Pros and cons of working at McDonalds – reviews from real employees. How much do they earn at McDonald's? How much do they earn at McDonald's?

McDonald's is one of the most famous fast food chains around the world. Many criticize restaurants for the quality and harmfulness of the food offered to visitors, but the chain continues to develop dynamically. There are also always plenty of open vacancies in any city. Is it worth going to work in such a restaurant and what is the salary at McDonald's?

Fundamental differences between the chain and other cafes

According to the principles of its work, McDonald's is significantly different from any other cafes and restaurants. There is no clear division of responsibilities here. Newbies start with cleaning rooms and washing toilets, and very soon, due to their hard work, they can move into the category of “experienced” and find themselves in the kitchen. The most important thing for fast food restaurants is to serve each customer at the proper level in the minimum amount of time. Surely any visitor to a chain establishment has noticed that I start collecting his order even before the check clears. And when buying food to go, you rarely have to wait longer than 2-3 minutes, and this is in a live queue. If you observe the employees, you will immediately notice that no one sits idle, even when there are not so many visitors. And these are also features of corporate style.

Salary at McDonald's and employee responsibilities

There is a strict dress code for restaurant employees: clean uniforms, no jewelry and a minimum of makeup for girls. High-heeled shoes are not allowed. It is prohibited to take a telephone with you to the workplace. It is unacceptable to communicate with other employees on personal topics or talk about anything with visitors. It would seem that under such conditions the salary at McDonald's should be very high, but this is not always the case. Payment is hourly, individual scheduling is possible. In addition, employees are always monitored and their work evaluated. It is on the basis of this control that at the end of the month the decision is made to issue a bonus to the employee. As in any other establishment, employees are offered a free lunch (with a full shift) and a rest break.

Features of working at McDonald's

To be fair, it should be noted that the salary at McDonald's in Moscow, even for a full five-day week, can be close to 25-30 thousand rubles. In the regions it is much less: a newcomer will rarely be offered more than 15 thousand rubles in the provinces, even with Salaries increasing after about 2-3 months of work. This is a unique and rewarding experience for those who take their work seriously. A significant drawback is the lack of tips. Restaurant policy is such that employees are strictly prohibited from accepting gratitude from visitors. Indeed, why - after all, the salary at McDonald's is good. There is also a noticeable plus: anyone can get a job here. All you need is a health certificate; no one will ask about your level of education. This vacancy is suitable for those who like monotonous activities and are afraid of responsibility. If this sounds like you, the job at McDonald's (Moscow) is really suitable for you. The salary may leave much to be desired, but you will only have to answer for overcooked potatoes and insufficiently clean floors.

Probably the widest chain of fast food restaurants, McDonald's, accepts everyone who wants to start working. The level of education is not important here. The main thing is the desire to work, youthful enthusiasm and energy.

Revenue in Russia

McDonald's management does not disclose the salaries of its employees, especially since the hourly rate in different cities differs significantly.

Labor conditions imply 8 hourly working day with days off on a rotating schedule. Total per month 168 hours.

Overtime is not welcome, but may involve additional responsibilities.

In Moscow, workers are paid according to 180 rub./hour($2.91), in St. Petersburg – 170 ($2.75). For comparison, the hourly rate in the USA is $11 or 662 rubles per hour. At the initial stage and in cities of regional significance, employee wages do not exceed 120 rub.. ($1,94).

In the regional branches of Makov they receive a salary of up to 24000 rub.. ($383) per month. Average earnings in Moscow and St. Petersburg - 29000 ($469), but for these cities special additional payments are introduced in the form of bonuses and the 13th salary, calculated in installments twice a year. For night work they are paid 30% of earnings.

Every year the rate increases by 3 – 5%.

During the probationary period, which lasts 2 weeks, the employee is paid 110 rubles per hour. After passing the certification, the salary is increased to 117 rubles/hour.

Most branches provide free meals.

Working 40 hours a week, employees earn $450 per month.

Managers receive 55000 – 60000 rub. ($890 – 971), and directors – from 111 thousand ($1779). The waiter in Voronezh is paid 12505 rub. ($202), to the cashier - 9423 ($152), cleaning lady – 10670 ($173), and the manager - 28636 ($463).

Average salary in major cities of the country (in rubles):

• Rostov-on-Don – 24822 ($402);
• Yekaterinburg – 23,000 ($372);
• Samara – 23000;
• Nizhny Novgorod – 20 – 24 thousand ($324 – 328);
• Kazan – 20,000 ($324);
• Novosibirsk – 18 – 22 thousand ($231 – 356).

In cities with a small population, professionals earn up to 18 thousand.

Depending on their position, employees receive:

• cashier – 17588 ($285);
• cashier on the sales floor -17818 ($288);
• senior food salesperson – 14,250 ($231);
• cashier in a restaurant – 21,230 ($344);
• salesperson-cashier – 27308 ($442);
• waiter – 15066 ($244);
• cook – 16089 ($260);
• bartender – 12,000 ($194);
• assistant cook - 13,526 ($219);
• Line B operator – 12403 ($201);
• auxiliary worker – 18,170 ($294);
• receptionist – 15,000 ($243);
• manager – 28340 ($458);
• assistant manager – 25,000 ($404);
• cleaning lady – 15978 ($258);
• wiper – 12104 ($196);
• assistant director - 38,670 ($626);
• trainee manager – 22,000 ($356).

How to become an employee?

To apply for a job at McDonald's, you need to fill out special a questionnaire in one of the restaurants in the chain or on the website. After some time, the candidate will be called and invited to an interview, which takes place in two stages.

The first stage involves an interview with the manager.

After his approval of the applicant’s candidacy, the conversation will be continued by the director of the restaurant where the application was submitted.

A full medical examination is carried out at the employer’s expense; upon hiring, they are provided with a medical book. Final stage – signing of documents and agreements. After this, the person becomes a member of the restaurant team.

Education trainees take place during the course of work. They become familiar with the functions of the equipment and cash register.

The whole process is divided into several stations:

• cashiers are required to smile at customers, be polite and helpful;
• kitchen staff have instant thinking and great speed of hands, know the technology of preparing fast food dishes;
• work in the hall is intended for people with disabilities and for those who cannot cope with other operations;
• you can work in a warehouse, in a McCafé, or cook breakfast.

Young workers quickly progress through all levels and work where they like best.

Jobs for teenagers

By hiring young people under 18 years of age, the company takes on greater responsibility. Getting hired at McDonald's if you're only 16 years old is quite difficult.

They hire only the most persistent and purposeful, with good health and a head on their shoulders.

However, according to the law, certain conditions must be met:

1. The working day should be shortened - you can work only 4 hours a day or 17 hours a week.
2. Work should not interfere with studies at school or lyceum.
3. Does not affect the psyche of a teenager.
4. Compliance with safety regulations.
5. Corresponds to the level of knowledge.

Minors are prohibited from:

• work night shifts and weekends;
• overwork the allotted time.

They are trusted uncomplicated work in the sales area - clearing tables, taking orders, communicating with customers. Their earnings are from 10,000 rubles. ($162).

Income of colleagues in other countries

Ukraine

In many cities of the country, the hourly tariff rate in MAK corresponds to 41.8 UAH($1.59). Comes out in a month 6900 UAH($263) when working during the day and 8970 ($342) for night shifts.

In the largest settlements - Kyiv, Lvov, Odessa, workers fast food pay 49.5 UAH/hour($1.89). Monthly earnings - 8170 ($312), and for work at night - 10620 ($405).

Those wishing to increase their income level can work overtime, weekends and holidays, when the tariff increases significantly.

Depending on the duties performed, employees receive a salary (in thousands of UAH):

• loader – 4 ($153);
• cashier – up to 15 ($572);
• Central Committee cashier – 5 ($191);
• kitchen worker – from 6 to 20 ($229 – 763);
• mechanic – 8 – 10 ($305 – 381);
• waiter – 3 – 7.5 ($114 – 286);
• salesperson-cashier – 3 – 8;
• senior cashier – up to 7 ($267);
• cleaning lady – 3 – 5 ($114 – 191);
• restaurant crew member – from 3 to 12 ($458).

In small towns across the country, workers are paid from 20 rub./hour($0.76). With a five-day working week, their wages do not exceed $200 .

Belarus

The average income of Mak employees in Minsk corresponds to 816 b.r.($409), of which 674 - salary, and 142 – bonus. An accountant receives a salary 1600 b.r.($802), IT manager – 4400 ($2206), and ChBR – 815 b.r.

In America, a law has been passed according to which in 2018 fast food workers in New York will be paid no less than $15/hour, and from 2021 the same tariff will be throughout the country. Today the minimum rate corresponds to $8.5/hour. For night shift work, employees earn $20/hour. Starting salary in a restaurant chain - $1600/month.

Career

Many people come to McDonald's to gain work experience and for career growth. You can rise in the system very quickly. You need dedication, communication skills and a desire to learn.

There are many standards to know and adhere to.

The ability to resolve conflicts is a great advantage for an employee, which will definitely be noticed by superiors.

Career progresses through certain stages:

1. Restaurant crew member, hostess, junior instructor.
2. Senior instructor.
3. Trainee manager.
4. Manager.
5. Director's assistant.
6. Restaurant director.

At each new level they give out another uniform, therefore, regular visitors determine the position of a specialist by appearance.

A successful career begins with the following positions:

• trainee manager;
• employee preparing a restaurant for opening;
• HR employee;
• technical engineer

The trainee manager undergoes a special training course for 240 days. Candidates with higher or incomplete higher education are selected for work.

Vacancies

A chain of fast food restaurants in Moscow is hiring:

1. kitchen workers, salary 40,824 rubles. ($660);
2. HR specialist in Sosnovy Bor, salary – 30,000 ($485);
3. laborer, salary 24,000 ($388).

Employees work in accelerated pace, beginners have to train to achieve the speed of movement of their colleagues. Stable salaries, friendly staff, team solidarity and the opportunity for rapid career growth make this company the most attractive employer to start your career.

How much do McDonald's employees earn per hour?

McDonald's is one of the largest companies in the world and, of course, there are different positions in it, but we will analyze one, almost all-encompassing one - “member of the restaurant team” - it is for this position with a meaningless name that the company is constantly recruiting. For some magical reason, working at McDonald's has always seemed prestigious and interesting to many young people starting their working careers, At the same time, salaries and workload in this establishment were not advertised anywhere - and not without reason. Even on the company’s official website you won’t find any specifics - “come work for us!” - what to do and for what money - silence.

During an interview, there are tricky questions that weed out the squeamish and lazy:
- How about clearing the snow in winter - our parking lot is drifting?
- How do you feel about cleaning toilets?
The author of this article was interviewed at McDonald’s three times during his student years, and from personal experience I can say that you need to answer: “I’m great, no problems at all!”
And here is a dialogue from personal experience, after which they didn’t get a job at McDonald’s:
- How do you feel about cleaning toilets?
- (pause) Well, you can be patient...
- How long will your patience last?
- I don’t know - I haven’t checked.
- good answer! - The HR employee smiled. After which the phone did not bother me with a call from McDonald's.

They try to talk about salary last at an interview, focusing on the rules and advantages of the company. And I must say that there are advantages - McDonald's is a 100% law-abiding company in terms of labor laws and there are no attempts to cheat, squeeze wages or underpay them - which is ubiquitous in Russia. You come, check in with your cards - that’s it, your shift has started and the money has also gone, and you run and run quickly! The pace of work is difficult to compare with anything - you will walk with a stack of trays, because of the height of which you can’t really see where you are going, so there will be a senior manager who will also push you in the back, saying, “move, don’t You’re walking with a girl’s arm!”

So, how much do they pay at McDonald's in 2017?
In 2017, newcomers' salary at McDonald's is 120 rubles per hour. The payment is hourly and what is especially convenient - upon installation you fill out a form and indicate the days and hours you can work- based on this, your schedule will be built. If you are a night dweller, you can earn more at McDonald's, because According to the Labor Code, wages for night work should be paid at least 20% higher than during the day, and in some cases by 50%, but usually these coefficients are determined by the enterprise and the conscience of management. At McDonald's, the pay for working at night is about 40% higher, i.e. instead of 120 rubles per hour, you will receive about 170 - which, you see, is more pleasant.

At first, they usually put them to work “on rags” - running around the room, cleaning tables - clearing them of trays, wiping them, and also using a mop in the restaurant hall, taking out the garbage - “local style” - taking out garbage - Anglicism at McDonald's, by the way, a lot: break - break, where revenue is included - “manirum”, mop - “mapa”, etc.

Very quickly, usually in the first week, recruits are taught to stand on potatoes, where it is very hot and no one likes to be there, here they will need to fill it with special fat and put it in a special container, where it is quickly cooked, taken out - poured out, packaged. Workers with good appearance are usually assigned to the cash register - these shifts are dangerous due to shortages - in case of an error they will be deducted from the salary, but there is also a plus - a person is constantly busy there and the shifts fly by unnoticed. If they see that the employee is not crooked, they will put him on sandwiches.

And with all the hype in general about working at McDonald's, the salary there is reflected in rather modest figures: with the classic scheme of an 8-hour working day at McDonald's, the salary will be around 22,000 per month, if you work a full night shift for a month, you will receive about 30,000 . Day and evening shifts are convenient for a full-time student - he finished his studies, came running, worked and went home to sleep, and again tomorrow, but this is a very exhausting scheme, which hardly makes sense to carry on for a long time - there is nothing special about working at McDonald's - senior managers do not earn much there are more newcomers - for this reason they often leave these positions - the salary is still a penny, and it is very difficult to become a restaurant director - they usually choose from the senior ones when opening a new point, but there are many seniors, and there is only one point and the frequency of openings drops over time. At the same time, how much does the director of McDonald's earn?, they won’t tell you, but there is an insider from the distant year 2002 - then it was approximately 2000 dollars, i.e. even at today's exchange rate - about 120,000 rubles- many highly qualified programmers receive no less and they are not directors at all and do not have the same responsibility. However, despite the modest salaries, the convenience of creating a work schedule like in McDonald's is not found anywhere else (however, if you indicate very few days and hours when filling out the application, the chances of being accepted will be sharply reduced), and like the McDonald's school of working life - a very good organization in which everyone will benefit from working, even if not for a long time (turnover in the restaurant has always been high) - just to plunge into a 100% workload.

Today McDonald's is the world's largest fast food chain. It was founded in America in 1940 by brothers Mick and Dick McDonald. In Russia, restaurants of this brand began to appear after the collapse of the USSR.

McDonald's is known in the world not only for its quality products, but also for its very strict management policies. These fast food establishments recruit young and energetic people who can quickly serve large flows of guests.

In the McDonald's network, it is customary to receive compensation for the amount of time worked. This is an American wage practice that Russians quickly liked, that is, there is no set monthly salary.

This is very convenient, because for many job seekers the main criterion is a flexible schedule or part-time work.

The salary also directly depends on the position held. It is worth immediately noting that before a person is allowed to the cash register, he undergoes (paid) training. Initially, the applicant has to work as a cleaner and kitchen worker, and only after acquiring these skills is he allowed into the hall to visit visitors.

Initially, an intern’s salary does not exceed 15,000 RUB. At this rate a person can work from 1 to 4 months. After completing the probationary period, the salary increases by another 2000-3000 RUB.

On average, an ordinary employee receives approximately 120 RUB per hour. But it is worth considering that the hourly rate also depends on the city in which the restaurant is located. The more developed and larger the city, the higher the hourly rate will be. Night shifts are paid higher. So, an hour of work at night costs approximately 150 RUB.

According to the regulations, night work is paid 40% more than daytime work.

The minimum hourly rate is 115 RUB during the day.

Salaries by city

In more developed cities, such as St. Petersburg and Moscow, wages at McDonald's are higher due to higher turnover. In large regions and cities, fast food restaurants are in great demand.

Table: hourly wage rate in large cities of Russia

A junior restaurant manager in Moscow receives on average from 22,000 to 25,000 RUB per month. The director's salary depends directly on the restaurant's revenue. Typically, a director's salary starts from RUB 40,000.

In St. Petersburg, an ordinary employee (cashier) receives between 20,000 RUB, and managers (assistant managers, directors) from 37,000 to 40,000 RUB.

In the smallest cities in the Russian Federation, ordinary McDonald's employees earn from 12,000 to 18,000 RUB per month.

Career ladder

McDonald's is famous for its opportunities for career growth. Many employees became shift managers or directors within 2-3 years after employment.

The career ladder at this fast food restaurant chain looks like this:

1. Trainee.
2. Ordinary employee.
3. Instructor.
4. Shift leader.
5. Second assistant director.
6. Director's assistant.
7. Director.

Basic rules of behavior at work

When working at McDonald's, you should adhere to the following rules:

1. Speed ​​and efficiency regardless of the number of clients.
2. Presence of natural makeup for girls.
3. Well-groomed hands.
4. Wearing a uniform.

It is strictly prohibited to appear at the workplace with loose hair or to have a mobile phone with you.

Advantages and disadvantages of working at McDonald's

The advantages include the opportunity to quickly build a career. The official registration and provision of a social package also plays an important role. It is impossible to get a job at McDonald's illegally. The advantages also include a good and friendly team, the ability to plan a schedule and food.

One of the disadvantages is the rigid management system. Every step of the employee is constantly monitored. Ordinary employees have a lot of prohibitions: they cannot accept tips, they cannot communicate for a long time with visitors outside the workplace, the monotony of the work process, it is forbidden to talk and discuss personal matters at work.

The management system has a strict system of fines. You can get a fine for being slow, leaving the workplace, or leaving the restaurant during working hours without the permission of the director or manager.

What is it like to work at McDonald's, watch the video.

Comparative characteristics

In McDonald's home country - America - the minimum hourly rate is 7.25 USD. Often only interns receive this salary. Ordinary employees work for 9.90 USD per hour.

According to the new legislation, starting from 2021, all employees of catering restaurants will receive a minimum of 15 USD per hour.

In Ukraine, at McDonald's, with a 40-hour work week, you can earn approximately 800-1000 UAN. An hour of work in this country at McDonald's costs at least 20 UAN.

Salary at KFC and Burger King

KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken) is an international fast food restaurant chain that specializes in chicken dishes. Burger King Corporation is an American restaurant chain specializing in burgers.

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 the restaurant, and when I fainted because the fryer had a temperature of 52 degrees, then I didn’t go home afterwards, but lay back on the sofa. They didn’t let me go. It was one of the most hellish jobs in my life. I silently did what I was told, but now I understand: the conditions in which I was put were inhuman.

New colleagues

Everyone who gets a job expects a little practice: they take you around the restaurant, tell you and show you what is where and what it is intended for. From the first days they give you a uniform that seems designed to make you feel like an insignificance. It is inconvenient, 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 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, discourages the remnants of the desire to communicate. The restaurant team consists of two groups - newcomers and the core. It is worth understanding: 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 coexists with terrifying constancy. Schoolchildren and students come and run away after a few months. Permanent employees are often older people. They hate their job, but they still don’t want to quit.

Cleaning

All newcomers start in the gym; working there is complete 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 breaks loose.

the real danger is the trash compactor, which turns huge bags into small, stinking bricks

The worst thing about this position was cleaning the toilet. And I'm not talking about toilets clogged 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 once tried to wait until everyone came out, to peek briefly. But there are always people there. Although it’s probably more difficult for the boy, because it’s only awkward for me here, and there the lady can hit him with her purse. And he is already tired, poor, downtrodden, covered in acne.

Although the real danger in this position is probably only the garbage compactor, which turns enormous bags into small, stinking bricks. But if you do everything carefully, nothing will happen. Still, the most dangerous place is the kitchen.

Working in the kitchen

Kitchen training starts with cooking potatoes - the most tedious job in the world. I poured in frozen potatoes, dropped them into the oil, and the timers beeped. I dumped it in one pile, salted it, and packaged it in bags. Everything is simple and clear. But such potatoes only live for no more than 3-5 minutes. Afterwards it becomes “substandard” and needs to be thrown away. They won’t charge you money 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 package the third at the same time. It’s impossible not to get burned by oil at 200-300 degrees. In the summer, at such a wild pace, it’s easy to lose consciousness. Therefore, beginners are afraid of falling into a vat of oil. I almost fell once, but I caught myself at the last moment and grabbed the edge, but one girl didn’t have time and dove straight inside with her hands. Burns for life. But in this position you can quietly eat to your fill.

The “Meat” position is occupied by a person who prepares burgers. He fries the cutlets, stuffs the buns into the toaster and then puts everything together. Standard burgers are prepared by “a man with small meat” - they are being produced continuously. 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 assembled from top to bottom. First they put the cap, then the sauce, lettuce, tomato, cheese, cutlet and cover with the bottom “stump”. And only then they turn it over.

BIN is a hot iron cabinet with burgers that stands behind the cashiers. The man who runs it today is the head of the kitchen. He packages the burgers, monitors the freshness timers, and tells who should fry what and how much. In fact, he can rearrange these timers if he sees that the burger’s time is running out, but he doesn’t want to write it off. So for the stale cutlets and soggy buns, 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 McChicken and filet-o-fish, they serve rolls. All this is done only to order. If you've heard the ICQ sound on a Mac, this is just a signal for the bop, telling you that it's time to work.

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

Cashiers

Working at the cash register is monotonous and after the madness in the hall and kitchen it even calms down. You play out the same scenario like a wind-up, repeating memorized phrases. When the potatoes run out, the cashier, taking away the next portion, yells at the entire kitchen: “VILLAGE POTATOES!” - and the potato master should yell back to him: “THANK YOU, VILLAGE POTATO!”

Communication with guests is not only not welcome here, but is simply unacceptable. It’s like an algorithm: you asked a question, received one of the possible answers, from which a new question follows. Communication ends when the money is received. 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 joins the queue until the order is received. This is the gold standard.

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

When I worked at the cash register, for some reason I always had extra money. But usually there are shortages. If you are on good terms with the person counting the money, then someone else's advantages can be used to cover the disadvantages of other cashiers. Such mutual assistance. Although my friend, who also worked at McDonald's, said that not only were they not scolded for the advantages, but they were also not forced to pay for shortcomings. Apparently, it all depends on the director.

I won’t even talk about standard methods of selling sauces and pies - it’s obvious. If you don’t want to listen to these offers every time, just after voicing your order, just say: “That’s it!”

Such code phrases play a big role in the work. When communicating with a client, certain wording is important - I was constantly kicked for saying “would you like to order...?” They pointed out that refusal should not be assumed. We need to offer. But that’s where the control over what was said 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

What annoyed me the most were people who started eating without leaving the cash register. After all, the order is collected gradually, and while you go for a drink, they unwrap 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 to yourself?”

There are often brawlers - when they come to Mak, they feel like royalty. And if he bought three Big Tasties, 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 your 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 it for them for free.

An old grandfather came to visit us regularly - he always made trouble. He shouted that he was diabetic and couldn’t stand in lines, climbed forward and cursed everyone, calling them bastards. One day, after a difficult day, I politely asked him to change his tone. The next second a handful of change flew into my face. He threw it straight away. I silently turned around and went into the kitchen. There I caught my breath and calmed down. She returned with his order, discreetly handed it over and moved on to the next client.

There is often no way to harm visitors. And why? It is unlikely that you will meet your blood enemy, and if this happens, you will not have time to spit in his burger. Although my friend once threw a drink in a lady’s face after some unflattering comment on her part. It was a moment of triumph for the entire restaurant. He made the dreams of many come true, but, of course, he was immediately fired.

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

Working conditions

For a five-day, 12-hour period, I was paid 8,000 rubles. Since I was 16 years old, they could not employ me full-time. The 25,000 that they talk about in the subway advertisements can only be earned in the Full-Time program. To get there, it’s 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. In six months of work, I saw only one person who “awarded” 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 there. One day, the manager follows you around and notes whether you have completed all the necessary little things. Did you smile? Did you put the money in correctly? Did you wash your hands after checking out the client and before collecting the order? Was there casual eye contact and so on. If you screwed up at least one of the points and the CLN turns out to be less than 100%, you are shit. If you score less than 100% three times, your bosses will begin to speculate out loud whether you are worthy of this job.

Here they control not only the quality of service, but also the quality of products - at the beginning of every 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 top class.

The ingredients used to make the burgers are really good. Vegetables are brought in high quality and fresh. The oil, despite rumors, is changed as soon as necessary (sometimes even in the middle of the working day). I can’t say anything about the meat - it comes in the form of ready-made semi-finished cutlets, but I think that everything is fine with it. Although one day the manager came up to us and said: “Guys. I don't recommend eating salads. There are worms in them!” Since then, none of us have touched salads at Mac. But, of course, they were selling. Everything was sold out.

Invisible bonuses

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

Taking into account the meager salary and inhuman conditions, you try to find any benefit for yourself. Everything useful that can be in “Mak” is food. It can be carried away in two ways: raw or cooked. And I used both. I carried everything - from vegetables to frozen semi-finished products and pita bread. I also became friends with the night shift employees, and they once gave me a gift - a large package of caramel sauce for ice cream.

At Mak you can feed your friends for free. They come, order a cone, after which you, calmly walking through the kitchen, put everything that comes to hand into a couple of bags, and then give it to 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 a window - there you are your own king and no one is watching you.

However, there are life hacks for visitors too. Few people know that you can change your burger however you like. If you want it without vegetables, with an extra cutlet or another sauce, you just need to ask, and in most cases they won’t even charge you extra. In addition, you can simply ask them to make you a fresh burger if you are not sure about the ones already on the bin.

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 a top-up of 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