A Week in the Life of a McDonald’s Cashier • Hacker News Board

Re: A Week in the Life of a McDonald’s Cashier

#621

Post by systemtest » Fri, Dec 06, 2019, 11:32 AM UTC

Phenix88be wrote: post #39

x2f10 wrote: post #18

Her job is already going away; McDonald's around me have already replaced cashiers with kiosks. Unionizing and requiring $15/hr + full benefits is only going to accelerate McDonald's automation plans. Is the answer to fight for $15/hr or is the answer to go back to school, apply to more jobs, and/or go into a trade? Honest question.

> is the answer to go back to school Without money ? My girlfriend was a cashier. Now she's studying law because my job can provide for us and we have free healtcare in belgium. Otherwise it would be impossible ! > apply to more jobs That basically mean more slavery since she will apply for job that pay like McDonalds. It wont solve any problem. > and/or go into a trade I don't understand what your mean here.

You don't have free healthcare, you pay 14% of your income tax to healthcare:

https://www.hln.be/geld/consument/wat-gebeurt-er-met-uw-100-...

Re: A Week in the Life of a McDonald’s Cashier

#622

Post by duelingjello » Fri, Dec 06, 2019, 11:32 AM UTC

systemtest wrote: post #582

cixter wrote: post #577

Coming from Norway, this article is horrendous. I can never understand the mentality that lies behind all of the arguments most you guys are presenting here - defending the employers shit salary and rights. You guys know that McDonalds manages to run in countries with decent wages as well, right? And that maybe a company with a yearly global profit of over 10 billion dollars might be able to afford giving their emplo…

I'm not from Norway but the Netherlands. If you have a fulltime job at McDonalds, the only way to live on that wage is with heavy subsidies from the government. You will need healthcare subsidy, rent subsidy, social housing, various municipal arrangements and perhaps even go to the "voedselbank" (food bank, free food charity). So while you can live on a McDonalds income, it's only because your fellow citizens are chi…

This is the same problem in America. The corporations already get tax breaks and subsidies, but then they underpay their employees to make the taxpayers subsidize an effectively living wage by providing welfare. It's not the employee's fault, but communities and employees could organize and press for living wages in order for the corporation to pay a living wage.

Re: A Week in the Life of a McDonald’s Cashier

#623

Post by duelingjello » Fri, Dec 06, 2019, 11:40 AM UTC

LandR wrote: post #605

dm319 wrote: post #594

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm from the UK and I'm shocked at the discussion going on here. Most people commenting here are in vastly different situations to the person written about - probably both in terms of natural ability as well as education, not to mention actual salary or opportunity. Do we agree as a society we need people to work these jobs? Because if we do, it is not an argument to point out ways an intelligent person can manuveure…

America, a nation of temporarily embarrased millionaires. If you are currently poor, you just aren't working hard enough / smart enough and need to pull yourself up by your boot straps! Anyone can get ahead, get the American dream! If you're poor, well, you must be lazy or stupid. “America is the wealthiest nation on Earth, but its people are mainly poor, and poor Americans are urged to hate themselves. To quote the…

Yes. The bootstraps metaphor was originally intended to indicate a completely impossible feat, like going from homeless to successful unaided.[0] It's impossible.

For example, I've been vehicle dwelling and very poor in Silicon Valley for about 10 years as I've been unable to hold a job (ADD/Aspergers/speech impediment). I get called names and dirty looks all the time. I'd like to make some money, but only in a worker-owned co-op because slaving away while others reap the rewards seems like prostitution for nothing.

0. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/pull-yourself-up-by-your-boot...

Re: A Week in the Life of a McDonald’s Cashier

#624

Post by Spooky23 » Fri, Dec 06, 2019, 11:53 AM UTC

scarface74 wrote: post #507

Spooky23 wrote: post #501

Earlier quoted context omitted.

McDonalds franchise owners make 3x that. The average is dragged down by low rent chains like Subway or Wendy’s Keep in mind that the owners make that after leasing the building from McDonalds. It’s a turnkey business and there are many, many people who have gotten pretty rich on operating these places.

From the cited article. So after investing $1-$3 million dollars, a McDonalds franchise owner makes about the same as a software engineer in a major US city and the software engineer didn’t have to spend $1 to $3 million and has a lot less risk. Most franchise owners aren’t “starting a business” they are “buying a job”. But a 2013 report from Franchise Business Review dug down into the numbers and came up with a net…

Remember with a global system, average doesn’t mean major city. It’s apples and oranges to compare to a SWE.

With Chick-Fil-A, operators just get one store. They are buying a job. McDonalds franchisees usually own multiple stores and have different business interests.

Re: A Week in the Life of a McDonald’s Cashier

#625

Post by thechao » Fri, Dec 06, 2019, 11:55 AM UTC

cixter wrote: post #620

devcpp wrote: post #614

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've been a Libertarian since long before I started programming, back when I used to earn next to nothing at the Army and realized the shortcomings of regulation. In fact, I started from the lower class, never had robots, computers, consoles or cellphones like my friends growing up. So no silver spoon here. You can keep telling yourself I'm a "temporarily embarrassed billionaire" but I have my opinions on economics.…

How would a minimum wage slow Ms. Brown down and make her poorer? To be serious, I would really like an anecdotal example on how medicare for all, minimum wage and a better social support system would be negative.

devcpp is probably conflating circumstantial luck with personal skill, assuming they are implying they bootstrapped themselves. The evidence for luck is ubiquitous: most people stay poor, regardless of ability.

Re: A Week in the Life of a McDonald’s Cashier

#626

Post by distances » Fri, Dec 06, 2019, 11:57 AM UTC

apatters wrote: post #608

distances wrote: post #570

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> You have this backwards. My point wasn't that immigrants are taking American jobs, it was that Americans are giving them these jobs because Americans are being lazy, soft and cheap. Don't blame the American who doesn't want to do back-breaking work for pennies. It's the same everywhere: for example, Finland imports seasonal berry pickers from Thailand. No sane local wants to work on the rates the market is willing…

To the extent that America is still a representative democracy, Americans are responsible for importing workers who have limited rights and no representation (they can't vote, they can't contact law enforcement for help, etc). These problems can be solved in other ways. A real world solution probably involves some workers getting paid less than they would like, and some businesses paying higher wages than they want t…

On this I agree. In Finland the seasonal workers do have strong protections, and recently some witnesses were flown in from Thailand to testify in a court case against one of the exploiting employers. The rules and regulations are thankfully strong and enforced in most of Europe; they definitely can contact the police.

I'm not sure how to react to cases where this is true but the seasonal workers still see it as a good source of income. Would the market bear the increased cost? Likely not. Avocados would be imported in the US, and in Finland berries would disappear as an industry ingredient as there are no low-cost countries with climate suitable for cultivation.

Re: A Week in the Life of a McDonald’s Cashier

#627

Post by badpun » Fri, Dec 06, 2019, 12:11 PM UTC

city41 wrote: post #288

shantly wrote: post #262

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The McDonald’s kiosks require more work than telling a cashier your order, IME. They’re crap.

They can be improved, a really nice to use kiosk is definitely achievable. I prefer the kiosks, much in the same way I prefer self checkout at grocery stores.

The kiosks could be improved, but won't, because the annoyances are on purpose - they're trying to upsell.

Re: A Week in the Life of a McDonald’s Cashier

#628

Post by JD_MRT » Fri, Dec 06, 2019, 12:11 PM UTC

cixter wrote: post #577

Coming from Norway, this article is horrendous. I can never understand the mentality that lies behind all of the arguments most you guys are presenting here - defending the employers shit salary and rights. You guys know that McDonalds manages to run in countries with decent wages as well, right? And that maybe a company with a yearly global profit of over 10 billion dollars might be able to afford giving their emplo…

You have to realize that Norway is swimming in oil, so quite easy to subsidize all that you want. Then McDonald's net income is about USD 6bn not USD10bn. Which divided by its 1.7 million employees would make an extra USD 294 per month, which as someone already pointed out would go straight into the landlord's pockets. By comparison McDonald's is also quite profitable (net income margins close to 30%), unlike most competitors with margins closer to 2-3% and that also pay low salaries. Just pointing out economics.

Re: A Week in the Life of a McDonald’s Cashier

#629

Post by badpun » Fri, Dec 06, 2019, 12:25 PM UTC

MultusSalus wrote: post #167

codedokode wrote: post #106

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But if she and her boyfriend work full time even for $9.50/hr, they still earn 9.50 x 320 = $3040/month and that's not a little sum. With such income, do they really have to live in some rural area with poor public transit and job choice? Something doesn't add up here.

That’s assuming they both get to work full time. The article mentions $215 as a McDonalds paycheck. Assuming that’s typical, and they’re both working two jobs, you get $1720/month.

She mentioned that it was less than she anticipated. Also, a month has 4.33 weeks on average, so even with the $215 weekly, they would be making $1863 per month.

Re: A Week in the Life of a McDonald’s Cashier

#630

Post by badpun » Fri, Dec 06, 2019, 12:29 PM UTC

jfk13 wrote: post #301

ameister14 wrote: post #245

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're missing a couple of things - first, it isn't zero sum. I don't care if I'm poor relatively as long as I'm not poor absolutely. Second, the average benefit isn't $1,000 a month and in almost all cases the $1k per month is an increase on existing benefit numbers. Third, since it doesn't come with strings, you don't have to worry about losing your benefits when you get a job or a kid leaves the home, when you rel…

> I don't care if I'm poor relatively as long as I'm not poor absolutely. This might be true for you personally, but it is not true in general; whether people are dissatisfied with their level of wealth/poverty has a great deal to do with how it compares to others.

These people need to grow up? Or, more realistically, we need to start promoting some healthy values, instead of harmful ones. This should start with: banning advertising, teaching practical philosophy (how to think about your life, how to be content with your life etc.) in schools, discouraging competition for its own sake.