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

[RAE]

I've been retired for almost 10 years now, and I haven't really been bored yet. I might get frustrated now and then when the weather doesn't allow me to do the things I'd like to do, but I can't say I have ever been without things to keep me occupied. So, the answer is no. I don't eat fast food anymore either, so there would be zero appeal to getting free/cheap food from working there.

 

[MRG]

I always thought I'd enjoy doing that, however I have zero experience. A trusted friend told me that was the stupidest thing I'd ever said. He went on to describe an azz-chewing he had received a decade prior over a 2 dollar hamburger.

 

[Dash man]

I’m sorry...but what is “bored?”

 

[Mdlerth]

You want fries with that? Supersize me!

Fast food places are hard on your feet, involve repetitive motions for hours at a stretch, congested work areas, and periods of frantic activity chock full of impatient customers. It's rough enough on a young person, but when you're 60 and up it's gotta be brutal.

Also, the constant aroma of french fries would be calling to me like the sirens of Odysseus. I'm trying to lose 30 pounds, not put on an extra 30.

 

[SumDay]

I did that in high school. Didn't enjoy it then, but I am seeing more & more people my age working at fast food joints. I always hope it's because they want to, not because they need the $$.

If I had to go back to work at this point, I think I'd go with Costco. 24 hours a week and you get health insurance.

 

[ziggy29]

If I were bored enough to want a (very) part time gig to do something and earn a few bucks, the most important consideration to me would be flexibility in setting my schedule -- how many hours a week, how many days a week. The second would be that it has as little contact with customers as possible. Most of them are fine and appreciative but you get that 2-3% with a massive entitlement mentality ("the customer is always right even if they are unreasonable jerks") that ruin it.

 

[Spock]

I enjoyed being a dishwasher/busboy in high school. Just showing up as scheduled was dependable enough to be made an assistant manager. Never going into management EVER again.


But if I were to work in the food industry now, it would not be fast food.
I could definitely go for being a pit master or fire tender and a BBQ smoke house with an employee discount....

 

[garyt]

I wouldn't want to do it, but I will say all the seniors I see working at fast food places seem to be happy and enjoying it. Maybe they do it just to talk to people, etc.

 

[ziggy29]

I wouldn't want to do it, but I will say all the seniors I see working at fast food places seem to be happy and enjoying it. Maybe they do it just to talk to people, etc.

I'm sure. I can especially see it for people who are widowed and bored.

 

[ocean view]

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...

 

[Teacher Terry]

Fast food in high school was bad enough. It was next to a bar and drunks would come in and puke and sometimes pee themselves and we had to clean it up. Buses would come and it would be insane. Not enough money to ever do that again.

 

[W2R]

I am retired, completely and forever, and have no intention of ever working again. You'd have to put a gun to my head.

I *DESERVE* my retirement. I worked so hard for it and I wouldn't give it up without a fight.

Not only that.... with the internet (A.K.A. The World's Biggest Encyclopedia) at my fingertips, not to mention my online friends, and video gaming and other various hobbies, and amazingly fun conversations with F to look forward to every day, how could I ever get bored in the first place? So bored that I wanted to hang out at a fast food joint and even work there? Whew, I can't even imagine that level of boredom.

After my 1998 divorce, I did a lot of introspection and thought a lot about where my life was going and what I really wanted in life. I'd recommend that to anybody who retires and then thinks they are bored in retirement. It's nice to become acquainted with oneself.

 

[brett]

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.

 

[RonBoyd]

I spent about 15 years in management at McDonald's/Burger King. I can tell you it is not a place for any other than the very young -- teenagers. One would be amazed at how fast the pace is. Unless you are in top shape physically (athletic) you would not have the stamina to go the required full speed for a whole shift... no matter how short it might be. Case in point, crew performance is judged by how few seconds (not minutes) it takes to complete an average order. (I spent many hours on both sides of the stop-watch.)

 

[scrabbler1]

The one job I had in high school and in college which I liked was a page at my local or school library. Quiet setting, A/C in the summer, heat in the winter, very little interaction with the public. Flexible hours, part-time. I was able to sneak in my Walkman so I could listen to music while I shelved books for a few hours.


Over the years, whenever I see a book out of sequence while at the library, I put it into the proper order if it is nearby. Old habits die hard.

 

[sengsational]

I had one hourly job at a grocery store in high school. I realized that I was reporting to a moron, even at age 16. I asked a month in advance for one night off for a high school event where I was performing. They put me on the schedule for that night anyway. I notified my boss right away that that was the night I wasn't available. Then they fired me for not showing up.


So, yeah, I have no desire to repeat that experience.

 

[MissMolly]

No way, no how. I have never worked behind a counter like McDonald's, but I waited tables at Frisch's and Jerry's growing up. It is hard, hard work. Never, ever again do I want to work in the food service industry. Low pay. Hard work. Unappreciative customers. Rudeness. And you always, always smell like french fries. No thank you.

 

[GalaxyBoy]

I'd rather be poked in the eye with a sharp stick!

 

[Chapter 3]

No. As RunningBum said, I did a couple OMY to ensure I didn't need to do anything part-time. Like others said, IF I ever get bored that would be my last thought. A brewery perhaps....

 

[TheRunningMan]

Uh, no.

 

[Retire2013]

I volunteer daily at the local animal shelter. The dogs and cats there are so cute. I am NEVER bored. When I was still working, I worked such long hours that I did not have time to learn how to crochet, knit, or to practice the piano. Now in ER, I practice the piano daily, learn how to crochet, and volunteer. It's been 6 years since I've ER'd, I am not bored yet.

 

[Walt34]

Same here and totally agree. Retail customers are also much more rude and aggressive now.

+2

I worked retail (gas station job) in high school and first year of college, and learned all about rude and arrogant jerks then. I do not need or want a refresher course.

Edit to add: I suppose if I got really bored, I could be a caretaker at a cemetery. Those people won't give you any crap.

 

[Katsmeow]

I could see taking a part-time job for social contact or just because it was interesting...but I can't really think I would find one in fast food that would meet that kind of criteria for me. Maybe if my husband died and I was desperate to be around others and I couldn't find anything else...but I think I could find volunteer opportunities I would like more.

Not only that.... with the internet (A.K.A. The World's Biggest Encyclopedia) at my fingertips, not to mention my online friends, and video gaming and other various hobbies, and amazingly fun conversations with F to look forward to every day, how could I ever get bored in the first place? So bored that I wanted to hang out at a fast food joint and even work there? Whew, I can't even imagine that level of boredom.

We moved about a year ago and one of the reasons was the lack of social contact. I felt I was being starved. I am an introvert and I don't need a lot of contact with others. But, where we lived, I had virtually none. Yes, yes, I had my husband which was great. But I recognized I was starting to feel more distressed with no one else particularly as the kids grew up and left. When I was working full-time, I had friendly relationships with colleagues. We might chat for awhile at work or go to lunch. It wasn't a deep relationship but it was enough for me. I really missed that when I didn't have it any more.

In our new locale, this isn't an issue. In addition to DH, I moved to the area where my high school best friend lives and we have lunch every week and I have a few more people I have more occasional communications with and I have nearby extended family.

But -- I could definitely see someone getting a part-time job just for the social aspect of contact with other people. I don't know if I would call that boredom exactly. I have a lot of things I am interested in, but the desire for some social contact is a separate area. (In my case I would probably look for a library job -- I worked in the library during high school and college and enjoyed the contact with people).

 

[braumeister]

Absolutely not, at least now. But I actually remember those days with some fondness. I was a counterman at a restaurant on the boardwalk at a large popular beach. Mainly serving hot dogs and hamburgers, sodas and ice cream. And doing lots of cleaning and restocking, of course.

What made it fun was that it was a summer job and a large percentage of the customers were in my own age group. It was a demanding job, but many of my friends worked there too, so we had some good times.

 

[GrayHare]

I did this for awhile. Trust me, after a day of smelling that food, you won't want to eat it, even if free. Was many, many years before I ate some again.