If you got bored in retirement, would you work as a fast food worker?

[always_learning]

Another high school/early college McDonald's worker here. It was a lot of fun and I made some life-long friends working there.

Times have changed, however, and now Chick Fil A reminds me of what McD's used to be.

That said, if I was really hard up, sure, I'd apply at CFA, but things would have to be really, really hard. The general public has lost their ever-loving minds and no way do I want to deal with that.

I can't see myself ever being bored enough to work in fast food again.

 

[CoolRich59]

My first job was at Taco Bell back in the 70s while attending high school.

It's not something I would ever do willingly again.

 

[6miths]

Yes but there are other things that would be more rewarding/challenging and they would pay me more to do.

 

[CoolRich59]

Retail customers are also much more rude and aggressive now.

Not just rude, but itching for a fight.

Back in the 70s, Taco Bell was one of the first 'open late' (as in 11pm if I recall) fast food joints and we would get the drunks and stoners who were ready to 'drop the gloves' for just about any reason.

I can't even imagine being in one of these places on a Friday or Saturday where they are open till 2 or 3am.

 

[aja8888]

Never did fast food work.

In college, I worked part time at the retail counter in a drug store, stocked shelves at a family-owned grocery store, dug clams and sold them, painted houses, assisted a guy who artificially inseminated cows, and did a stint on a garbage truck.

After all of that, I was convinced my career would be in engineering.

If I got bored now, fast food probably wouldn't want me.

 

[samclem]

I worked in fast food in HS. It was a lot of fun--getting splashed with hot grease from the fryer, reaching a hand into a maggot-infested floor drain to clear it, cleaning the grease filters over the charbroiler at closing time, mopping, mopping, mopping--a hoot!

But I learned a lot about people and about hard work. The manager, shift leads, and others I worked with were dedicated to making food efficiently and running a good, clean restaurant (a Carl's Jr in SoCal). I have no "fast food horror stories."

I can't imagine how someone could be so incapable of entertaining themselves that a job at the counter or the back line of a fast food spot would seem like a good option.

If I needed the money, I'd do it.

 

[COcheesehead]

I worked in restaurants when I was younger. I can’t think of a worse thing to do in retirement.
We live near a wine region and the wineries hire tasting room employees. That I might consider...if I get really, really bored.

 

[John Galt III]

What, no one's mentioned Keven Spacey fro the movie American Beauty??

 

[Tadpole]

That was my plan but when I retired unemployment was still high and I didn't need the money as much as the people in their 50s that needed the jobs. Now I'm not so sure my feet would like it.

 

[nhcycling]

Nah ... but maybe Trader Joe’s for just an hour so I could wear a Hawaiian shirt and ring the bell!

 

[COcheesehead]

What, no one's mentioned Keven Spacey fro the movie American Beauty??

Funny, I watched that movie again the other night. Turned it off after 30 minutes in. I used to think I was a great movie. I think it had its place in time, but now it just seemed kind of narcissistic and tired.

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

At the McD's I worked, in 1970 -71 (Junior and Senior years in HS), the head manager was a cool guy ...
The head manager once pulled me aside and told me that if I studied hard, and went to college, I wouldn't end up like those two guys. I really didn't need that pep talk, but it didn't hurt, either.

We have a family friend who got his McD's start in HS and moved on up the ranks to store manager. When he retired, he owned 13 McD's franchises in the Atlanta area. Granted, they don't really "grow" the franchisees anymore, but back in the day...you could really go far in the McD enterprise.

 

[jazz4cash]

A friend of mine works as the morning baker at Hardees. He likes to take bucket item trips twice a year, leaving for Russia on Thursday, and this job gives him some extra spending money.

Being the morning baker sounds ok, but I think this trend flamed out in this area a few years ago. The pace is too fast and management too inflexible to accommodate most older workers IMO. Too many moderately paced openings at places like Home Depot and Walgreens. I think about this all the time as I go about and observe older workers you know instantly if they are working out of desire or necessity. Aldi s has a huge sign advertising openings at $14.30/hr.

 

[kgtest]

Fast food, no way. But there is a grandma who used to work at our local movie theater collecting tickets. That wouldn’t be too bad. Air conditioned, stool to sit on, free movies...

And power over all the high school co-workers. I bet she gets all the good shifts. My mom was a lunch lady and loved being around high-school kids. When she was taking the kids pin numbers was her favorite as she would witness kids asking kids on first dates, first dances heartache and all.

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

Movie theater would *have* been interesting for a little while...but only as the projectionist. These days, most movies are downloaded to a server and then shown in digital format. How boring.

 

[UnrealizedPotential]

No. I can't ever see myself working in FF. Not an option for me no matter how bored I was.

 

[TDub]

Free meal? In a fast food joint like McDonalds? Not me. Not even if it was free. We are trying to maintain good health and good eating habits in retirement.

Besides, the after tax take home would be very low. I would sooner volunteer with some worthwhile organization. I suspect those seniors who are working at fast food joints, or as greeters at Walmart or Home Depot are doing so more out of financial necessity that out of boredom.

This.

I don’t believe in using the word “never”, but never in my life.

If it got so bad I needed to find work, I’d seek employment with a co that provides a discount on something I already love (e.g. REI, Costco, Trader Joe’s, etc.).

 

[tmm99]

Working at a fast food restaurant would be depressing to me. I don’t see any fun in it at all. I would do it if I had no money, was starving and there were no other jobs available. Maybe my head has gotten too big for my britches but I don’t think I can stand being ordered around to do menial tasks. I didn’t like it as a volunteer in a soup kitchen either.

 

[RonBoyd]

Working at a fast food restaurant would be depressing to me. I don’t see any fun in it at all.

Despite my earlier post -- in which I expressed my doubt that an older person (50+?) would have the necessary physical stamina -- working at a fast food place is any but depressing. First off, the pace is much too fast for boredom to set in. Beyond that, working with teenagers is a real eye-opener. I remember being impressed with how "have-it-all-together" they were even though I was less than ten years older. Yes, they lacked the life-experiences that relates to "matureness" and were struggling with the usual childhood "traumas" but how they handled it (for the most part) was, TBH, inspiring.

 

[tmm99]

Despite my earlier post -- in which I expressed my doubt that an older person (50+?) would have the necessary physical stamina -- working at a fast food place is any but depressing. First off, the pace is much too fast for boredom to set in. Beyond that, working with teenagers is a real eye-opener. I remember being impressed with how "have-it-all-together" they were even though I was less than ten years older. Yes, they lacked the life-experiences that relates to "matureness" and were struggling with the usual childhood "traumas" but how they handled it (for the most part) was, TBH, inspiring.

My problem has nothing to do with boredom setting in. At this stage in my life, doing menial tasks would be depressing to me, like cleaning bathrooms and having to ask "do you want fries with that?" and such. It may be interesting to watch the kids work, but I don't ever want to be a worker bee in a fast food restaurant unless I was broke and starving and couldn't find anything else. So I'd rather be bored than work in a fast food restaurant. I would have done it when the was younger though bored or not (when I was in my 20s) if I couldn't find anything else.

 

[Dean56]

I flipped burgers in the early 70's while attending college, once is enough for me.

Same here, I flipped burgers during high school. I did deliver pizzas during college, it was a fun job but I didn't make very much money. I drove a muscle car so all of my tips went towards fuel.

 

[ATX78701]

I think I'd pass on this job unless it was for a food necessity. I've seen some really rude customers who seem to be in the restaurant wanting to cause as much trouble as they could get away with (customers at McDonald's, Hardee's and Whataburgers so not limited to one chain). The workers also seem to really work extremely hard - I'm not sure I'd be able to keep up with them

 

[msanniee]

I have days of boredom, but flip burgers no. I’ll substitute teach. Even though flipping burgers pays more than substitute teaching some places.

 

[foxfirev5]

I have literally dug ditches but never would reduce myself to working in a fast food joint. Working in such an establishment to avoid boredom would be the ultimate compromise of principle.

 

[scaubie]

I’m not above doing it but I think I’d opt for another minimum wage job. My memories of 6-8am breakfast shifts at McDs during college and then going to class reaking of sausage biscuits are not fond ones. Po’ Boys, Golden Corrall, nameless greasy spoons I’ve worked at...think I’d rather work at a big box store.