commitment to the workplace.
If education isn’t your goal but making a living is, the part-time job may be a good stepping stone for getting to know people and picking up new skills. When you have that on your resume, finding a better paying job may be easier moving forward.
In cases whereby you feel like working on your own without having to report to anyone or follow a rigid time schedule, you can get involved in food delivery services. Have you heard of gigs like UberEat, Doordash, and Postmates? These jobs have high demands and pay well especially in urban areas.
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Meanwhile, I hope this review has been informative and eye-opening. Please leave your comments down below if you’ve anything else to add.
Though I am aware of the many advantages of working for McDonald’s like their scholarship programs and management building skills that you see them advertise on TV all the time, I did not realize that they would hire anyone that was younger than the age of 17. Doesn’t that violate some form of child labor laws?
I do agree that there are pros and cons to working a part-time job. If the mindset of the worker is to earn a little bit of flexible income should they not be the breadwinner in the household, then that is great. But to rely on it as the main source of income is not going to cut it.
Well, apparently that’s possible in certain states but there are restrictions on what these young kids can do. For example, they aren’t allowed to handle hazardous equipment and are only confined to certain working areas. They also work shorter hours with no more than 18 hours a week.
I think working for McDonald’s could be great for someone wanting to gain some transferable skills, such as the ones you mentioned like time management, customer service (I bet you’d have to deal with some rude people if you worked there), etc.
I don’t think it’s a total dead end for entrepreneurs, because as you said, all McDonald’s are franchises, so if an entrepreneur was that way inclined I suppose it could suit them. It’s definitely not the path I’d want to pursue, but I guess some might. I don’t think it would lead to a very “time rich” life though, running a McDonalds,
I spent a year working at McDonald’s and as much as I liked my co-workers I would not go back there. As you mentioned you don’t get benefits and the biggest drawback is rude customers. Certain shifts like closing shifts or night shifts are more prone to rude/drunk customers but really they can come at any time.
If you’re thinking about working there for only a year or so to save up some money then I’d say go for it but any more than that and I find people can get stuck working there.
I actually worked at McDonald’s in college to make some extra cash at the time (because you know they are always hiring). I believe that it can be a good job just to stay afloat, but in the long run, it will lead you to unhappiness. If time or stress is an important factor, then forget about it here. It was ALWAYS busy and high stress and sometimes less than favorable managers.
It was good that you were able to point out an often overlooked benefit of working at Macdonald’s. That is, if you tell a potential employer that you have worked with the company before, then chances are that he or she will be quite familiar with your experience and know that you have acquired certain skills.
Thanks for the interesting post. One of my children took a part-time job in their late teens with McDonald’s while in their final years at school. He was worked very hard but as your piece says here he had absolutely first-class training that he was able to build upon to go into other retail opportunities while he worked through university and in preparation to establish his own music production company.
My observation was that they were fair but demanding and that their training was a value add.
Working at McDonald’s sounds really dismal. I had no idea that the wages were so low, and I imagine they’re even worse in countries outside of the USA, Canada and etc. This McDonald’s part-time job review really opened my eyes to the situation that exists there.
However, I guess if you are a young person and this is your first job, you can take it. Just as long as you don’t intend to stay there and get trapped in all the drudgery. A youngster can use that job to gain some working experience and money to go to school and better themselves in the meantime. After that, they should upgrade their occupation.
I also hope that they do get that increase to $15 for minimum wage as that is a far cry from the $8 – $11 that they currently earn.
You’re right. In other parts of the world, the part-time salary at McDonald’s is much lesser. But like you said, the job is just a stepping stone for most people. Living on an hourly rate is not feasible in today’s economy.