# Former McDonald's Employees - What are you doing now? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 31, 2008, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-mcdonalds-employees-what-are-you-doing-now/435653 "2008-01-31T00:27:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jman/32/4416_2.png) [@Jman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jman)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2008, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-mcdonalds-employees-what-are-you-doing-now/435653/1 "2008-01-31T00:27:23Z")
A post in GQ pondered the largest company…McDonald’s was mentioned. It started me thinking…I worked for McDonald’s, and I bet a lot of people worked there as kids and ended up doing great things. I’ll start…I worked for McDonald’s for 9 months, starting just after my sophomore year of high school. I now work as a mechanical engineer, and am an active duty US Army veteran. What have you done, former Mc D’s employees? ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2008, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-mcdonalds-employees-what-are-you-doing-now/435653/2 "2008-01-31T01:33:08Z")
I worked at McDonald’s for a few months in my teens. I am a professor. ---
**Author:** ![Geek\_Mecha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecae2f/32.png) [@Geek\_Mecha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geek_Mecha)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2008, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-mcdonalds-employees-what-are-you-doing-now/435653/3 "2008-01-31T01:54:26Z")
I worked there for 3 years and 7 months during high school and college in Honolulu. I now do scheduling and production work at an entertainment post-production company in Los Angeles. ---
**Author:** ![Khampelf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Khampelf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khampelf)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2008, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-mcdonalds-employees-what-are-you-doing-now/435653/4 "2008-01-31T02:01:52Z")
I worked at a Mickey D’s for about a year when I was in High School. I’m currently unemployed, working on my teaching credentials, and getting ready to move to California. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2008, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-mcdonalds-employees-what-are-you-doing-now/435653/5 "2008-01-31T02:13:34Z")
I worked at McDonald’s for 2+ years when I was in high school, and now I work as a director in Indonesia for an NGO. ---
**Author:** ![Tazmanian\_Devil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cc9497/32.png) [@Tazmanian\_Devil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tazmanian_Devil)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2008, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-mcdonalds-employees-what-are-you-doing-now/435653/6 "2008-01-31T02:42:08Z")
Worked at a McDonald’s for a summer, now working as a master control operator in Rockford, IL at WIFR. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2008, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-mcdonalds-employees-what-are-you-doing-now/435653/7 "2008-01-31T05:48:33Z")
Worked at McDonald’s between the ages of 13-16. Currently have a Bachelor’s in Spanish Literature with plans to go on to grad school. In the meantime, I work in a bilingual call center for non-profit debt counseling. ---
**Author:** ![brewha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@brewha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brewha)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2008, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-mcdonalds-employees-what-are-you-doing-now/435653/8 "2008-01-31T12:39:41Z")
Kind of similar story to the OP. I worked at McDonald’s for about 1 1/2 years in highschool. I then joined up with the USAF and served 4 yrs. active duty. I got out of the military and got my mechanical engineering degree. I now work as an aerospace engineer. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2008, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-mcdonalds-employees-what-are-you-doing-now/435653/9 "2008-01-31T13:01:23Z")
I worked there for mumble years, then got a degree as a medical secretary. I answer phones at a University of Florida lab. It’s not skilled labor, but I was only hired because I busted my ass at business school, and that was a direct result of working at McDonald’s. I don’t want to go back, man. ---
**Author:** ![Susie\_Derkins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47774/32.png) [@Susie\_Derkins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Susie_Derkins)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2008, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-mcdonalds-employees-what-are-you-doing-now/435653/10 "2008-01-31T14:19:30Z")
I worked at McDonald’s my senior year in high school all the way up until I was…23, I think? I’m now a licensed massage therapist specializing in pregnancy massage. ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2008, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-mcdonalds-employees-what-are-you-doing-now/435653/11 "2008-01-31T14:51:33Z")
I worked there from ages 15 to 17 and I’m currently a Senior Account Manager at a title insurance company. ---
**Author:** ![LavenderBlue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e95f7d/32.png) [@LavenderBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LavenderBlue)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2008, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-mcdonalds-employees-what-are-you-doing-now/435653/12 "2008-01-31T14:57:55Z")
Worked there for a summer. I’m a former teacher. I currently grade nationally standardized writing tests and write for professional publication. ---
**Author:** ![ChiefScott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58f4c7/32.png) [@ChiefScott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChiefScott)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2008, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-mcdonalds-employees-what-are-you-doing-now/435653/13 "2008-01-31T15:25:19Z")
Out of curiosity, I just wanted to add on something here… Why were you fired/did you leave Mickey D’s? ---
**Author:** ![Susie\_Derkins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47774/32.png) [@Susie\_Derkins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Susie_Derkins)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2008, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-mcdonalds-employees-what-are-you-doing-now/435653/14 "2008-01-31T15:30:18Z")
I quit. I moved away with my boyfriend and switched colleges. Got a job at Hallmark that I enjoyed much, much better and never went back to foodservice. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2008, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-mcdonalds-employees-what-are-you-doing-now/435653/15 "2008-01-31T15:44:30Z")
It was a summer job. ---
**Author:** ![Cerowyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/82dd89/32.png) [@Cerowyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cerowyn)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2008, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-mcdonalds-employees-what-are-you-doing-now/435653/16 "2008-01-31T15:44:41Z")
I worked at McDonald’s for the last 3.5 years of high school (we had Grade 13 here back then), and I quit just before I graduated. I’m now a technology executive. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2008, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-mcdonalds-employees-what-are-you-doing-now/435653/17 "2008-01-31T15:46:33Z")
I ate at McDonalds for years, but then I discovered home-made burgers! :eek: Soory about the hijack… :o ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2008, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-mcdonalds-employees-what-are-you-doing-now/435653/18 "2008-01-31T15:48:25Z")
[QUOTE=ChiefScott] Why were you fired/did you leave Mickey D’s? [/QUOTE] Moved on to a night-shift job. McDonald’s wasn’t open 24 hours then. ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2008, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-mcdonalds-employees-what-are-you-doing-now/435653/19 "2008-01-31T17:24:37Z")
No McD’s but I worked at a Wendy’s for a couple years, left because I was moving. I now sell health insurance. I guess you could say I hardened people’s arteries and now I get them insurance to pay for the heart attacks. Circle of life, it’s really a beautiful thing. ::sniff:: ---
**Author:** ![Mindfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mindfield/32/19759_2.png) [@Mindfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mindfield)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2008, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-mcdonalds-employees-what-are-you-doing-now/435653/20 "2008-01-31T17:32:56Z")
I worked at McD’s for about two months in my first year of high school. I cooked fries. I left because, as time progressed, the time loomed ever closer when it would be my turn to clean … _ **The Grease Trap** _. I don’t know anyone else’s experiences with McD’s or whether indeed such a thing was used in many other McD’s, but the grease trap was the thing that stopped grease from going down the drain (thus clogging it) when employees washed kitchen utensils and such. If you ever experienced the overwhelmingly pungent, rancid vomit odor of the grease trap you’d understand. Even standing at the fry station it made me want to dunk my head in the boiling oil just to avoid the smell. Anyway, I can’t say I’m doing great things. I sit at a desk in the customer service department at the head office of a mid-sized parts distribution company. I can’t complain; the pay is pretty good, the people here are awesome, and my job, while requiring a lot of edumacation about small engines, is actually pretty east and stress-free. I like it. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-mcdonalds-employees-what-are-you-doing-now/435653.md?page=2)