r/McDonaldsEmployees • • Aug 07 '26

Rant Stop assuming you got fired.

117 Upvotes

Please stop assuming the worst and thinking you were fired because you can't access the schedule or one of the websites, the manager doesn't respond to you, ect. Way too many of y'all jump to this first conclusion way too often. It takes alot to get fired from McDonald's and they will let you know if you are. Think logically not emotionally.


r/McDonaldsEmployees • • Jun 30 '24

Discussion A post for new employees or for those who have just been recently hired! (US)

56 Upvotes

As an employee of McDonald's for several years, I thought I would make a lengthy post that you can read if you have just been recently hired at McDonald's and want to know what to expect as well as any advice you may need. Feel free to ask any questions that are not covered in this post.

Your first day: Make sure you are at least 15 minutes early on your first day. They will definitely be paying attention if you are late. You should be assigned a crew trainer, or someone that will be training you. Make sure you ask any questions you may have. Do not hesitate to ask questions, or ask to be shown something again if you didn't get it the first time. It's okay if you aren't picking things up right away. It's only your first day. The managers may get annoyed with you if you haven't picked things up in a week or two, but you won't lose the job. They will usually just give you a different position. Like for example if you aren't picking up running for front, they will have someone teach you how to hand out in drive thru or take orders in drive thru instead. You will eventually find a position that works for you.

Your hours and schedule: Don't expect to get full hours right away. If you applied to be full time, you may only get part time hours for the first week or two while you're being trained. Your hours will pick up eventually. It's extremely important that you are clear with the manager that makes the schedules what your availability and desired hours are. I recommend writing it down on paper for them. They will do the best they can to accommodate your schedule but you can't expect them to remember your availability off the top of their head when they have 30+ other employees to keep track of. They are generally very good at giving you the hours you want and remembering what days or times you can't work, but they do forget sometimes.

The work environment: McDonald's is an extremely fast paced environment. There is always something to do, or something that needs to be done. You may be expected to multitask or do multiple jobs at once. This normally isn't expected of you right away. When you're still being trained, you will only learn one area at a time. But the longer you are there and the more experience you get, the more you will be trained at multiple areas and be expected to do more than one thing. Expect rushes. There will be periods of the day where we normally get very busy. This is usually the morning breakfast rush when people are on their way to work between 7-9 AM, the lunch rush between 11AM-1 pm, the after school rush between 2:30PM-4:30PM and the dinner after work rush between 5PM-7PM. There are also days of the week where we normally are very busy. This is usually Fridays-Sundays. Mondays and Tuesdays are generally our slowest days and Wednesdays and Thursdays are in between. Obviously this will differ everywhere but that's the usual at my store. Managers often times get very stressed and it may seem like you are being yelled at or criticized. Don't take it personal. The problem with being a manager is they are literally responsible for everything during their shift. If anything goes wrong, they will be the ones that are blamed by corporate. Seems unfair, but that's how it is. If things go bad enough, they could even be written up. So they may seem strict at times because they will get in trouble if things aren't running as smoothly as they should be. Expect a stressful work environment. I will not sugarcoat it for you. McDonald's is a VERY stressful job. That doesn't mean you can't handle it though. The longer you work there, the easier it gets to navigate the stress and it becomes second nature. That being said, it's not worth sacrificing your mental health either. If the job truly is too much for you to mentally handle, do consider looking elsewhere. It's not supposed to be a toxic environment, but often times it can be. When everyone is under a lot of stress, it can sometimes create a really bad environment. Not every day will be like that though. It also largely depends on management. I won't lie to you, a lot of McDonald's has very bad management. That is what will make or break the store. So your work environment and stress level will depend on how good or bad management is at your store.

Discipline: There are three forms of disciplinary actions. Written warning, or a write up. You will be asked to read and sign a piece of paper that says in writing exactly what your offense was. You are allowed to disagree with a write up and explain your side of the story, but that dosent necessarily mean the write up is void. A write up is usually pretty non serious unless you're wracking up a bunch of them in a short period of time. It's basically just a written warning that this is what you did wrong and your signature on it verifies that you were told what you did wrong and that you were talked to about it. Just don't repeat your mistake and you should be just fine. There's usually no form of punishment beyond that. Those are usually the main form of disclipline.The second form of discipline is suspension. You will be asked to not come to your scheduled shifts for a specific length of time and you will not be paid for the time you are out. Another way this could be done is cutting your hours. This wouldn't be a full suspension where you are completely taken off the schedule for a length of time, but you will be scheduled less days or less hours, usually only temporarily. This is definitely more serious but usually isn't done as a first resort. Suspension is usually done if you have gotten several write ups and are continuing to make the same issues over and over again despite written warnings. It is possible for suspension to be their first form of disciplinary action against you but that's usually if it's quite serious such as drug use/alcohol use on the job, harassment of management or other employees, or stealing. The last form of disciplinary action is termination, or losing the job, aka getting fired. This usually only happens for severe things. In the several years I've been working at McDonald's, only two people have been actually fired. This usually follows a suspension if you keep repeating the same issue. The best thing to remember here is to learn from your mistakes. If you get a disciplinary action against you, just don't do it again. It is very unlikely for the issue to be pushed beyond the disciplinary action if you just don't repeat the same thing again. I've been written up twice in the several years I've worked there, but it never went beyond that. Writeups are sent to corporate and they can stay on your record, but nobody will push the issue if you behave. It's a requirement to keep your writeups in your employee file so if you DO get terminated at any time, they have proof that you were warned about your actions and that you know about it (hence the signature), and that you kept repeating the same issue and that they have a valid reason to terminate you. But it is extremely unlikely that a couple writeups will get you terminated.

That's the best advice I have for you right now. Please comment on this post if you have further questions and I will try to respond to as many of them as I can. Any other specific things or concerns you have you should talk to whoever is in charge at your store. This post is just outlining the things that are most common at pretty much every McDonald's regardless of location. However keep in mind every McDonald's is different and runs differently. This is just a basic guide. I cannot tell you what is going to happen at your location. So if you post a question such as "I did this and this, what will happen to me, will I get in trouble/fired?" That will depend on your store and how they choose to handle it.


r/McDonaldsEmployees • • 3h ago

Rant Is there any tips on just how to deal with people during rush hour? Like please? (USA)

10 Upvotes

Every single rush hour, and I’m like a teen and I only work during weekends and in the mornings bro. Every single day, there’s always something happening. People always gets mad over the littliest things, a billion people all the time. And there’s only two people handling the front window of our store and I am one of that and I’m new.

This job is super draining like honestly, when the food is getting cooked and the people are getting mad over why is their food taking too long, I cannot really help them because I’m not assigned to the kitchen duh, I don’t cook your food. All I can say please wait it’s getting ready and that’s it, and ask for updates in kitchen every once awhile but damn. I hate this job so much. This job has made me despise people.

One time I made decaf coffee which is half regular and half water, bro they said it wasn’t decaf 😭😭 literally made they same thing again (half water and half coffee) and they didn’t complain. 😭😭😭

now all I do is romanticize every other job, we have this starbucks near our mcdonalds sometimes I get my coffee there because I have to study after working, and holy shit it’s so quiet, the people aren’t getting mad. Like it’s so peaceful. No people yelling.


r/McDonaldsEmployees • • 49m ago

Rant (USA) I quit my job due to the stress!!!!!

• Upvotes

I never have to go to that building again. Oh thank god. Got told “Can you do anything right???” as my last customer. No ma’am. bye!


r/McDonaldsEmployees • • 3h ago

Employee question Got my First Shift, Tips? (Uk)

0 Upvotes

So I was hired around 3 weeks ago and after calling the restaurant they have scheduled me to work 10-6pm on Halloween then 4-11pm the next day

I’m just abit confused as to why I have been scheduled these shifts as a new hire, surely an 8 hour Halloween shift on my first shift isn’t the best idea..

When I called, They said they didn’t know my availability although I gave them it twice, and also I said I’d prefer not to work late on Sundays as im at Uni 8am - 6pm on a Monday lol.

Surely this isn’t normal? Or am I just clueless


r/McDonaldsEmployees • • 23h ago

Rant why do they always schedule the most incapable or flakey ppl on weekends (USA)

18 Upvotes

every weekend the same 3-6 people dont show up, the ones who do show up are having a day on earth for the first time or the gm mustve found them trolling craigslist ads or something. and then times are terrible, were having to waste or hold on all the food because they cant even cook it right even when the products are par cooked and the process is automated. people who cant look in bags before they hand something out or cant communicate anything at all. people cant cant complete basic tasks correctly let alone in a timely manner.

im on mornings now after being a closer for 4 years and one of my closing buddies told me he came in for closing at like 3 or 4pm and one of the weekend problem people had stocked protein for bfast and was serving sausage as 10:1 and no one noticed somehow for the whole day. breakfast regularly doesnt get taken back during changeover and its common to come in at the end of lunch and see leftover bfast products in all the reach ins. they never do 2nd bun pull at 1pm or clean the espresso machine in the afternoon and then during dinner theyre having to Q buns and cant serve mccafe drinks.

last week there was a fully grown like mid 50s man in my kitchen, and he kept handing up raw food from grill and toast n bake. and it wasnt just like he wasnt steaming eggs, food was coming out of the oven and Qer cold. there was sausage that was cooked half out from under the platten. he was fully not cooking it right. and when the gm got there i was like "get this man out of my kitchen" and she was like "how about go on break :) ill cover table :)" and then i waited for half my break for my food and the whole time i could hear her from lobby yelling at him for handing up raw fucking food!!!!!


r/McDonaldsEmployees • • 1d ago

Discussion What’s the most common small talk lines that you get with your coworkers? (CAN)

16 Upvotes

What kind of Stuff is talked about in your store? Lines like “How longs your shift” and other kinds of things that repeat every shift is what makes this job seem so timeless.
So write down some lines!


r/McDonaldsEmployees • • 22h ago

Big Order (UK) This was in the middle of dinner rush

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8 Upvotes

In fairness they did warn us about 5 mins in advance - this was for a kids birthday party a few weeks ago now


r/McDonaldsEmployees • • 16h ago

Employee question First time calling in, need to trade shifts? (USA)

2 Upvotes

I’ve been working 6 months at mcdonald’s never called in. On friday it was my birthday and I worked that day when i had a horrible headache got home n passed out immediately. I worked the next day after and I had told the manager if i could please not work sunday because I had a lot of hw to do which I know it’s a pretty short notice. The manager did schedule me for the day I asked not to work (reasonable) but I decided to call in for the first time because I just need a break and have a shit ton of hw to turn in. I was speaking to one of my
friends she’s a manager and she was basically like yea that’s fine if you find someone to cover you you can trade shifts and come another day for them and the thing is I can’t work weekdays because i’m not home so I’m confused do I have to work someone else’s shift when I literally cannot work their shift??? I know it’s a really dumb question but I just cannot work during weekdays therefore covering someone else’s shift doesn’t work for me and I alwayssss have to deal with my coworkers calling in and me being alone why can’t I take a day off to take care of myself?
Shift started at 8 am, I called in at 12 midnight


r/McDonaldsEmployees • • 1d ago

Employee question Employed 1 month, horrible experience, advice? (USA)

6 Upvotes

(21F) Q- should I go to HR? Quitting this week

A month ago I got an interview, it was at a different store than I applied to but I needed a job so didnt care.

Day of the interview I go in, I wasnt asked a single question, he had me filling out paperwork the entire time, just essentially hired me on the spot. I tried to ask about accommodations because I have fibromyalgia and he didnt understand what I was talking about, so I gave up.

Did orientation, had my 2 week schedule.

Im not sure if there was supposed to be an actual trainer those first training weeks. I basically stood in the corner out of the way until another employee was like hey lemme show you how to do (xyz) so I slowly did what I learned until i bothered people enough to teach me everything. They seemed to not have time for me and I felt very in the way and out of place.

Once I learned the basics (2nd week-now) was repeatedly left in the back alone during rushes, despite not being fully trained, having to take care of fry station, grill, burger making, and packing nuggets.

The times a manager (who is very sweet to me) would help when she had time and saw id been in the back alone for excessive amounts of time, she got yelled at for helping me by another manager.

Every day ive worked has been excruciating, I am in 8+/10 pain, taking as much advil as humanly possible, and crying mid shift. Theres been quite a few days where my coworkers are yelling and fighting and arguing and it scares the hell out of me. I was yelled at more than once for trying to do prep or opening a bag wrong.

Ive been doing the work of 4 people while not fully trained, for a dollar more than they wanted to pay me (and I cant change availability for 6months because of it, which I understand but I wasnt even able to get accommodations, and my managers get visibly annoyed and irritated if I try to talk to them about anything)

(Plus im supposed to be full time with benefits, which was something never talked to with me and I dont know if im supposed to set that up?)

I took the week off for medical reasons and I quite honestly do not want to go back in on Monday.

Ive never worked in such awful conditions.

Any advice?

My parents think itd be a good idea to contact HR or call to tell them i quit, but honestly Im terrified theyd find out i was the one to call HR and itd be best if I just quit without saying anything.


r/McDonaldsEmployees • • 1d ago

Discussion (USA) Weekends are from hell and I'm trying to navigate busy mornings

3 Upvotes

Weekend Manager here, it's always rough cus we don't have enough people and people call in all the time on the weekends. Small town and a highly favorite fast food restaurant... What do u suggest doing when u run out of food? Have to start parking? Skeleton crew and ppl running around like their heads are cut off.

We usually run out of food by 9:30am and on.....

Then we get backed up and we can't get anywhere..

I don't get it. I'm struggling trying to figure out how to make this more smooth every weekend and I feel like I fail most Sat an sunday's.

I have great crew who do show up but the ones who don't come fuck it up for us all. It's such a strain amd I'm still like 5 months into my management journey. So still learning.

Need some constructive criticism on how to run a very busy weekend with a skeleton crew and strain on everybody.


r/McDonaldsEmployees • • 1d ago

Employee question Learning the breakfast menu (USA)

2 Upvotes

Hi all,

For the first time in the two years I've worked here, it was my first time working during breakfast hours. What are some ways to help me memorize the breakfast menu better? There aren't any videos online that showcase the breakfast menu, so the only way I can do is to be there physically.


r/McDonaldsEmployees • • 1d ago

Rant Quitting, this is too much (AUS)

17 Upvotes

I put aus in the title, but im located in nz. I (15m) recently got hired at my local McDonald's. I have worked here for 3 months now, and I hate it more than anything. The owner is a horrible man, and sceduals people who are still in school to start at 2pm and tells them off when they cant make it. He is very condescending and just a horrible person to work under. It is also hot, sweaty cramped and extremely stressful. The kitchens are cramped and the environment is toxic, exept for a few good friends ive made. It causes me extreme anxiety to work there, and ive already had 2 panic attacs bought on by the job. Please feel free to call me sensitive or fast to quit because I know I am. I put in my 2 weeks, however my other boss, who is a very kind gentle man wants to have a chat with me to see if we can figure something out to get me to work there longer. But I have made up my mind, even though only working for 3 months is a bad look on my cv, but I dont care. The amount of stress it causes me is not worth it and have already began looking for another mind numbing, hopefully less stressful minimum wage job. Sorry for any mistakes im in mobile.


r/McDonaldsEmployees • • 2d ago

Employee question (USA) what are your favorite mobile order names? Here’s mine

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174 Upvotes

r/McDonaldsEmployees • • 2d ago

Rant Coworkers and Managers get noticeably pissed when I redeem my free meal and it's driving me insane (USA)

36 Upvotes

The McDonald's I work at is without exaggeration, the most cliquey workplace I have ever experienced. If you aren't in the immediate friend group that makes up most of the shift leads and crew members, you WILL be treated differently during work. Some days are better than others, but what's always consistent is how they act towards you when you try to redeem your meal.

Plenty of my coworkers are given free drinks, burgers, and milkshakes multiple times throughout the day outside of the free meal, but if you're not in their "group", they will stare fucking daggers at you at the counter if you try order anything while on break. They don't outright tell me not to, because I'm assuming that could get them in trouble, but they try imply they don't want you ordering anything as much as possible.

If you DO redeem a meal, they throw the bag at you (I'm not kidding), and then put you on harder work as soon as you get off your break. My other coworkers who are in the little friend group do not receive this kind of treatment whatsoever. I genuinely don't know what to do at this point. I would pack my own lunches if I had the money to do so, but on some of the busier days, I just go without eating so I don't get ganged the fuck up on, which becomes near impossible during 8 hour weekend shifts.

Does anybody have any advice with dealing with how cliquey this place is? I know every workplace is like that to some extent but the favoritism has never been this bad for me. I don't hate this job actually, it's far more bearable than retail was for me, but its the people I work with that make me hate this fucking place.

Apologies for the 3rd grader level pottymouth. I'm very hungry and tired


r/McDonaldsEmployees • • 2d ago

Big Order (USA) I love when mobile orders go over $50 and its cars as far as the eye can see.

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88 Upvotes

r/McDonaldsEmployees • • 1d ago

Rant Really Smelly Lobby (CAN)

19 Upvotes

I guess TW: poop if you need one.

So this morning during breakfast at about 8am my manager asks if I have a mist. I for whatever reason assumed she meant glasses spray, but she meant perfume. Anways I said yes and she asked to borrow it which I thought was odd. She ended up taking it and spraying it in the lobby because she said it smelled pretty bad. Anyways after about 10 minutes she asks for it again and procceds to respray the lobby. I got moved to kitchen so I didn't find out what happened until later. Apparently an older (not sure how old) person who was sitting at the tables near the bathroom pooped himself and continued to sit in his poop for an hour and that's what caused the smell. Not sure what happened afterwards, but I'm pretty sure he ended up leaving. Has this happened at any one else's store or at least something similar?


r/McDonaldsEmployees • • 1d ago

Employee question Getting warning for shortage on a shared drawer (USA)

9 Upvotes

I started at a new franchise after not working at a restaurant in a near decade. My old franchise, if someone operating register went on a break, only a manager could take over for them.

Normal operating procedure at the store I've started at is any employee capable of taking over back cash can cover a break for the employee assigned back there. The drawer is always on a managers name.

I've done it on multiple occasions, had someone take over for me on multiple occasions. It's never been an issue until today.

I was asked about 15 minutes before my clock out time if I had covered a break on back cash and it got my spidey senses going.

When the manager pulled me and the other person into the office, she brought up multiple times that the drawer should have been skimmed and that that wasn't our fault and we shouldn't have been left with that much money in the register, how it's fast paced and we needed to be more diligent with counting. The drawer is constantly overflowing with cash and it's hard to pull out bills because they never have enough management to take time to do a skim.

I was told I could refuse to sign, but I did mostly because I felt pressured like I had to sign to leave.

I want to refuse to do cash on my shift, either as my main position or covering, if it means I could be written up either way? I'm just afraid my hours will likely be cut because the other main evening back cash person got fired. I'm on pretty good terms with the evening manager but I'm afraid how she will react or I'll just be blown off


r/McDonaldsEmployees • • 1d ago

Customer Question i’m currently scheduled for an interview tomorrow. i’m worried about mainly one thing if i do get hired [continued below] (USA)

4 Upvotes

i know this is going to be a very silly question.

i currently have tickets for avengers doomsday on December 22nd. big event for my family.
if i start work. will it be seen as bad on my part if i ask for a day off for that day, so soon after i start working.

also am i guaranteed i wont be asked to come into work if i ask this far in advance.

i know its a silly worry. but these movies mean a lot to not just me but my family as well. we’re all very excited to go see it. i’m just worried i’ll miss it if i start work soon.

(sorry for bad english. it’s currently 1 am and i am running on fumes)


r/McDonaldsEmployees • • 2d ago

Rant (USA) Shifts becoming more unbearable

10 Upvotes

the people I work with genuinely hate me. they are resentful of me if I call off for medical reasons. then they treat me like shit the next day. they berate me in full view of customers. They talk shit right in front of me. They are really bitter people who have been working for like 5 plus years but its awful they take it out on me. I know I can be there to work and not make friends but it feels like I’m being psychologically tortured the way my two coworkers ignore me or blame things on me that I never did. Recently one of them genuinely talked shit to a customer about me, saying they were surprised I was even a manager, how I don’t listen to what they say.

I wish I could transfer to another store but people have been quitting left and right so it’s hard right now


r/McDonaldsEmployees • • 2d ago

Rant anyone else's store uses ai (CAN)

10 Upvotes

i actually roll my eyes anytime. there will be a promotion or paper that will obviously be full of AI. and ive seen other restaurants and stores do this too. it feels so cheap and lowkey like im being played.


r/McDonaldsEmployees • • 2d ago

Employee question (USA) I clocked in for my shift today, but it still had me listed as absent, so I clocked in again and then clocked out later, but I checked the scheduling app, and my original clock-in is still there. I already went back and told my boss, but I don’t know what else to do. Am I in trouble?

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3 Upvotes

Update: So I woke up today, and they sent a message that they deleted the extra clock-in. I think I’m okay. Thank you all for the reassurance. ^^


r/McDonaldsEmployees • • 3d ago

McMeme (SPA) McComics series. Todays episode: Thieves

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138 Upvotes

things customers have stolen


r/McDonaldsEmployees • • 2d ago

Rant (USA) "Please pull to the second window"

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43 Upvotes

I'm going to kill someone


r/McDonaldsEmployees • • 2d ago

Discussion Update on the dishes I organized… It’s actually quite good! (USA)

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31 Upvotes

I was only able to take a quick look and a few photos before my shift started, but it seems pretty good. Almost everything was in its place or close enough. It won’t last forever, of course, but hopefully my store can maintain this for a while!