That Time I Worked at McDonald's

by Ákos Császár

I've thought a lot about which life experience I should write about for this assignment, and ultimately decided to go with a more eye-opening one that I've lived through: working at McDonald's as a student. I should probably emphasize the fact that I also decided to do this not during summer break — no, I worked there for two months last year in September and October, while I still had to go to school every single day. You're probably wondering why I thought that was a good idea, and honestly, I often ask myself the same question. I did have my reasons at the time, and in the end, I don't really regret my decision. After all, every bad experience is a lesson in a way.

At first it wasn't so bad. On my first day I mostly just had to watch training videos about stuff I had to learn, such as making burgers, roles in the kitchen, and so on. This was also the time when I learned that the advertised "free lunch" that McDonald's workers get is really just a small cheeseburger with a modest amount of fries and a 0,25l cup of soda, which will obviously never ever fill you up, so bringing money or your own homemade lunch was important. Then I was introduced to my coworkers, who seemed nice enough at first. Even though I only worked there for 4 hours that day, I soon realized that it wasn't going to be easy, especially considering I had to be there every day, except Friday, after school from 3 to 7, and also had to work an 8-hour shift one day every weekend. I already knew I would have a hard time keeping up with my studies and working like that at the same time, but I really wanted the money, so I wasn't about to quit on my first week.

I learned a lot about what goes on behind the curtains working in the kitchens at McDonald's, but one of the things that really stuck out for me was how hectic it was most of the time. When there weren't too many customers at the restaurant, things were usually fine, but often the place would be flooded with hungry people and we'd have to work at a speed which was practically unbearable, and if someone screwed something up, everything collapsed. People weren't helpful or calm and collected; everyone was stressed out and shouting at each other constantly. It made for a terrible experience — it was chaos more than half the time, and the fact that the coordinators and bosses were obnoxious and narrow-minded people with terrible leadership skills didn't help one bit. Oh, and a 20-minute break is all that's given during an 8-hour shift. Yes, you read that right. You have to work for 4 hours in the kitchen straight without stopping for a second. If it doesn't sound like too much, let me tell you, it is.

One thing I think everyone should also know about when considering eating at McDonald's is the awful hygiene. The kitchen isn't very clean in the first place, and is basically impossible to tidy up mid-work, as it's very small and crowded, making it insanely hard to clean without bumping into the other workers, who will naturally scream at you if you get in their way. Beyond the problem with the kitchen's overall filthiness, there is also the issue of everyone working without gloves or similar protection in the first place. There is, of course, an extensive manual on how thoroughly you should wash your hands before entering the kitchen, but I know for a fact that many of my coworkers barely ever even used to wash their hands. Didn't matter if they'd just arrived, gone on a toilet break, or simply touched something that one should clean their hands after, they just went straight to work. People also often drop the buns on the floor, and even though it is clearly stated that if someone does that they should throw it out, 99% of the time they would pick it up and put it back on the burger, with most of the coordinators never even batting an eye. Oh, and did I mention that any meal that is made and isn't taken within 30 minutes is thrown straight into a trashcan? Yeah, that happens. The amount of food that a McDonald's restaurant throws out daily could feed the entire homeless population of the city. The quantity of food wasted is infuriating, to say the least.

>Of course, the pay isn't very good either. You work your butt off with barely any breaks for a wage of about 600 forints per hour, unless you get promoted, which, as I've heard from some people who have worked there for a longer time, is very strenuous and takes forever. I was overjoyed when I finally told my boss that I'm quitting, and let me tell you, I don't miss a single moment of it. I don't want to bring up any clichés, but it truly sort of pushed me to study harder, as I definitely don't want to end up ever working there again. It genuinely is a horrible workplace, one I can't recommend to anyone.

(2017)

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