I did an AMA 5 months ago when I was still quite fresh and inexperienced with Maccas work ethics.
Time to give it a go again! A casual employee at Maccas at Front Counter, serving the customers all day long! Open to all questions.
News article about this thread:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-6849923/McDonalds…
Little concerned about the fact that it was placed into femail…
Yes, many many times. I've been flamed at for either:
1) Giving out a toy that their son/daughter disliked (bad influence)
2) Giving out burgers that was supposed to have no pickles but had pickles in them
I do enjoy the job. People say that Maccas is a good first job to work in while you're young, and from experience I do find this true. Colleagues and our managers are nice and welcoming.
Better than forgetting the pickles when you were supposed put them in the burger. I once saw happen and it got pretty nasty. The guy involved ended up pretty depressed about the whole situation, but it turns out that he did put the pickles in the burger and the customer was lying about it the whole time.
wish my fast food job was like that re the last sentence
I find this offensive. Really offensive. I may still be in school, however calling this a SOUL DESTROYING JOB IS VERY NICE OF YOU TO SAY. Your picture really checks out, doesn't it? The pay for my age is one of the highest in the industry with it being revised every year or so, only for it to be increased every time. I chose to work at this place for the experience and the diversity that my employer offers. Maccas is fun, and an excellent place to work at.
Now I remember you from one of my posted deals the other day, what was it? Oh right, my $5.95 Small Big Mac Meal + Cheeseburger deal, ironically complaining about obesity; and now you're here questioning where I work at. Now I understand you may be working at some better job, but that doesn't mean you should be putting others right behind you as if their career path would be stuck in the fast food industry. I'm there for a good time, not a very long time.
I think I know my stuff better than you do. I have a secondary job that pays higher than an average adult, anyways. I don't care about the salary that I earn at McDonald's, it's the matter of fact that I have fun working there.
@Markmathews: I'd expect your maturity levels to be higher for your age. You don't seem prosperous and you're here trying to put people off working at a fast food chain. I don't think your 8 year old would appreciate your parenting once they get to the age when they could start working.
@nxllson: Ignore that guy, I hope my kids one day get a job at maccas or skmehwere similar. My first job was washing up in a hotel kitchen, whilst the actual work wasn't fun I loved the people I worked witn and it taught me a lot.
My questions for you are:
What's it like working there? My 11 year old is already talking about getting a job one day so I'd like to know if maccas would be a good place for her.
Also, what type of training do they give you that could be relevant to your future career?
Thanks mate.
@onetwothreefour: Thanks.
It's great that your 11 year old has started to think about getting their first job already. Maccas has been identified as a good start for your CV as it builds customer experience. That isn't all that it offers, many people don't realise that we have to be quick with time management as well as our multitasking skills. At all times, you'll have to be moving around helping with restaurant operations.
The type of training that they give you is very well prepared (but may vary from store to store) and helps you learn the basics around the store very quickly. McDonald's actually increases your chances of getting into many jobs as the skills you learn from working there are endless.
@nxllson: Ignore that dude, your first job is wait better than my kitchen-hannd-cash-in-hand job. Enjoy it.
@Markmathews: Mate, have some perspective. You're talking to a teenager that is actually out there working and increasing their experience in a social environment.
What did you have for your first job? By the sounds of it, I bet you didn't have a job while you were in high school and/or tertiary studies.
Don't think that retail / service are beneath you. Show your appreciation that these people are out there doing the job, rather than skimping off their parents and/or the government.
Think about who you're talking to.. don't be an arse. Offer advise, not criticise.
@Markmathews: better they are at maccas than at the dole, plus if everyone is an executive and have perspective like you then who is gonna serve me my maccas?
@nxllson: wowee!! Don't listen to this joker. I think almost all of my friends started at McDonalds, one or two at KFC, and many of those are very successful, very happy people.
I worked at the big M for about 5 years, then got a job at BCC cinemas, personally i prefer the cinemas, but i loved maccas, taught me cooking, customer service, cleaning, respect etc - and was looked upon very favourably throughout the early stages of my career (cos lets face it, most post degree jobs start in some level of customer service).
Early in my current career, i hired and managed a number of people fresh outa uni, many hadn't worked before, and boy could you tell. Got me to the point where i was only hiring people with work experience, or really stood out in an interview. This was for $60k starting jobs, and it might seem silly - but learning how to work early, especially in regimented, well trained places like maccas, really sets you up for success down the track.
Best of luck to you, and don't sweat the haters.
I would not want my child to work at MacDonalds.
Ironically, parents that say this have 40 year old kids working in maccas.
Hopefully your child is smart enough not to listen to their old man by the time that are a teenager.
With a parent like you, I would not want to see what kind of adult your child grows up to be
As a Manager with a multinational IT company who was responsible for hiring and firing I can assure you if I had a number of candidates for an entry position and all things being equal if one had worked at Macca's they would have an advantage over other candidates immediately…
@pjcook: have hired dozens of people in IT roles and not once did it ever matter if one had maccas or not. Its a first job, it pays bills, and honestly if I saw it on someones CV after they had graduated I would probably not hire them (I am talking IT only here).
IT jobs are quite competitive and at the same time there is a big shortage of good people. If you have decent IT, Coding etc skills you will land a job. No need getting maccas on your resume.
Having said above, nothing against people working at Maccas as a first job while in school or second job to support an income.
@ozBFM: My point was that having worked at Maccas in a competitive market, all things being equal between candidates if one had worked at Maccas and one had not, that would be an advantage. I am completely perplexed why working at Maccas would rule them out.
IT is far more than just Coding…..
@pjcook: Yeah I just wanted to point out that you Shouldn’t be going after a maccas job just to make it look good in a cv for IT professionals. I don’t know about regionals but Sydney and Melbourne have a thriving startup culture and if you put in some work you will get a job or internship at one. That will matter the most.
What are the Better jobs?
Nothing wrong with working at McDonald's. In fact it's widely known that working there can give people a boost on their resume because of the strict training they put employees through. Not only that but it's a good thing to work at a job that can be considered to be soul destroying, or dirty or whatever, because it teaches people that life isn't always going to be easy and you won't always enjoy what you do. It helps to build character. It also teaches those people who do end up leaving that when they go to a McDonald's they see are super busy, they can empathise with the people working there because they went through that sort of thing. I actually would want my kid to work at McDonald's.
@Ghost47: Being at university currently I can attest that 90% of students have absolutely no idea how the workplace works. Many of them think their degrees are magical ticket that will automatically get them their first job. Any job experience, Maccas or not, is better than nothing, and it teaches you better soft skills that will help you
@Ghost47: Me too! I'm about to have my first child, and even now i'm financially stable that my child probably wouldnt need to work in 14 years and 9 months, but i would certainly push my child to have a job, and i would push for it to be at maccas!
Implying that someone would have a child with you.
@Markmathews getting McMurdered in the comments
No Mark, you should want your child to be happy no matter what their job is. Imagine having a parent that has a go at teenagers on the Internet for talking about how much they love their job. You'd be the sort of parentwho their kid could never please you're so judgy. You'd be LUCKY to have a kid like nxilson and frankly I'd be stoked if either of my kids get a job at Maccas as a teenager, it's such a rite of passage and working in customer service sets you up with good team skills for life.
Pull your head in and learn some tolerance.
Nxilson please ignore this misanthrope who clearly is unhappy in life and needs some support but doesn't recognise it and instead takes it out on people they don't know on the Internet. Unbelievable. You are clearly an 11/10 person and I'm sure your parents are very proud of you~~
@MessyG: " I'd be stoked if either of my kids get a job at Maccas as a teenager"……..
One can only dream
I worked for a large, multichain leisure industry employer as a manager and when interviewing for hospitality positions I used to hold previous McDonald's employees in high regard as McDonald's train their people well and in my experience their employees are hardworking and disciplined. You are well out of line and whilst nxllson seems well capable of holding their own, it is despicable that you would say this to a young person. Shame on you.
Do you know what full employment means??
You do realise church is much more soul destroying than maccas?
guessing you're obese
"That church in Broadbeach" is called Stella Maris or Star of the Sea. Magnificently located in Hedges Avenue, right in front of the Pacific Ocean. Any more solemnity?
The building is less than 5 years old and it was fully paid only with donations from local parishioners. Any more solemnity?
What exactly is solemnity for you?
@chumlee
Friend, you're the reason I pray daily. Less than two weeks after some nutjob walked into a place of peaceful worship and 'voiced' his opinion with a couple of semiautomatic weapons, here's you condemning all churches.
Find a nice tree to sit under mate; maybe a view of the ocean. Have a long, hard, think about yourself and the freedoms and protections you enjoy in this fine country of ours. Next, divide your screen-time by two, and spend the other half reading books. Be part of the solution, not the problem.
Peace.
your whole comment is insane.
but i just want to point out that
there was a 15yo kid in sydney who got his first a job at maccas. and he was that good he got promoted. he got promoted so many times that he became the CEO an president of the entire mcdonalds corporation.
so its just like most other jobs. u can go places in any job if u work hard enough.
Scary he has a child.
While I agree with everyone else, am legitimately curious as to what job you would pick?
I don't often feel the need to neg people's comments, but I find it very hard to justify not giving you one!
71 and counting…..
Unhealthy, boring and without future prospects? Sounds like your BBQ advice;
https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/443977#comment-7050456
You obviously have no idea about entry level jobs. One of the best things about them is that they motivate you to improve your position in life. You see the alternative to study or starting your own business is staying where you are, so you strive.
Hopefully you don't find yourself in a position needing to take a job below your self-declared station in life lest you live your remaining days in terrible shame.
Also, you're a douchebag (mods this isn't a personal attack, it's a conclusive finding based on the collective wisdom of ozbargain and neg data).
I'm a healthy eating yuppy who only buys from independent grocers. What's something healthy over at Maccas? Your burgers are vile and I am not a fan of chips.
If you must, then probably the gourmet salads that Maccas offers. They're loaded, and I find it decent to consume.
Hi, I realise that hungry Jacks is (allegedly) the home of the five second rule, but what is the equivalent at mcdonalds?
The one where they pick stuff right back up when it's dropped and used? Oh, that doesn't apply to where I work at. Anything dropped by either customers or employees will be thrown away. In most circumstances, we would have to make it again.
20 years ago I had a boss who had worked at maccas, and he told us that during training he had forgotten to wash his hands and had pulled a bun from a bag, so the manager/trainer took the whole bag of buns to the trash.
Do you ever see people come up and order stuff that kind of goes around a loophole (ordering a certain way to pay less or get an extra item for example), do you say anything or just let it go?
Do you get sick of maccas food if you smell or are around it all day?
Do you get to keep food at the end of the day?
What would you be less and most likely to eat from maccas after seeing how its been made?
1) Yes, all the time. I don't mind this as I would do it myself too. For example, the Free Lettuce, Pickle, Cheese, and Onion Burger (6/3) @ McDonald’s deal. With the McFlurry with Any Purchase deal for 'new' customers on the Maccas online ordering app, people would usually buy a 50c sauce and get the McFlurry free.
2) I don't notice anything apart from working at the fries station, you'd notice the fresh fries scent but aside from that - I don't get sick of it.
3) If you ask politely. My store is 24/7 so at the end of my shifts, I could ask the manager for any left over burgers that either haven't been picked up or is extra.
4) I'm not fond of anything sold at Maccas. All these rumours of 'pink' slime are false and our patties & fries are direct from food suppliers and we're only cooking and assembling them.
I used to turn the McFeast $5 meals into a McChicken or Quarter Pounder meal. One time when I did the McChicken they asked if I just wanted a McChicken, which I confirmed. They asked why I ordered it like that. I told them it's half the price of ordering a McChicken meal. They told me it was cheating, but they still gave it to me. Normally they just did it without complaint.
i don't get this and i'm interested to know more about this.
When it was the normal McFeast meal for $5 you could swap the meat for chicken and take off pretty much everything except the Mayo and lettuce, or keep as much as you like. Or you could take off the extra stuff and leave the quarter pounder ingredients.
Now it's the chicken McFeast meal for $5 you can take off the extra stuff to get a McChicken, but they don't let you swap the chicken for meat so can't do the quarter pounder trick.
Do they really wash toilet seats in the dishwasher?
No. We don't use dishes, so we would not have any dishwashers. I wish they were washed with their own dishwashers however.
Look in your cafe and you should see a sanitizer for your crockery :)
Nice to know 5 months is way too long haha. I once worked in hospitality and loathed it
I don't mind Maccas at this stage, 'too long' is an illiterate term for people who think about Maccas in their own ways.
What are your future plans? Will you quit and look for something more interesting when you start uni? Or are you looking to become a manager? I worked at Maccas as a kid, and the casual shifts only suited school kids, during weekdays was taken by full timers and part timers so didn't suit uni students at all
I don't have any intents to become a manager at Maccas - I will quit by the time I get into a more interesting and desired course for commercial pilots. That is true, school kids are only rostered after school hours, and so the uni students take over the store during the morning and late evening.
I had a few friends who dropped out of the flight path once they found out how insanely expensive getting your hours were.
Curious as to how you're going to manage it, or if I'm totally off the mark in thinking getting your flight hours is insanely expensive.
I'm not sure why people put crap on McDonalds. They give good training and many employers look on McDs employment favourably.
My GF works in an industry that supplies McDs and many other food service industry companies and she reckons Mcds work with their franchisees and suppliers as a three way partnership. She says are a reasonably ethical company that looks to the long term rather than trying to just make a quick short term dollar and churn through suppliers and franchisees.
As for the nutritional value, yes it's full of salt, sugar, fat and calories but it's also supposed to be a treat, not a daily staple. People should take responsibility for what they shove down their cakehole.
Why when I try to double dip on the Macca App vouchers they wont work?
Some of us need multiple $3 burgers to fill the hunger! lol
As soon as it's used then all further codes generated by that account through the same offer through doubling would not be connected. If there was a generic code for each reward then you could obviously do that.
Those generic $2 Big Mac vouchers were the bomb!
What's worse, the "I want to speak to the manager" customers or some of the ignorant people you've had in your AMAs? 😂
Most "I want to speak to the manager" customers are usually people who want to submit their resumes to get a job. They get turned away by the manager telling them to go onto apply.mcdonalds.com.au. However, the customers that really complain can get obnoxious. The guy up there on the other hand, oh dear. My managers would call the police immediately.
Sorry for all the negative comments, good on you for getting out and working hard. A lot of my friends worked at maccas 25 years ago when we were all young and they are still in touch.
It's fine! Unbelievable that even I have to stand up for myself against braindead people. That is the interesting part about Maccas! The friends you get there remain with you for a long time.
If you could be any animal, what would you be?
Ronald McDonald. ;)
That's not an animal. What are you trying to hide? We deserve the truth
maybe he knows something we don't.
oh snap, youre onto something
Ron is covered in so much makeup who knows what's underneath
@cille745: I went to school with a guy whos Dad was an "actor" and played Ronald McDonald. Man did we give him some grief, especially comments about what his Mum & Dad got up to in the bedroom with the RMcD outfit on. I'm surprised he didn't kill us all.
If a customer was to pick up a tray of food, then proceed to immediately trip and drop it. Would you make them more?
Sure, if the customer looks apologetic. Plus burgers are clipped/wrapped together and it'd most likely stay intact.
I have been refused a refund back to my credit card for an item not in stock.
Can Macca's not do refunds back to credit cards or was the cashier being lazy?
They can do this. It's just that some of them dont realise that refunds are possible. Managers need to do the whole refund process. Did you get a substitute at least?
I got refunded in cash.
Cool, so if i find out an item at my local maccas is out of stock, i can buy $4,000 worth on my Qantas points earning card, get a refund in cash and earn my 100K bonus qantas points from my credit card provider?
How do i find out what items are out of stock? :-)
Are you getting your paid ten minute rest break during shifts of 4 hours or more?
I get 30 minutes unpaid breaks. All my breaks are unpaid, probably because I'm a casual.
It doesn't matter whether you're casual or permanent, you're entitled to a paid 10 minute rest break during a shift that is longer than 4 hours. A 30 minute unpaid meal break during shifts longer than 5 hours and a second 10 minute rest break during shifts longer than 9 hours.
If you're not receiving these entitlements you should contact the union, RAFFWU, who are persuing McDonald's on this issue.
Was the only person in my store to care about this, took it to my store manager (does the buying of equipment for the store, ensures it's running well etc) and they just totally blew me off claiming that it was broken up into small segments in the toliet and when getting cups of water. Not true of course and I had to go to the operations manager for all the Hani Sidaros Stores in the ACT for them to give the staff drink breaks. Did some maths and even on my $11 a hour they owe me $200 for the breaks that I didn't get.
I'm glad that you stood up for yourself, I've heard that it is common practice to claim toilet/drink breaks, split up through your shift as that 10 minute rest break. Fact is, that's a lie. You're entitled to go to the toilet or to have a drink as required and splitting up a 10 minute rest break through a shift does not constitute 10 minutes of rest.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/workplace/hope-to-god-you-do…
Yeah exactly, I even had my senior manager try and tell me that but like using any logic just makes you think hmm that doesn't seem right because it isn't right. It's way better being able to go sit down for just 10 mins and get off your feet.
I also work at Maccas! What are your thoughts on the kiosks? I'm sick of the push for them and it's the only part that I dread about my job at the moment. I was thinking of getting cross-trained to be able to escape front area ever now and then.
You mean the self service kiosks? They're so much better than dealing with an actual person who doesn't understand their own menu. Not to mention the terrible wait times.
My store doesn't direct customers away to kiosks. It's not great as ordering there could be up to x20 times slower than ordering at a register.
My store doesn't direct customers away to kiosks.
My local store often has a team member standing at the self serve kiosks and they try to direct customers entering to use them.
When customers refuse and go to the register counter they are deliberately ignored and customers wait 2 or 3 minutes before they are served - usually by an untrained team member who messes up the order and has to call for assistance.
Team members are friendly but service has gone downhill badly the last couple of years.
kiosks have been a dismal failure.
Why do you still continue to work you there ?
Like I said, it's a fun and good job to be working. I continue to work in order to gain experience before I'm forced to leave for studies.
1) Have you ever been verbally abused by customers?
2) Do you enjoy the job?