Whether the current administration admits to a recession or not, we’re in one. How do I know? It’s simple – go to your local McDonald’s. You’ve been to one. Even I’ve been to one, and I’m a vegetarian (live for the fry-and-shake combination). Take a good listen to the person waiting on you. Notice anything different? Are you hearing them actually greeting you, taking your order and, gasp and egad, thanking you? Look at them – see anything new? What’s that? Where that sour, disgusted look used to be, could that be a smile? Naw! Go on, rub your eyes and look again. You’re not seeing things. That’s because the caliber of employee just shot through the roof.
It’s no secret that when the economy is great, jobs are plentiful. That means jobs at the lower levels of employment – those minimum-wage wonders most of us have suffered through as employees – are lacking a sufficient pool of applicants. And sadly, those who don’t necessarily want to work or those who live close to a fast food joint or are still in high school end up filling these positions. Not picking on McDonald’s, but the industry as a whole – and frankly even retail joints in the mall – struggle with this attitude.
But oh, when the economy tanks, look out. For now your minimum wage earner just became that new college graduate or that out-of-work parent looking for a second or third income, or that senior citizen whose prescription costs just skyrocketed. Applicants are now streaming into the local McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s and the like and managers are in the sweet position of having more motivated people vying for the job of asking “You want fries with that?”
It’s already happened. I went to my local McDonald’s last week, but instead of the waitress grumping at me or mumbling something akin to “What do you want?” as she stares at the keys on her register, I got this: “Hello! Welcome to McDonald’s. How may I help you?” Huh? I had to check the menu board at the drive-up window – I hadn’t mistaken the Rite-Aid prescription window for Mickey D’s. It really was McDonald’s. Then I drove up to the “next window” to pay. Smiles. Lots of smiles. Oh my gawd, is that actual eye contact? When I pulled forward to the next window, there it was again – smiles, greetings, actual warmth. Huh?
I drove away not happy, but confused. It’s odd, but I was accustomed to the mistreatment, the “get outta my face and let me get back to my conversation with my coworker” attitude that permeates fast-food establishments (and retail establishments, for that matter). Smiles were at a premium once. Now they’re just tossing them around willynilly. It’s unsettling.
Back where I come from, fast-food employees were always courteous. That’s because our rural, steel-mill driven economy tanked in the late 70s and we were all forced to take entry-level jobs. Plus hey, in the country, people have time to be nice. Since living here in suburbia, I’ve learned that nice is too time-consuming for busy people. As much as I’ve mourned the loss of a culture that gives a damn about being nice, this sudden upswing in the need to please me has me wondering – should I just buy more Ore-Idas and ice cream until the economy picks up again?
What’s this have to do with freelancing? We all know when the economy suffers, companies lay off employees. However, the work is usually still there. So when things are looking up at the fast-food places, things are also looking up for us. Now’s your chance to put out those extra feelers. There are companies all around you, all around the country, and they’re buried in work. So when the dude at the drive-up window starts treating you like a king or queen, get the queries circulating. Hey, it’s so stupid it could actually work, couldn’t it?
Do you notice more work since the economy started into this downslide?
11 responses to “McDonald’s Economics”
This is really interesting, because here in Vancouver, and I’m sure in other cities in the country, we’re having a severe worker shortage. You cannot walk down one block without getting drowned in Help Wanted signs. The reason? People won’t do these shitty jobs anymore. People are more educated, ambitious and career-driven than ever, and for that reason they’re heading to the business core of downtown. Or, working at home. I run into more and more work-at-home entrepreneurs, while brick-and-mortar store fronts close their doors due to raised rents and lack of employees willing to work for $8/hour. And while I’m sorry about the losses incurred by store owners, to me it is refreshing and a sign of the times.
As for freelance writing, well, that just means more websites and blogs need content, more PR articles need to be written, more magazines are turning to online formats–the list goes on. Vive la Interwebs!
Interesting post. I don’t eat at Mcdonalds except on long car trips once or twice a year, so I can’t say I’ve noticed the attitudes, but I’ll be sure and pay attention next time!
Thanks for commenting on my blog; I actually have Paula on my TBR physical shelf!
Canada’s economy is in much better shape than ours in the US, Amanda. I’m in a suburb of Philly – the jobs that normally they couldn’t give away are now sporting new, more eager faces. It’s really strange.
“live for the fry-and-shake combination” – HECK YEA!, Now that’s what I’m talking about!
Interesting view point. It has been about 3 years since I have been to McDonalds, but I might just have to go and check it out today. Thanks for deciding where I am going for lunch!
Apparently I am super excited and overly caffinated with all of these exclimation points!
Go! Sal! Rah! Rah! Yay! :))
Haven’t made this observation at McDonald’s yet, but I did notice a huge upswing in service at KFC the other night. And I’m busier than ever. I don’t know if that’s a byproduct of the recession or just the time of the year.
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