Natalia Zheleznova
Source: Work for You

You have to work there - that's what you hear most often when talking about a possible job at McDonald's. The editors of the newspaper tried to figure out what exactly is hidden behind this phrase. With my experience in

You have to work there - that's what you hear most often when talking about a possible job at McDonald's. The editors of the newspaper tried to figure out what exactly is hidden behind this phrase. Dmitry K. shares his experience of working at McDonald's with our correspondent.

- How did you get into McDonald's?

I finished school and went to university. Of course, there were not enough scholarships to live on, so after some time I decided to look for a part-time job. The first thing that came to mind was to get a job at McDonald's.

When I came there for an interview, I heard a lot of tempting things. It turns out that employee promotion is a constant process at McDonald's. First - a team member, then an instructor, site manager, production manager, second and first assistant director of the restaurant, restaurant manager, production director and, finally, the director of the company! I dreamed so much that even my head ached.

As a result, of course, I agreed. I collected all the necessary documents, issued a medical certificate and went straight to the personnel department ...

- Well, what were your first impressions?

But how can I tell you ... Work at McDonald's is not the easiest. First you need to go through a three-month trial period, trying to earn more rewards. And it’s scary to talk about discipline in general: during the working day there are only two breaks of 15 minutes each, which are paid (plus half an hour for rest - without payment). To leave, you must notify the manager. At the same time, the time of your absence is recorded by a special time card ...

And a new member of the team is not left to the mercy of fate to check - "will it come up"? Now this approach to employees is practiced in many companies.

No, just not here. Once in McDonald's, a beginner may not worry that he will not cope. For the first time, an instructor is assigned to each one, who should teach you and help you in everything: behind the counter, in the kitchen, in the hall ... In one area, the employee should, in theory, spend no more than four hours, after which they change places with colleagues.

- What exactly did you start with?

The question is to the point. I was immediately sent to scrub the toilets! My duties included wiping the floors in the cubicles, "licking" the toilets, "sprinkling" the freshener, wiping the mirrors and sinks. In general, of course, someone should do this too ... but there is one detail. Unfortunately, not only McDonald's visitors go to these toilets, but also homeless people, hippies and everyone who is close to this institution. The rest you can think of yourself. In short, he raked, cursed and washed his hands.

Speaking of hand washing. They should always be washed! I combed my hair - my hands, picked up something from the floor - my hands. Even if I didn’t do anything like that, I still wash my hands - just in case ... So I already quit, but the habit remained.

- Are employees allowed to dine at the expense of the institution?

Undoubtedly. Although from gluttony, of course, you will not die. Required per day: one hamburger, small potatoes, one drink and a pie. You won't take too much. There are 10 managers for each, who make sure that you do not steal or eat anything extra.

Why did you quit McDonald's?

I worked there for six months. And I realized: I don’t need any additional money and a career as a restaurant boss. It's not for me and it's not for me.

From the editor: Indeed, many perceive labor discipline "American" as slavery. However, not everyone thinks so. Many young people consider McDonald's to be a great school of life.

“We were all on“ you ”- from a member of the team to the director of the restaurant, - addressed each other only by name,” says our other reader Arkady, who worked at McDonald’s for two years. “We rested in the same rest room, went on picnics together. When there were many visitors, the director helped fry potatoes and hamburgers.

Of course, there are pitfalls in McDonald's. For management, for example, the attitude of employees to their "requests" is very important. The implementation of any of them is mandatory, even if it came from the head of another direction. This is considered an indicator of a person's readiness to work in this company.

Another unusual nuance for a Russian person. The management of McDonald's did not welcome the arrival of employees to work ahead of schedule, because you need to pay extra for this. At the same time, lateness was punished very severely. Up to the deprivation of the award.

Americans are a frugal people in general. If an employee put an extra cucumber in his hamburger, it was considered a terrible loss for the company. Vigilant colleagues who noticed this were obliged to report everything to the management. It was believed that in this way employees take care of the company. McDonald's even has a special box where you can drop a note telling the director everything you think about the restaurant's work, colleagues, etc. Smoking is also discouraged here. You can smoke only in your free time, being away from non-smoking colleagues.

Don't think that I'm judging all of this. Strictness and discipline taught me to treat any work differently. And I have absolutely no regrets that I had to go through this harsh school of life.

McDonald's restaurants to this day do not lack staff. Almost 75% of the employees are students, which is understandable. They are attracted by a flexible work schedule, good earnings, the ability to quickly make a career. And the experience of working at McDonald's is a good recommendation for other employers.

Prepared by Natalia Zheleznova

Today we have to find out what it is like working at McDonald's. Reviews about this company are increasingly appearing on various special sites. And all opinions are different. That is, it is impossible to immediately take and understand what our current company is like. True, many say that you should not get a job there. But they can't really explain why. Therefore, now we will try to understand how good or not the work at McDonald's is. Reviews of employees (both current and former) are presented to your attention.

prestige

Where does the ranking of employers begin? Of course, with the prestige of the company. And what about working at McDonald's? Feedback from employees and visitors is not particularly good in this regard. Of course, we are talking about Russia. Outside the country, this chain of fast food cafes is a huge success. But here we are - not really.

And for that, to be honest, if there are many reasons. The main one is the dissatisfaction of visitors. The food is not particularly high quality, the service is sometimes extremely long. Plus, the prices for some dishes are inflated to the limit. All this affects the prestige of the company. Moreover, students, who make up the bulk of the staff, assure that working at McDonald's is just some kind of punishment, torture and self-flagellation. But why is it so? Let's figure it out.

Jobs

Let's start with the fact that there are a lot of vacancies in employment. And given that the bulk of the workers are students, they are not required to have any professional experience. This, as noted by many, is a big plus. But everything else is just awful.

Working at McDonald's reviews of former employees (and many current ones) regarding vacancies is extremely negative. The thing is that in ads, as a rule, they write that cafes are needed: cashiers, kitchen workers, managers, cooks. But in reality, it turns out that you will have to do all the work.

That is, it doesn’t matter where you got a job - a kitchen worker or a cashier. In fact, you will have to cook meals yourself, clean up the workplace, and also settle accounts with customers. We can say that you just have to be torn to pieces, and especially if a lot of visitors come. Only this will not affect you specifically, but all employees of the cafe. In addition, McDonald's employees receive terrible reviews regarding vacancies for the fact that at the end of the working day you will have to work as a cleaner. Moreover, this also applies to the entire shift. And it’s good if you have a small cafe area. Otherwise, it will take a very long time to clean up. And all this after the end of your shift (or after the cafe closes).

Work schedule

An important category when hiring a job is the schedule. When you find a job at McDonald's, you will be promised a flexible system that can be easily combined with study or personal affairs. But after the signing of the contract, everything will change.

What will happen? The thing is that McDonald's reviews from employees regarding the schedule are simply terrible. Probably even worse than with regard to tasks in the workplace. And all this because you have to constantly spin like a squirrel in a wheel. Yes, and without fail you will stay in a cafe on the weekend.

If a schoolboy can afford this, then students are unlikely. They already need to study a lot, and even have time to relax. But the school material is easier to digest than the information that is studied at the university. In general, such a work schedule simply exhausts a person, squeezes all the juice out of him. A student who works at McDonald's can be seen with the naked eye.

Only one of the leaders can hope for a good schedule. More specifically, the general manager. He is sometimes also called the overseer. In general, reviews about working at McDonald's (night or day - it doesn't matter) are far from the best. But that's not all that can be said about this employer. Let's figure out what we haven't been told yet.

rules

Every workplace has its own rules. And McDonald's too. And most of them won't tell you at the interview. Why? Because the requirements are too strict.

Work at McDonald's receives extremely negative feedback from employees (St. Petersburg and other cities) for internal "laws". During the interview, they will tell you that there are no strict rules: they give you a uniform, but you can’t wear heels. It's obvious. But in reality, everything will turn out a little differently. As soon as you get to work, they will put pressure on you - you can’t wear jewelry. There should be no rings, no chains (even around the neck), no earrings. For disobedience - a fine.

In addition, girls are not allowed to have manicures. No overgrown nails. Your nails should be cut off at the very root. And God forbid the chief manager to notice at least 2 millimeters. This will be followed by a fine and a verbal reprimand. As many employees say, you will simply be "brained" to such an extent that you will generally forget what was originally discussed. This is not such a prestigious place to endure reprimands and strict rules.

The salary

Most often, work at McDonald's receives reviews for the level of salaries of employees. What do you think the opinions are here? Of course, not very good ones. We can say that everything is worse than ever.

As already mentioned, in the workplace you will have to perform a wide variety of work. And with all this, you will receive about 8-9 thousand in your hands. For this, McDonald's reviews from employees (Minsk and other cities) are extremely negative. It's not the kind of job that you can hold on to.

There is even a saying among the people that all university graduates who did not go to work in their specialty will end up in this fast food cafe. And with all this, they will work hard, but they will not receive a raise or a normal salary. Probably McDonald's is the worst employer in Russia. Of course, after the scammers.

Only top managers and the director receive normal money in this place. Just such people write extremely positive reviews about their work. It is understandable, the tasks are "non-dusty", they do not require any tension. Moreover, the schedule is often free. They wanted to - they came, scolded others, then left. No - no problem. No one will scold the chief manager for being absent from the workplace. So these are not very good reviews that work at McDonald's gets. Whether it's Minsk or any other city, it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter where you live. The internal system of the cafe works equally lousy everywhere.

Relationship with management

Even more neglected is the system of relationships between managers and their subordinates. It is through the fault of the former that many employees very quickly give up a career in this fast food cafe. "McDonald's" (we are studying reviews about the employer) is an extremely unfavorable place for employment. Moreover, it is not suitable for students or schoolchildren. As already noted, at McDonald's, work, reviews and salary are closely related. This also includes the attitude of managers (as a rule, a senior manager) to subordinates (direct employees "at the counter").

As already mentioned, the leadership is called overseers. This indicates that an ordinary employee can not count on a good attitude towards himself. After all, all that a senior manager does is just handing out comments to the right and left. Plus, he is promoting the fact that everyone is obliged to work like a draft horse. And it doesn't matter how much they pay: as much as they have earned, or as much as they see fit.

To be honest, McDonald's still receives feedback from employees that talk about the slave system in the workplace. And indeed, if you look at how poor fellow students work, it becomes scary. Lunch is not a fact of what will happen, they drive so that there is no time even to go to the toilet. At the end of the working day, the arms and legs literally fall off and swell, the heart begins to ache and hurt. And all this for the younger generation. To be honest, this is just scary.

Working conditions

The next point, which is also extremely unhappy for employees, is directly the conditions at the workplace. Why? Let's figure it out.

The fact that we have to run back and forth, like a squirrel in a wheel, we have already figured out. With all this, in a small kitchen you will have to share space with a few more comrades. Usually there are 3-4 of them. And with all this, everyone will be loaded to the very top. Also, work at McDonald's receives extremely negative reviews for the fact that the workplace is simply unsanitary. And in general, working in this cafe is dangerous for health.

Many employees complain that they often get burns of varying degrees. And all this is due to non-compliance with safety rules by the employer. If an employee gets a severe burn, then everyone will just not care. He will be forced to work all day as usual. But the appeal to the doctor - this is after the end of the shift.

With all this, in many cafes, guests become ... cockroaches in the kitchen. This indicates a huge lack of sanitation. And it is dangerous for both employees and visitors. But no one particularly talks about the presence of violations. All the same, an ordinary employee will be calculated, and then they will also arrange a "brain removal" with a scolding and fines. Nobody wants more trouble. And the salary is so low.

team

"McDonald's" feedback from employees regarding the team in the workplace is also far from being the best. Yes, in some regions and places you can find truly friendly colleagues. But in most cases this is not the case. Why?

The problem is the huge competition. Everyone wants to attract the attention of the general manager. Then you can hope for concessions and even justice in your direction. And this, as you know, can quarrel even the most friendly team.

If a newcomer comes, then the former employees do not treat him particularly well. Here fatigue affects, and a sense of injustice, and of course, envy. McDonald's employees look dead and devastated. And the new employee literally glows with good life and joy. Of course, those who have been hunchbacked for more than a year will literally be choked by a toad when they see a cheerful and seemingly hardworking, active newcomer.

Processing

In cases where schoolchildren are employed, McDonald's does not particularly rot them. After all, there are huge problems for non-compliance with the rules of the Labor Code in the case of underage employees. But when students come to work, everything turns out differently. And not in the way they were promised during employment.

It all starts with the fact that you will be sent to different points in a cafe for work. And no one cares what your contract says in which specific place you must be present. It seems to be unpleasant, but not critical. Sometimes you can deal with it. And all the same, McDonald's reviews about work are far from being the best in every sense.

But things are even worse when you have already worked in the company for some time. You are starting to have terrible processing. And they don't get paid. A popular scheme at McDonald's is to leave an employee for 2 shifts at no extra charge. Moreover, after the end of work, you are detained for another 2-3 hours. All this time you will be cleaning and scrubbing toilets. With all this, managers will make you wash perfectly clean places 20 times. Say the word against - fine.

With the same success, you can just go somewhere to volunteer. Only in such organizations, as a rule, is there a human attitude to each individual. And not only to students and schoolchildren. Plus, the salary at McDonald's, as already mentioned, is not such that one could agree to processing, and even unpaid.

Medical board and medical book

The next stone in the McDonald's garden is nothing more than a medical book and various commissions. When applying for a job, they will definitely be required from you. If there is no book, you will have to make it first, and only then think about hiring. Indeed, during work, even during a trial period, no one will let you go for a medical examination. If you leave, you will be deducted from your salary. And, frankly, she's so tiny.

Plus, you will have to go through a commission with doctors every month and take different tests. Most of them are paid. But all this at your own expense, as well as after hours. Are you free every day after 12 midnight? Your problems. Get out the way you want. In the end, you need the job, not the director of the cafe.

As you can see, there are a lot of problems with McDonald's. And the medical board is no exception. In the absence of conclusions from some doctors, you will be issued a fine, which will also affect all your colleagues. Unfair and illegal? Yes, but it's very difficult to control. No one will monitor all fast food cafes so that there are no violations.

Nutrition

When you find a job at McDonald's, you are promised free food and a full social package. But in reality, the situation is a bit different. Which one? You will pay for your meals (even if the "snack" did not take place), and all deductions are made from your salary.

Work at McDonald's gets extremely negative reviews regarding food and lunch breaks. In general, they should be, but in fact they are absent. With all this, the "menu" for your lunch is one small bun ("empty", without filling), as well as a portion of baby potatoes or one ice cream. With all this, a formal lunch break is allowed 1 time per day. In other words, a small bun and a small portion of children's potatoes should be enough for a day of hard work.

Bringing your own food is prohibited. If they notice you, they will impose, as usual, a fine, and rather a big one at that. And it's useless to argue. The more you argue, the more money will be deducted from your salary. So you either have to starve or put up with McDonald's politics.

Vacation and sick leave

But about vacations and sick days, especially paid ones, there can be no question. Even if you worked well all year, you still won’t get any social package. Why? And who will work for you during sick leave or vacation? There are not enough personnel, and then someone wants to relax!

It is impossible to hope that you will be paid sick leave. Especially if you are a new employee. Otherwise, you will literally have to win back the payment from the management. Moreover, such attempts to "enter the warpath" often end in dismissal and non-payment of wages.

Leave can only be granted when you have a session coming up. But he won't get paid. As soon as you return, they will load you with work to the very top, even more than it was before. Sometimes it is better to immediately go on vacation and never return from it.

Results

Today we learned what it really is to work at McDonald's. Reviews (Moscow or other cities - it doesn't matter) are the same everywhere and they are extremely negative.

If you really need money, then you should choose a more worthwhile place. Now it is not so difficult for a student to find a vacancy without work experience. In any case, at McDonald's you will simply ruin your health and spend a lot of nerves. Plus, such work will strike a blow to your self-esteem and dignity.

Are you a masochist? Then yes, indeed, you can safely find a job at McDonald's. And you can be sure that at the end of the working day you will not even have the strength to cook food for yourself at home. Your life will turn into a solid groundhog day.

Children today are growing and maturing very quickly. And very often teenagers of 14-15 years of age turn to relatives, friends and employers with a request to help them find a job. They ask questions like, how old do you have to be to work at McDonald's? What jobs are available for teenagers?

We will consider the answers to these and similar questions in the article.

General provisions

The first step, of course, is to turn to the law and find out if work is legal for teenagers from 14 years old. And if it is legal, then under what conditions and by whom can children work at this age.

Based on the Labor Code, which regulates all the nuances of labor activity, we can draw the following conclusions.

According to Article 20 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation, young people who have reached the age of 16 are recruited. Officially, legally, in compliance with all the norms stipulated by law.

But it is not forbidden to hire teenagers at an earlier age and conclude contracts with them. In this case, you must follow some rules:

• A minor who has not reached the age of 14 may be engaged in labor activities only with the written consent of one of the parents or guardians.
• The work that the child plans to do should not cause psychological and physical damage to health.
• It is possible to work only without breaking away from the school curriculum and the learning process.
• A medical certificate of the child's health is required.

Working conditions for teenagers

Underage workers are required by law to comply with a special regime of work.

At the age of 14 to 16, the working week should be no more than 12 working hours, thus the working day - no more than 2.5 hours.

At the age of 16 to 18, the working week should be no more than 17.5 hours, thus the working day - no more than 4 hours.

Work for teenagers can be provided both on a part-time basis and on a part-time basis.

• Night shifts.
• Processing.
• Business trips.
• Work on weekends and holidays.

McDonald's for teenagers

Working in a large fast food chain seems quite attractive to young people. Therefore, a fair question arises among young people: “How old can you work at McDonald’s?”

McDonald's employers, like many of their colleagues, don't favor underage workers too much. First of all, because of the double responsibility for the still very young members of the workforce. And plus, with young employees, there are many legally complex nuances that not every employer agrees to observe and comply with. This also applies to the mode of work, and positions held by 14-year-olds who are provided with work at McDonald's.

If from the age of 16 you can get a job at the checkout and at the issuance, then for those under 16 only work in the hall shines, namely mopping and garbage collection. Well, plus “bring-serve” to senior colleagues. If this option suits you, then you can safely try to get a job in an institution of Ronald McDonald.

Having approved with the choice, it is necessary to prepare for the interview (conversation) with the recruiter. Following some tips, it is quite possible to get a positive decision and get a job.

• The personnel officer will first of all clarify whether the applicant knows how old you can work at McDonald's. And specify the age of the interlocutor. No need to dissemble - you should honestly say how old you are. After all, in any case, when applying for a job, documents will be checked.
• When talking with a personnel officer, you need to show maximum confidence in yourself and in your desire to get a position right here and now.
• At the interview, provocative questions are often asked and put in non-standard situations. You need to be prepared for this and deal with emerging issues with dignity.
• It is necessary to familiarize yourself with the structure of McDonald's in advance, remember important points and focus on your knowledge in a conversation.

Jobs for job seekers aged 14-16

Although working at McDonald's seems to be an attractive and optimal option, there are other opportunities besides it for minors aged 14-16.

• Distant work.

With the help of Internet access and two or three hours a day of free time, you can get a small but stable income. The only thing to withdraw money is to register an electronic wallet for one of the parents.

You can write messages on forums (marked 12+), maintain a VKontakte group, click on links, complete advertisers' tasks - post ads, write reviews.

• Promoter work.

Many large organizations and individual entrepreneurs are happy to hire 14-16-year-olds to distribute promotional materials. Such a plan for work for teenagers just does not take much time and is fully consistent with the Labor Code.

Jobs for job seekers under 14

Often very young guys and girls who are not even 14 years old are eager to earn their first money.

For such applicants, various hard work - McDonald's (where the age of workers is limited), courier service, advertising campaigns - will not work. But you can try to look for seasonal part-time jobs in summer cafes and recreation parks.

Young people in the creative field will also be welcome. After all, not only adult actors play and act in theaters and films, children's roles are always valuable. This also includes concert associations and promotions.

The main thing to remember is that for workers under the age of 14, parental consent is required for the work of their offspring.

Knowing how many years you can work at McDonald's and in other organizations and companies, as well as based on the norms of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation, you should make a decision about the need and rationality of work at an early age.

McDonald's is a place where they seriously say that the only reason you can miss work is death. In any other state, your torso should be in a restaurant, and when I fainted from the fact that the deep-fryer had a temperature of 52 degree, then I didn’t go home later, but lay back on the couch. They didn’t let me go. It was one of the hellish jobs in my life. I silently did what was said, but now I understand: the conditions in which they put me were inhuman.

New colleagues

A little practice awaits each settled person: they take you around the restaurant, tell and show what is where and what it is intended for. From the first days, they give out a form that seems to be created so that you feel like a nonentity. It is uncomfortable, shapeless and rarely comes across in size. Thick jeans with no pockets, an ugly shirt and a cap. This is terrible, but, oddly enough, it strengthens the team spirit and a sense of solidarity.

There is not enough time to communicate with the “team”, and the competitive spirit, along with wild fatigue, beats off the remnants of the desire to communicate. The restaurant team consists of two groups - new arrivals and backbone. It should be understood: of those who came to work at the same time as me or later, at the time of my dismissal, there was no one left. Catastrophic turnover is adjacent to terrifying constancy. Schoolchildren and students come and run away after a few months. Permanent employees are more often older people. They hate their job, but they still don't want to quit.

Cleaning

All beginners start in the gym, working there is sheer madness. You never stand still: wash the floor, wipe the table, collect and take out the trash, repeat. Dry and pray that it doesn't rain or snow tomorrow, because then hell comes.

the real danger is the garbage press, which turns huge bags into little stinky bricks

The most terrible thing in this position was cleaning the toilet. And I'm not talking about clogged toilets with toilet paper. I, a 16-year-old girl, have to go into the men's room every hour and check if everything is normal there. And there are urinals right at the entrance. It was terrible, embarrassing and scary. I somehow tried to wait until everyone came out, to glance in a glimpse. But there are always people there. Although it’s probably more difficult for a boy, because it’s only embarrassing for me, and there a lady can beat him with her handbag. And he is already tired, poor, downtrodden, with acne.

Although the real danger in this position is probably only a garbage press, which turns huge packages into small smelly bricks. But if you do everything carefully, nothing will happen. The most dangerous place is the kitchen anyway.

Work in the kitchen

Learning in the kitchen starts with cooking potatoes, the most tedious job in the world. He poured frozen potatoes, dipped them in oil, the timers beeped. Dumped in one heap, salted, packaged in bags. Everything is simple and clear. That's just such a potato lives no more than 3-5 minutes. After it becomes a "non-standard", which must be thrown away. They don’t write off money from you for portions prepared ahead of time, but they won’t pat you on the head. In addition, with a large flow, you need to put one in, pull out the second, and pack the third at the same time. It is impossible not to burn yourself with oil at 200-300 degrees here. In the summer, at such a wild pace, it’s nothing to lose consciousness. Therefore, beginners are afraid to collapse into a vat of oil. Once I almost fell, but I made sure at the last moment and grabbed the edge, and one girl did not have time and dived right inside with her hands. Burns for life. But in this position, you can quietly eat to satiety.

A person who prepares burgers works at the “Meat” position. He fries cutlets, stuffs rolls into the toaster and then collects everything together. Standard burgers are prepared by a "man on a small meat" - they are constantly being fucked. Large branded burgers are also made according to the regime, but not so actively. They are collected by the "big meat man" who cooks large beef patties. Not everyone knows that burgers are going from top to bottom. First, they put a hat, then sauce, lettuce, tomato, cheese, cutlet and cover with the bottom “stump”. And then they turn over.

BIN is a hot metal burger cabinet behind the cashiers. The person who runs it today is the head of the kitchen. He packs burgers, monitors their freshness timers and tells who, what and how much to fry. In fact, he can rearrange these timers if he sees that the time of the burger is running out, but he doesn’t want to write it off. So for stale cutlets and soaked rolls, all thanks to him.

BOP is another deep fryer that is used for everything except potatoes: fish, chicken, cheese balls, pies. Here, in addition to makchiken and filet-o-fish, rolls are twisted. All this is done only to order. If you heard the sound of ICQ on the Mac, this is just the signal for the "bop", telling you that it's time to work.

There is also the position of a night employee - they clean the kitchen. They clean the grills, change the oil, replenish supplies in the apparatus. Visitors do not intersect with them, and only guys are assigned to this job.

Cashiers

Work at the checkout is monotonous and after the madness in the hall and in the kitchen, it even pacifies. You, like a windup, play the same scenario, repeating memorized phrases. When the potatoes run out, the cashier, taking the next portion, yells at the whole kitchen: "VILLAGE POTATOES!" - and the potato master should yell at him in response: “THANK YOU, VILLAGE POTATOES!”

Communication with guests here is not only not welcome, but simply unacceptable. It's like an algorithm: you ask a question, you get one of the possible answers, from which a new question follows. Communication stops at the time of receipt of money. According to the rules, this dialogue should end in 30-40 seconds, and in another 60 the order should be collected. Ideally, no more than 210 seconds should pass from the moment a person queued up to receiving an order. This is the gold standard.

If you are on good terms
with someone who counts money, then someone's pluses can be used
to cover your shortcomings

When I worked at the checkout, for some reason I always had extra money. But there are usually gaps. If you are on good terms with someone who counts money, then someone's pluses can be used to cover the minuses of other cashiers. Such reciprocity. Although my friend, who also worked at McDonald's, said that they not only didn’t scold them for the pluses, but they didn’t force them to pay the shortfall either. Apparently, it all depends on the director.

I won’t even talk about the standard methods of selling sauces and pies - obviously. If you don’t want to listen to these sentences every time, after you voice the order, it’s enough to say: “That’s it!”

Such phrase-codes play a big role in the work. In communicating with a client, certain wordings are important - I was constantly kicked for the turn “would you like to order ...?” It was pointed out that a refusal could not be assumed. You have to offer. But that was where the control ended. The notorious 750-page "McDonald's Employee Bible" may exist, but ordinary employees are not introduced to it. At best, oral excerpts in the form of recommendations.

Clients

I was most infuriated by people who started eating without leaving the cash register. After all, the order is collected gradually, and while you go for a drink, they unfold the burgers and start chewing in front of you or indulge in potatoes. I wanted to knock it out of my hands and scream: “What are you doing with yourself?”

Often there are brawlers - such, coming to the "Poppy", feel like a king. And if he bought three Big Tasty - he has no equal at all. He is rude, there is an orderly tone and contempt in his eyes. Sometimes grandmothers come in and grab you by the hands, shouting: “Why does tea cost as much as 40 rubles? Are you out of your mind?!" When I was in a good mood, I poured them for free.

An old grandfather regularly came to us - he always scandalized. He shouted that he was diabetic and could not stand in lines, climbed forward and cursed everyone, calling them bastards. Once, after a hard day, I politely asked him to change his tone. In the next second, a handful of change flew into my face. Directly with a swing and threw. I silently turned around and walked into the kitchen. There I took a breath - I calmed down. She returned with his order, handed it discreetly, and moved on to the next customer.

Often there is no way to harm visitors. And why? It is unlikely that you will be able to meet your natural enemy, and if this happens, you will not have time to spit in his burger. Although my friend once threw a drink in the face of a lady after some unflattering comment from her. It was a moment of triumph for the entire restaurant. He embodied the dreams of many, but, of course, was immediately fired.

Sometimes by the end of the working day there were sweets, toys, flowers at the cash desk - my “fans” brought them. This did not go unnoticed: colleagues did not like me, and managers scolded me. When it became clear that not a worker, but a “women's” conflict was brewing, I began to “kindly” distribute all these gifts to colleagues. “Through the checkout” I met my future employer, he complimented me and left a business card. Now I work in a modeling agency.

Working conditions

For a five-day week of 12 hours, I was paid 8,000 rubles. Since I was 16 years old, they could not register me for a full-time job. 25,000, which is talked about on advertisements in the subway, can only be earned in the Full Time program. To get there, it is not enough to come and say: “I want to work for you full time!” You need to get settled with everyone first. Get trained like I did. curry favor. For half a year of work, I saw only one person who was “honored” with this.

Quality control

Observer Checklist (OCL) - a form that is filled out several times a month by the manager for each employee. There are about 200 points. One day, the manager walks behind you and notes whether you have completed all the necessary details. Did he smile. Have you deposited the money correctly? Whether he washed his hands after he calculated the client, and before collecting the order. Was there casual eye contact and so on. If at least one of the points you poked and CLN is less than 100% - you're shit. Three times you score less than 100% - and the authorities begin to talk aloud whether you are worthy of this job.

They control here not only the quality of service, but also the quality of products - at the beginning of each month, secret visitors visit the restaurant, and everyone knows about it. Therefore, the service in the first week and a half at certain hours is the highest class.

The ingredients used to make burgers are really good. Vegetables are fresh and high quality. Oil, despite rumors, is changed as needed (sometimes even at the height of the working day). I can’t say anything about meat - it comes in the form of ready-made semi-finished cutlets, but I think that everything is in order with it. Although once a manager came up to us and said: “Guys. Salads are not recommended. They have worms in them!" Since then, none of us have touched the salads at Mac's. But to sell, of course, sold. All sold out.

Invisible bonuses

During the working day, you can take a break twice, but only one meal is paid. The legendary employee lunch is more like a sop - it's tea (and only that), a small potato and one of the small burgers. True, instead of a cheeseburger or a hamburger, you can take a filet-o-fish. Managers can eat whatever they want. That's why they are all fat.

Given the meager salary and inhuman conditions, you are trying to find any benefit for yourself. Everything useful that can be in Mac is food. It can be carried away in two ways: raw or cooked. And I have used both. I dragged everything - from vegetables to frozen semi-finished products and pita bread. I also became friends with the night shift staff, and they somehow gave me a gift - a large bag of caramel sauce for ice cream.

In Mac, you can feed your friends for free. They come, order a horn, after which you, walking calmly through the kitchen, put everything that comes to hand into a couple of bags, and then give them along with a check for 23 rubles. The main thing is to act clearly and calmly. The most convenient way to do this is in the window - there you are your own king and no one is watching you.

However, there are life hacks for visitors. Few people know that you can change your burger as you like. If you want without vegetables, with an extra patty or other sauce, all you have to do is ask, and in most cases you won't even be charged extra. In addition, you can simply ask to make you a fresh burger if you are not sure about the ones that are already on the "bean".

By the way, McDonald's has good coffee machines and the coffee itself is not bad. But it's always better to order a regular black americano and then ask for free milk. And it’s much more profitable instead of ice cream with filling to order a regular cone and a separate sauce for it.

Illustrations: Masha Shishova

There was a process of dismissal. It was necessary to come to the authorities, look into the eyes and say: “Sorry, I'm quitting!”. When I walked into the small office of the director of McDonald's near the Akademicheskaya metro station in St. Petersburg, it was as if cast-iron weights were tied to my legs.

McDonald's managers immediately figure out those who can quit for the first time days. I was no longer considered one of those. I cheerfully washed floors, fried potatoes and showed all kinds of zeal in work. The day before the dismissal, the deputy director asked me to bring a photo to place on the “Meet Our Newcomers!” booth. By that time I had already worked 10 days in a restaurant. My dismissal came as a surprise to everyone.

Primary training at McDonald's takes two shifts. It is carried out by experienced workers who have the status. Two days after starting work, I was supposed to become a full-fledged member of the restaurant crew. Instructors are responsible for the result of training to the manager. At the end of the training, the newcomer must pass the manager's exam. If the exam is failed, the training is extended. If the test is not passed the second time, the person is parted. But such cases are extremely rare - I was told so.

For two days, Natalya told and showed in practice how, in waffle cups and, which is called "map" at McDonald's. There was a lot of information. Everything was transmitted orally. Natalia was supposed to teach me according to a special schedule. Each section was given a specific amount of time. From time to time, Natalya held theoretical classes with me in a small lounge, where members of the restaurant team and managers dined.