I'm a casual employee, here to answer your questions about anything. I work back area, so I mainly assemble burgers and cook/fry.
[AMA] I Work at Macca's, Ask Me Anything!
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Here's an excerpt from the social media policy, which is one of the 6 scenarios they give us. I think this one's pretty funny.
"Kate is a corporate employee that has seen a funny picture on the internet about working at McDonald's, which includes the McDonald's logo. She thinks her colleagues will also find the picture funny, and wants to post it on her Twitter profile and Facebook page. Although Kate is engaging in private use of Facebook, this social media policy, and all other relevant McDonald's policies apply and she must comply with them. Kate should not publish the picture on her Facebook page or 'tweet' it, as it many contain material which could damage the McDonald's brand. Kate must also be aware that she cannot use the McDonald's logo without permission."
The social media policy is pretty tight.
Kate also witnessed one of her colleagues peeing in the deep fryer and was asked to join in. Although this is quite embarrassing for her, Kate should join the team and pee in the deep fryer. McDonald's values team bonding activities and is encouraged to "pee" in things throughout her employment.
I was going to make a joke about Kate helping her coworker make the "Special Sauce" for Big Mac's but the fryer and peeing has me throwing up in my mouth.
@El Grande: Nah, mixing water and oil spits I imagine those peeing in fryers would experience similar.
What is the most unhygienic practice you've witnessed or heard about?
How often does a minor breach of hygiene occur?
Kate went to work at KFC instead. Their social media policy is Kewl!
Just use it, who in amarica cares what you do here?
How much are you paid? When I worked at Maccas as a young teenager I got a little over $8/hour
I get paid $13.68 an hour.
Earlier this year I got paid around $10 an hour.
Are you under or over 18?
I'm under 18.
Congratulations on your pay rise.
Cheers, it was a welcomed reward for surviving an extra year in my life.
If I was in charge you’d get another promotion.
Never got a promotion. Just automatic pay rise when turned 17 (probably still absolute minimum wage for 17 year old) .
@Flanders: I'm 16 so I
getam paid $13.675, the minimum wage for a 17 year old under the Macca's award is around $15-16 I believe.@LikeClockwork: So was your pay raise a 'promotion' or because you got older ?
Cheers, it was a welcomed reward for surviving an extra year in my life.
So I'd figured you started there at 16, 'extra year of life' , 17.
Do the 16 and under workers generally bxtch about the lowish wages there, or are they more with the attitude 'at least have a job and pay is OK plus get discounts/perks' . I know some seem really excited that they get discount, half price I think it is if its just before or just after your shift. A relative of mine, she takes orders from her brother etc for half price when she's finishing her shift. Not much to an adult, but to someone younger can imagine it is pretty cool.
Most people do say “get paid” but consider instead saying “I am paid….”. 👍
Haha, will do.
Get a job at Bunnings. 17 year olds get something like $21/hour (75% of adult rate) and $28 when they turn 18. Even more for working Saturday and Sunday.
No Saturday penalty rates at Bunnings. 50% bonus on Sunday (off the base rate for casuals)
@Weavlz: Yes there is. Not much but you do paid incrementalky more on Saturday and more again Sunday. At any rate way better rate and conditions than Maccas. I worked there as young lad and working the grill is back breaking work. Compared to swanning around Bunnings putting returns away or answering customer queries.
Oh and got the base rate wrong it's 22.75 for 17 year old casual Inc loading.
@BlinkyBill: Nope, you don't get paid any differently on a Saturday.
Unless you work some time between 11pm-5am (any day of the week), Saturdays are ordinary hours. You can find this in the EBA online.But otherwise I completely agree! Notoriously long interview process, but if you get through it's a great place to work, good pay, and great conditions.
21/hour (75% of adult rate) and $28 when they turn 18
Good to know bunnings pays a bit better than maccaz. Certainly does seem to reflect in their quality of staff and customer service at bunnings, compared to maccaz. Guess if they pay more, they can have their pick of the best, whereas maccaz I'm pretty sure pays the bare minimum (worst wages possible) so they kind of have to hire anyone.
A young man a couple of years back bought his first house at age 18 I think it was, and he had worked at bunnings from age 15/16 and saved like crazy, I think he allowed himself $30/week and all the rest was saved to deposit for 1st home An excellent achievment, made all the current affairs shows.
Most people struggle to keep their spending at a minimum, and increase their spending every payrise they get, hence never really save much.
$8 - living the dream! I started on $5.55 an hour when I was 14 and 9 months many years ago
Luxury! When I was a child model, I don't remember even being paid.
Modelling? Luxury. We used have to work in the mines and push for the privilege.
Was this when houses were reasonable and we weren't debt slaves for life?
When I started, same age in 1997, I got $5.355 per hour. It was a great job in the three years I had it in terms of building confidence and character, but those 3 hour 11am to 2pm Saturday fries shifts were rough esp at that pay rate. Thankfully the pay rose slightly when I turned 15.
I wonder if I did only get $5 an hour, I started age 13 around 1999/2000. Perhaps I got $8 towards the end of my career there.
@Quantumcat: So it was legal for 13 year old to ne employed back recently as 1999 ? Really … Or did they dodgy the books somehow, or you lied about age perhaps.
lol you can work at 14 in Australia?
Pretty sure it's 14 and 9 months (legally).
$4.52/hr.. I got the original pay slip somewhere.
I was paid $5/hour working at Hungry Jacks when I was 16 in 2009
For some reason the managers were SHOCKED that I quickly got fed up and left
I worked at Maccas for 7 years starting in the mid-90's from the age of 15 until I was 22. I started on $4.98 an hour and the year that I quit I was getting $24 and hour. I've had several jobs since then, but I think Maccas was the hardest job I ever had. For the price they pay, it's basically child slave labour.
True, but the majority of kids there don't need to pay for rent or food, so it is 100% spending money. The pay rate is kind of subsidised by mum and dad.
Even when you don't have to pay rent, in my experience it's pretty miserable being paid $45 for a 9 hour shift (or $40 if you took a lunch break in that time)
@dane45: As a uni student I used to work about 12 hours a week and have no spending money to show for it lol
When is the best time to buy. Lately every time I go the buns are stale and the ingredients appear old. Can you request a fresh burger to be made?
At my restaurant I highly doubt our buns ever go stale due to how busy we are (24/7 restaurant), however if you want a fresh burger to be made I recommend this:
Ask for a burger to have meat without seasoning (salt+ pepper), as the patty will have to be cooked to order and put straight onto the burger.
As for ingredients, they should be fresh anyway. If you don't think they are, definitely tell the manager.
Best time to buy is off-peak periods, so late at night or a little before or after lunch. The crew aren't rushing and will take their time making a good burger.
What are the ingredients of the Classic Chicken Salad?
Honestly whenever salads and sometimes wraps pop up on the screen I have to check the build card.
@LikeClockwork: At least you check it! Most of the times my salad is missing one or two ingredients. A few times I've just received chicken and lettuce in a bowl.
At better locations I get chicken, iceberg, cos, baby spinach, Parmesan, cherry tomato, cucumber, red onion, beetroot and Caesar dressing.
@Scrooge McDuck: Official build card is chicken, diced lettuce, 6 1/2 sliced cucumber, 6 grape tomatoes, 3 onion rings and Parmesan cheese. However you will find a bit of variance store to store as most of those ingredients don't get sold (only in the salads) and therefore stores won't order them as they will go out of date before even a full cucumber in the box is sold.
I always find the fries stale or cold in off peak times.
Why ask for no seasoning?
Just ask them to make you a new patty (with seasoning)?Hmmm i used to work at Maccas and the best time to buy for the freshest food was when it was busy, as the food is turned over more but when it was not busy the food would have been sitting there for a while longer
Is it true what they say?
Depending on what you're referencing, the answer is most likely no.
He's talking about the McGangBang.
No.
Who can post?
Anyone who is part of the OzBargain community who wishes to share something interesting, uncommon or unique about himself / herselfAMA should not be about
casual / general topics such as “I am an average OzBargainer”.https://www.ozbargain.com.au/wiki/help:ask_me_anything?s[]=ama#ask_me_anything
Yeah wiki needs updating if that is the case.
That's not a new rule (guideline) nor does it say random people can't make AMAs. This AMA is acceptable. Further discussion should be made in Talk with a Moderator forum.
Do you sabotage the thick shake machine at Hungry Jacks?
Can't say I do, too busy cleaning our own machines.
Cleaning or "cleaning"?
They are self cleaning so what OP is on about I have no idea. It doesn't take long.
@AusNugz: Fair enough, I've never worked there, told that it was automatic though. guess I was wrong
@Gina Rinehart: Well as long as you state your misinformation as if its definite fact then it's all good…
cleaning
@LikeClockwork: If you have time to lean you have time to clean
Idk about you but that was the store moto when I worked there…
Hungry Jack's claim "The Burger's are better at Hungry Jack's"
What do you say?
Hungry Jack's is a bootleg Burger King.
Actually Hungry Jacks is Burger King - they just can't trade under that name in Australia. In NZ they are Burger King.
They actually can trade in Australia as Burger king NOW and they even tried it at a few locations but good hungry jack branding in public eye meant trading as Hungry Jacks in Australia is more profitable for them
I thought HJ took BK to court?
There were a few actual Burger King joints in Australia. I used to go to one in Malvern. Menu was a bit different also. They had Chicken Whoppers which I loved.
But they eventually all closed down.
Hungry Jacks microwave their burgers. That's why they are always piping hot, but a little soggy. Gordon Ramsey would flame grill them if he did a kitchen nightmares there.
To start this reply I would like to say I was a hungry jacks employee for 2 years in the kitchen back in 2009-2011
If you are getting soggy burgers this is probably not the reason why.
The burgers are microwaved but its a very short time and its main purpose is to melt the cheese a little. 1 burger is microwaved for 8 seconds, 2 for 13 seconds. What is most likely to make a burger soggy is the acid/juices of the tomatoes and pickles, and also the fact the burger buns are only ever very little toasted. You could probably request no microwaving/double toasting on your bun (probably works best if they aren't busy as this would be a special request) I know at least my old store with my old friends working there would fulfill any request like that as long as its possible to do.
Firstly, thanks for the detailed reply. I like having melted cheese, sure. However, when I go to HJ, I like to order the rodeo burger, and the microwaving makes the bun and the usually already stale onion rings soggy too…
Surely if the meat was cooked fresh each time, it would be hot enough to melt the cheese alone?
How does maccas manage without using the microwave?
@pinchies: You can always ask for freshly cooked patty/onion rings and that it not be microwaved. Your order will take about 5minutes longer than normal to prepare though, and would probably best if you went in to front counter than drive through as theres pressure to get drive through in and out faster.
Is it hard to get a job at Maccas if you are 15 years old? Do they have different criteria for front and kitchen staff?
It's definitely not hard if they're hiring. Younger crew members are desirable as you will be paid around $10, whereas 20+ year old members have to be paid around $20.
Front area mainly consists of females, and back area males. Unless you ask, that's most likely where you'll be put.
Thank for your reply. Do you enjoy working there? Do you get teased at school for working there? What are the shift times like?
No worries. I enjoy working there, however I definitely wouldn't want to do this forever. Most shifts I get are 3-4 hours, however on the weekend you can get 3-8 hour shifts. You'll meet some cool people , most will be a bit older than you (university level) and honestly give some good advice.
At school it's just a rivalry between myself and my mates, who all work at Hungry Jacks and KFC. I doubt you'll get teased for working at a fast food join as a teenager lol
@LikeClockwork: Yes, I really admire that you are a go-getter so young! Which one pays better, McDs, HJ or KFC at your age?
@geek001: My mates at HJ are part time, so they don't get casual loading and it's a bit hard to compare them (they're also 17, so comparing their wages to mine is off by a year)
At KFC, the pay is slightly lower, only by a few cents though.
I'd say Maccas has the best, at $13.675. Once you hit 17, KFC pays the best in comparison to Maccas.
@geek001: I had twins, one working at McDonalds and the other at Hungry Jacks, I would say that Hungry Jacks definitely pay better, they pay penalty rates for Sat & Sun but McDonalds didnt. Also Hungry Jacks employed on a permanent part time basis and gave much better hours and shifts.
@flocof: Thanks for the comments. Definitely food for thought when my son becomes of age to work. We have a McDs around the corner, so probably get him to try there first, otherwise we have a HJ and KFC about 3kms away. I am surprised no one has jumped in to ask about Pizza hut or Dominos.
@geek001: I got rejected from Domino's, as the spot was between myself and a mate from school. He quit a few months later and we now both work at the same Maccas. KFC, HJ and Maccas definitely have better systems in place in comparison to the pizza places.
Front area mainly consists of females, and back area males
Really? Why's that?
Maybe putting the pimply teenage males out the back
Blokes getting lunch from the state school around the road will stick around for a loottttt longer if there's even the presence of a girl at counter.
political correctness.
breaking stereotypes of women cooking, whilst at the same time having men do the harder and more demanding/exhausting jobs for the same pay.
because equality right?
@[Deactivated]: Nah. Just using strengths. It's the same at Bunnings. Women tend to have better social skills and are less likely to become "aggressive" when dealing with crazy customers. Meanwhile guys don't tend to mind heavy lifting or standing over a hot grille all day.
whats the policy regards to mobile phone and social media use?