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

[Gumby]

When I was 16, my first job was at McDonald's. I didn't like it then and I'm pretty sure I wouldn't like it any better now.

 

[Bir48die]

I find honor in anyone who is trying to make a living. That being said fast food jobs put you at risk of a*holes who come in and feel a right to abuse people who work there. Just look up the hundreds of YouTube videos of drunk and/or belligerent customers.

 

[Cut-Throat]

Nope.

 

[joeea]

I used to be part owner of our family's fast food restaurant.

I could find a lot more enjoyable (and more lucrative) jobs if I became that bored for some reason.

 

[ckelly78z]

I most assuredly wouldn't work in fast food for any reason...so many other jobs out there that I wouldn't have to kiss azz in to keep.

I can't think of a scenario that I put on an apron for minimum wage.

 

[clifp]

Nope. If someone wanted a minimum wage job to keep busy I would recommend specialty retail related to one of their hobbies. IMO, working at Home Depot, Dick's, Best Buy, or your local bike/scuba/antique/automotive/hobby shop would beat the heck out of flipping burgers.

Though skimming through the article, at least some of the folks they interviewed appear to be doing it for social reasons.

100% agree, retail would be much better, especially if you were interested in the subject. A couple of my volunteer jobs since retirement, docent for museums, were pretty much identical to paid jobs, aka a tour guide at the same place.

 

[rk911]

nope. plenty of volunteer opportunities in most communities along with other PT jobs. my buddy got bored and started driving for a medical lab picking up and delivering labs. he quit that when he started approaching 40-hrs p/w.

 

[ABQ2015]

No way. I worked at mediocre restaurants, but not exactly fast food, in high school and college and did not enjoy it. So don't think I would like to be a fast food worker especially since I try to avoid fast food as it is not healthy and is fattening. But I enjoyed working in bars as a server and a bartender in my younger day so might not mind that. Also I would like to work at a nice restaurant or at a good New Mexican restaurant if I could work in the kitchen and learn how to cook.

 

[MarieIG]

No

 

[robnplunder]

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

That's a monstrous, ginormous, titanic, astronomical, galactic "if." Having said that, I will never work as a fast food worker. I will even decline to be a manager or owner of one. If the question is "if you are starving in retirement, ..." the answer would be still no. I will go trash hunting for food rather than work in a fast food place.

 

[HadEnuff]

I worked at McD's in high school, and at an Italian restaurant/pizza parlor in college. I actually enjoyed it a lot, it just didn't pay enough to get me where I wanted to go. In my later working years I fantasized about returning to such work, or as a waiter in an upscale restaurant. Where I live there are also many wineries who employ folks my age to deliver wine tastings and expound on the process of winemaking.

I would have some trepidation, in reality, to assume any kind of time commitment now that I'm retired, but the real kibosh on this fantasy is my back. Being on my feet for any length of time over 10 minutes is pure hell. So this fantasy, along with some other more interesting fantasies, shall remain just that, a fantasy.

 

[Dawg52]

I could never get this bored, and if I was, this is one of the last solutions to combat boredom that I could think of.

Me either.

I have a buddy(basically retired) who recently opened a bar that's part of a pizza restaurant. Unique place in that its walled off from the restaurant but you can order their food from the bar. Anyway, he thoroughly enjoys it. Basically a neighborhood hangout for friends. I wouldn't want it as it still a 'job' and requires being there everyday.

 

[stepford]

Rather, I chose to self-employ and became an "Independent Pharmaceutical Sales Representative" instead. Learned quite a bit about Business/Money Management from that experience.

Ah, youthful indiscretions. Thank God for the statute of limitations.

 

[MRG]

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.)

+1

I notice that from the few times I go through the drive thru at McDonald's. Not an easy job if you pay attention to what they do. Taking one order while they make change for the prior. If it's slow sometimes the order taker delivers my food.

 

[Scuba]

+1

I notice that from the few times I go through the drive thru at McDonald's. Not an easy job if you pay attention to what they do. Taking one order while they make change for the prior. If it's slow sometimes the order taker delivers my food.

I agree, it’s very hard work. The McDonald’s I worked at in high school used to run contests for who could ring up the most sales. I often won, but I was 16 then.

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

I've done lots of w*rk in the food service industry. Pizza joints, burger joints, casual dining joints, amusement parks, bartending...they all pretty much sucked.

The *only* exception was being a ride operator at Six Flags, that was actually fun most of the time. There was nothing like seeing someone screaming at the top of their lungs, "NO!!!! LET ME OFF!!! I DON'T WANT TO GOOOOO!!!!!!" and then BOOM....I would push the big green "GO" button and whisk them off to an impending death.

But working in a restaurant again? No freaking way.

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.

If they want to talk to people, they could just join the ROMEO group and get a 50 cent cup of coffee. Forget that w*rk part.

 

[haha]

Nope. If someone wanted a minimum wage job to keep busy I would recommend specialty retail related to one of their hobbies.

Just looking around it seems that many people would find that eating is one of their hobbies. So maybe fast food shops would be a perfect fit.

Ha

 

[mickeyd]

If I ever get bored during ER I participate in various volunteer opportunities. Yes, it's kinda like w**k, but I can quit any time that I want to.

 

[Beststash]

My first job while attending college was working at a "hand packed" ice cream shop. I loved it. Met lots of girls and ate lots of ice cream.

One of my friends managed the night shift at Arby's and another worked at a chicken packing plant - between the three of us we ate good and free! Later worked at University Hospital medical records (3-11 shift). More money but not nearly as much fun.

Not at all interested these days - too lazy.

 

[FIYes]

Retired nine years and have yet to get bored! If I did feel the need for more social interaction I think that I could find more pleasant activities than working in fast food!

 

[Badger]

I waited on tables, bused tables, and tended bar long ago. To do that again I would have to be starving and out on the street.



Cheers!

 

[GravitySucks]

No.
Wait, on second thought HELL NO!

I have thought of working the winery tasting rooms too though HadEnough.

 

[athena53]

I’ve fantasized this more than once. Part time work, free meals. If you find a good location near home and the place has a good atmosphere and crew, I can totally see how this would be fun.

I don't consider what they serve in most fast food places to be "meals".

And my understanding is that most of these places have you "on call" now. They'll call you in when they need you, send you home if things are slow. You better not have had a few beers when they calland want you to come in to work the dinner hour.

No, thanks.

 

[Timeisprecious]

I suspect seniors who work in fast food restaurants are doing so out of (financial) necessity more often than boredom - so I’m not sure about the question for this audience. If I decided to go back to work, I’d find something other than fast food, as noted above it seems there are way more rude customers these days.

+1. Besides, did a stint at McD's as a teenager and just can't imagine going back to a burger-flipping gig again. Too many other part-time roles I could fill that would be far more interesting and would pay far more ... conducting or overseeing survey research, standing up an industrial/organizational psychology program at my undergraduate alma mater, heck - even tutoring, radio DJ work or driving the train at the zoo would beat a fast-food spot! *laughing*

 

[Hamlet]