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

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

#251

Post by slavik81 » Thu, Dec 05, 2019, 10:15 PM UTC

derg wrote: post #144

duxup wrote: post #112

I worked a pizza (among others) job through high school and college. I've been overworked at many professional technical jobs in different roles before. I'm paid a great deal more now, and yet I was never more tired or worn out or found it hard to study than when I worked the ovens at the pizza place. I often work with people who have never worked such jobs. They're upset that they're 'overworked' and spend their tim…

>I often work with people who have never worked such jobs. They're upset that they're 'overworked' and spend their time in the fancy break room with all the perks. Many I suspect have no clue. Not that it's a realistic idea but damn if everyone had experiencing working in the demanding, underpaid, crappy jobs in the service industry, we might be more empathetic and better off as a whole.

You might be disappointed. Sometimes the least sympathetic people are the ones that have been there before. Shared experiences don't necessarily translate into compassion.

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

#252

Post by Scoundreller » Thu, Dec 05, 2019, 10:15 PM UTC

ogre_magi wrote: post #38

threatofrain wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The most powerful tool in any union is a strike, but McDonalds is okay with that now, and won't be bringing in any scabs to replace those who are gone. They will be replaced by machines and the consumers are going to see a value-add.

I get McDonald's for breakfast occasionally and I really, really like the kiosks. A much better and more reliable ordering experience.

Does the USA not have mobile ordering for McD’s?

Or is that just a Canada trial thing?

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

#253

Post by thinkloop » Thu, Dec 05, 2019, 10:17 PM UTC

lurquer wrote: post #164

thinkloop wrote: post #136

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is no bigger lie than hard work = prosperity. It is literally the exact opposite. Think of the hardest shittiest jobs and they are almost always the least paying. The richer you get the less hard work is, until you're able to reach the pinnacle of doing absolutely nothing but managing your money and taking advantage of discounted cap gains taxes. I grew up rich with every opportunity and never had one of these…

>There is no bigger lie than hard work = prosperity. It is literally the exact opposite. Hard work leads to prosperity. That's not the same as equating prosperity to hard work. Most prosperous people achieved prosperity due to earlier hard work and sacrifice of themselves (or their immediate ancestors.) Clearly, the 'value chain', as you put it, exists as evidenced by the numerous posts on this thread of describing t…

The problem with this discussion is the definition of "hard". Is pushing a rock up and down a mountain easier or harder than getting a degree in computers? For me it's the former, studying cool stuff in cafes seems "easier".

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

#254

Post by dpeck » Thu, Dec 05, 2019, 10:17 PM UTC

duxup wrote: post #112

I worked a pizza (among others) job through high school and college. I've been overworked at many professional technical jobs in different roles before. I'm paid a great deal more now, and yet I was never more tired or worn out or found it hard to study than when I worked the ovens at the pizza place. I often work with people who have never worked such jobs. They're upset that they're 'overworked' and spend their tim…

working in heat, whether from ovens/fryer, engines, or something else is so incredibly draining that its hard for people to understand unless they've done it.

At the end of the day you just want a room temperature shower and a cold drink, the mental capacity isn't really there for much else.

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

#255

Post by theslurmmustflo » Thu, Dec 05, 2019, 10:17 PM UTC

kevinqiu1 wrote: post #230

Even though it seems like she lives in an urban area (or urban enough to be squeezed by rising home prices), the public transit is so poor that she spends 3-5x more time getting to work without a car than with one. Sometimes she can't even get home. That's crazy, the car dependence of America means that you need to pay for insurance + a car to even function in society. That is the opposite of freedom

Hey, don't knock it, it boosts our GDP!

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

#256

Post by nlfwhulsdhouv » Thu, Dec 05, 2019, 10:17 PM UTC

sebringj wrote: post #32

Before I had a programmer job when i was younger, i completely 100% empathize with her in having those types of thankless jobs and constantly being tired. I can't imagine being trapped in that going forward. I bootstrapped my situation but I had a nice parents, a middle-class upbringing and a decent school to start everything, and a knack for programming... but I know/met so many who do not have this leg up in whatev…

100% agree that something needs to happen. The way we treat less-fortunate people is shameful and undignified.

My biggest concern with UBI specifically is that it will be absorbed by landlords and other societal rent-seekers. My personal opinion is that we should democratize workplaces, through unions in the short-term and co-ops in the long term. McDonalds cashiers should have a say in their working conditions beyond the bare minimum employment regulations (that are so often ignored in retail and food services).

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

#257

Post by itqwertz » Thu, Dec 05, 2019, 10:18 PM UTC

justinsaccount wrote: post #28

> It’s 8 p.m. and my scheduled shift is over, but they asked me to stay later > The bus stops running at 10 p.m. on Sunday, but McDonald's asked me to stay until close at 1 a.m. They asked me to stay because they need my help. Thats not a job, that's an abusive relationship.

Unfortunately, this seems to be the norm for a lot of low-level jobs in the United States. You end up giving in because the job market for such jobs is saturated and others will take it for lower wages/off-the-books.

When I was 18 (many years ago), I remember having a job that did the same "we need you to stay later" BS. The buses stopped running at 8PM in the suburbs and I had to regularly walk 5-6 miles back home. Cabs and Lyft/Uber aren't much of an option when it would significantly eat into your paycheck. Most people get tired of giving you rides because you cannot afford a car.

Using a bicycle was more dangerous than walking; some people would throw things out their window at you or swerve/yell to scare you.

Factor in how managers "reward" certain employees with better shifts or punish by cutting hours. I could see why many people switch to the dole or dealing.

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

#258

Post by michaelmrose » Thu, Dec 05, 2019, 10:18 PM UTC

larnmar wrote: post #31

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.

Honestly I think the solution is emigration. There are places in the world where you can make a living without any particular skill set, but I don’t think the US, or any other first-world country, should really be among them. The US needs immigration reform to bring more high-skilled people into the country, but it also needs emigration reform to find new homes for people who can’t necessarily make a reasonable livin…

Why would an unskilled poor person do better in an environment with worse resources to help them?

In a poorer country they would have a decreased cost of living but a decreased earnings and fewer family and friends.

I cannot comprehend the thought process that leads you to come to this conclusion.

Example my wife is disabled we live on my very modest income due to costs of life and medical care we have zero wealth of any kind and a well maintained 2004 car. I think I have $13 in the bank right now.

Where ought I move to increase my fortunes and who would let me who would also pay for my wife's medicine.

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

#259

Post by Scoundreller » Thu, Dec 05, 2019, 10:19 PM UTC

Xavdidtheshadow wrote: post #83

ceejayoz wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> No one truelly cares about self-service, it's just hype. My grocery store recently instituted scan-as-you-go via a smartphone app, and I love it. I bag as I go along, precisely the way I want everything bagged (no crushed bread, no meat juice dripping on the candy) and basically walk out the door.

What grocery store is that, and what region?

Walmart is trialling it in a location in Toronto.

I wish they had a proper barcode scanner to carry around instead of using the phone to scan though.

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

#260

Post by Scoundreller » Thu, Dec 05, 2019, 10:20 PM UTC

ceejayoz wrote: post #50

NicoJuicy wrote: post #34

One of the best services a supermarket can have is: free-policy when you have to wait > 2 people. They do it with human cashier's and are insanely popular and low-cost. No one truelly cares about self-service, it's just hype. ( Personal opinion)

> No one truelly cares about self-service, it's just hype. My grocery store recently instituted scan-as-you-go via a smartphone app, and I love it. I bag as I go along, precisely the way I want everything bagged (no crushed bread, no meat juice dripping on the candy) and basically walk out the door.

Look into bags like this: https://www.amazon.com/Reusable-Organizer-Modern-Day-Living/...

What I also like is that it helps me keep the cold-chain better sustained.