The Decline of Teenagers in the Fast-Food Workforce

[HereIStand]

This could be a positive development. Wages may increase for these types of jobs.

"A quarter-century ago, there were 56 teenagers in the labor force for every “limited service” restaurant — that is, the kind where you order at the counter.

Today, there are fewer than half as many, which is a reflection both of teenagers’ decreasing work force participation and of the explosive growth in restaurants."

A Fast-Food Problem: Where Have All the Teenagers Gone?

 

[alsughasoughaiuyfygh]

.

 

[High Fidelity]

Perhaps they ought to pay them a reasonable wage that doesn't rely on forced charity to supplement their measly income.

 

[Rajni]

I don't think it helps when we teach our kids that only failures work at fast food joints.

^This.

With fast food, and many customer-service type jobs in
general, there's this attitude that it's not a "real" job.

Last I checked, that was real money I was being paid for
doing what I do (store cashier).

And these jobs aren't just for teens anymore. I don't think
they have to be.

Retail and food workers provide a service that, if it were
to be withheld from society for even so much as a day,
would result in panic in the streets.

I like to remind people who bellyache about a $15.00
minimum wage that the best way to determine whether or
not such jobs are worth that much would be to have a
Day Without Retail Workers. Just one day and I can almost
guarantee people will see why 15.00 an hour is not asking
too much, given that such jobs spare the public the trouble
of living the rugged hunter-gatherer lifestyles of the past.

It has nothing to do with the age of the workers, but rather
the services they're providing, and the disastrous quality of
life that would ensue if they suddenly up and stopped doing
what they do for us.

 

[HereIStand]

I worked at a buffet place as a teen. It was more for date money. Unsure of why there would be a reluctance today for teens to take similar jobs.
I do like the idea of a fair wage for this type of work though. Where my parents live in Texas, a storm came through some years back. With the storm damage, the area fast food places had a difficult time keeping workers, because there were plenty of better paying construction jobs.

 

[Go Braves]

I don't think it helps when we teach our kids that only failures work at fast food joints. Decades ago, this was the first step to entering the workforce and working your way up in the corporate ladder. My first job at age 14 was washing dishes at a cafe. No shame in that at all as I was happy to get any job I could get with my disability.

Agree with you on that. The jabs & jokes about it has made too many down their noses at fast food jobs. Where I've lived there's also some racism to it, that fast food jobs are looked at as being for immigrants, not white folks. The same was true for working the farms, which pays good money but is hard work. People used to be ashamed of the work on account of how they didn't want to be seen as being "redneck." With your head tilted down while working out on the sun, people would literally get a red neck. The same farmers that complain to no end about immigrants have hired them on account of their willingness to do the job right, for the lower wages. Teens could work there but don't want to.

My uncle owns a construction company up in NJ, so I've been lucky to be able to go up there & work during summers since age 15. GREAT money, satisfying work. I couldn't have gotten it without that connection.

A gal here posted about how Germany has got terrific programs where high schoolers can start working for big companies, earn credit for that. Wish more places in the US had that.

 

[Babe Ruth]

Additionally, automation is/will eliminate more food service jobs. I notice more places going to touch screen ordering..
My opinion, it's a mixed blessing, bcuz sometimes it's nice to avoid a rude cashier.. but it sucks that people (who are often economically fragile) will be unemployed..
Rapid increases in minimum wage will accelerate the automation process.

 

[alsughasoughaiuyfygh]

.

 

[Hidden In Him]

This could be a positive development. Wages may increase for these types of jobs.

"A quarter-century ago, there were 56 teenagers in the labor force for every “limited service” restaurant — that is, the kind where you order at the counter.

Today, there are fewer than half as many, which is a reflection both of teenagers’ decreasing work force participation and of the explosive growth in restaurants."

A Fast-Food Problem: Where Have All the Teenagers Gone?

I read through and was thinking this when I read this quote as well:

“We used to get overwhelmed with the number of people wanting summer jobs,” Mr. Miller said, adding that he now gets maybe a handful of such applications, at most. “I don’t know what teenagers do all summer.”

I don't either. I also don't know quite where some of their heads are at when they are at work either. Saw a funny meme (won't post it here; contains a cuss word) about how they need to have a third window at fast food restaurants now so you can trade in the stuff you got at the second one that you didn't order. It's true. That, and I sometimes have a tough time containing my emotions when I place my order over the intercom and have to repeat myself three and four times.

"Welcome to Burger King. Can I take your order?"
"Yes, I'd like a Crispy Club Salad with a Medium Coke."
"A what?
"A Crispy Club Salad, with a Medium Coke."
"You want a what kind of salad?"
"Club.. with the chicken crispy, not grilled"...
<Long silence>
"A Crispy Club Salad?"
"Yes, Ma'am.
<short silence>
"Would you like a drink with that?"...

I am not kidding. I actually had this conversation and it didn't end there. And it wasn't the first time. So I think the state of our nation's youth is actually in worse shape than it's ever been, not only where work ethic is concerned but also education level... in fact, I wonder if education level may actually be partly to blame for why some kids don't feel comfortable working... after all, several fast food chains now even give them registers with pictures of the food on it, to make things as easy as possible, and still they can't find competent people half the time.

Looks like things are going from bad to worse...

 

[HereIStand]

I read through and was thinking this when I read this quote as well:

“We used to get overwhelmed with the number of people wanting summer jobs,” Mr. Miller said, adding that he now gets maybe a handful of such applications, at most. “I don’t know what teenagers do all summer.”

I don't either. I also don't know quite where some of their heads are at when they are at work either. Saw a funny meme (won't post it here; contains a cuss word) about how they need to have a third window at fast food restaurants now so you can trade in the stuff you got at the second one that you didn't order. It's true. That, and I sometimes have a tough time containing my emotions when I place my order over the intercom and have to repeat myself three and four times.

"Welcome to Burger King. Can I take your order?"
"Yes, I'd like a Crispy Club Salad with a Medium Coke."
"A what?
"A Crispy Club Salad, with a Medium Coke."
"You want a what kind of salad?"
"Club.. with the chicken crispy, not grilled"...
<Long silence>
"A Crispy Club Salad?"
"Yes, Ma'am.
<short silence>
"Would you like a drink with that?"...

I am not kidding. I actually had this conversation and it didn't end there. And it wasn't the first time. So I think the state of our nation's youth is actually in worse shape than it's ever been, not only where work ethic is concerned but also education level... in fact, I wonder if education level may actually be partly to blame for why some kids don't feel comfortable working... after all, several fast food chains now even give them registers with pictures of the food on it, to make things as easy as possible, and still they can't find competent people half the time.

Looks like things are going from bad to worse...

LOL. My diction isn't that great, so I have a hard time making my order understood at times.

 

[Hidden In Him]

LOL. My diction isn't that great, so I have a hard time making my order understood at times.

I sometimes get hopeful and just blame it on "poor reception," LoL.

 

[Hank77]

I don't think it helps when we teach our kids that only failures work at fast food joints. Decades ago, this was the first step to entering the workforce and working your way up in the corporate ladder. My first job at age 14 was washing dishes at a cafe. No shame in that at all as I was happy to get any job I could get with my disability.

My oldest first job at 13, 8th grade, was washing dishes and peeling potatoes in a cafe. No shame in that at all.

 

[Hank77]

My uncle owns a construction company up in NJ, so I've been lucky to be able to go up there & work during summers since age 15. GREAT money, satisfying work. I couldn't have gotten it without that connection.

My son did the same thing over the summer.

The same farmers that complain to no end about immigrants have hired them on account of their willingness to do the job right, for the lower wages. Teens could work there but don't want to.

Blueberry farmers in Michigan were telling us the same thing. They used to have many high school kids who came to them for summer jobs. Now they advertise and they may get one or two but that's unlikely. So all their workers are migrate workers.

 

[Go Braves]

I think my generation's best bet would be to learn a trade. If my math and physics skills weren't so crap, I'd like to take a look in becoming an electrician like how my grandfather and great grandfather both worked as. Best part is that you get paid as you learn instead of spending tens of thousands of dollars to get a degree that won't guarantee you a job at McDonalds nowadays.

For sure a lot of folks would be better off learning a trade at a technical school, but some are better off learning their trade at college. I think there needs to be more guidance on how to pick a pathway for life. It's important to pick something that leads to a credentialed job. You might be able to improve your math and physics skills more than you think. I go to a university for engineering & you'd be surprised at how many have said they used to suck in math & physics. How you learn things, your determination at it, can be as important as your innate capacity to learn them.

Another reason it's unfortunate that folks look down their noses at jobs at places like McDonalds is that a lot of big companies like that offer assistance for going to college. My girl works at Starbucks specifically on account of that. She doesn't go to the college they're partnered with, but her college accepts up to a year's worth of credits from them. A gal at my church worked her way up at Target until she was eligible for benefits that paid for college tuition. She started out working at the snack bar there.

Germany's school system is a lot different from Canada and the US's. If you want to go to college or university, you have to have excellent marks in Grade 4 to get into the Gymnasium branch of school and do the full 12 or 13 grades of pure academics. If you fail to get into Gymnasium, you would go to either Realschule or Haptschule (depending on your marks) where you go up to Grade 9 or 10 and then go to a vocational school after. As you can imagine, only the best of the best can get into university and the university is free there as there's less students to pay for.

Yeah, I know. There's downsides & upsides to Germany's school system but we could do more to emulate what works well over there. Idk about all of the US but in Georgia we do have a program that's similar. It's called co-op. That lets you go to school for a few hours, then go on to work. You earn credit. The big difference is that over there more big-name companies participate in the program. Now, some do in the US, too, but it's not as common. The other big issue is that Germany is more densely populated, so the jobs & people are in closer proximity to each other. In some parts of Georgia your options are mighty limited. Basically either fast food or farming, so if your nose is up in the air about working those jobs you're going to miss out on what they might offer.

 

[Go Braves]

My son did the same thing over the summer.

Blueberry farmers in Michigan were telling us the same thing. They used to have many high school kids who came to them for summer jobs. Now they advertise and they may get one or two but that's unlikely. So all their workers are migrate workers.

Did your son enjoy it? I love working construction. Folks look down their noses on that too, but to me it's extremely satisfying work. You work with your mind & your body. It's not what I'm going to do for my career, but it's been highly enjoyable & lucrative as a summer job. I've definitely learned skills here I'll apply to my career too, so that's a good perk to boot. I've had a brainless desk job during the year; on account of that have had more time to be on here. I'm looking forward to going back up to NJ in a couple of weeks to work construction for the summer. I'll make much more & be much more satisfied.

 

[HereIStand]

My oldest first job at 13, 8th grade, was washing dishes and peeling potatoes in a cafe. No shame in that at all.

And he probably walked five miles over ice and snow in traveling to work.

 

[Go Braves]

I read through and was thinking this when I read this quote as well:

“We used to get overwhelmed with the number of people wanting summer jobs,” Mr. Miller said, adding that he now gets maybe a handful of such applications, at most. “I don’t know what teenagers do all summer.”

Well, lots of the kids who can afford to either laze about & do as they please or they do all these things that they think will look better on their college application. That's another big issue. A lot of teens & their parents are under the notion that spending the summer working a job won't be as impressive to colleges, so they don't encourage it. Instead they'll spend a week building a house for the poor in Mexico or something, then will spend the rest of the summer congratulating themselves for it. They would have been better off just taking a local construction job, or volunteering right there at home. Lots of colleges have these summer camps for kids that cost a stinking fortune, but in the fine print make it clear that they do not increase your chance of getting accepted. Not enough bother to look at that fine print. There needs to be more understanding about the value of working a job, not just with earning pocket money but how the job can teach you skills that'll help you to succeed in college & in life. One of my buddies has said folks assume that he got into our program on account of being a minority, but in truth he's a National Merit Scholar & that accomplishment is all the more impressive on account of how he also worked for 3 years of the 4 in HS. Holding down a job & doing well in school shows that you know how to manage your time wisely & that's one of the best skills you can have in life.

I don't either. I also don't know quite where some of their heads are at when they are at work either. Saw a funny meme (won't post it here; contains a cuss word) about how they need to have a third window at fast food restaurants now so you can trade in the stuff you got at the second one that you didn't order. It's true. That, and I sometimes have a tough time containing my emotions when I place my order over the intercom and have to repeat myself three and four times.

"Welcome to Burger King. Can I take your order?"
"Yes, I'd like a Crispy Club Salad with a Medium Coke."
"A what?
"A Crispy Club Salad, with a Medium Coke."
"You want a what kind of salad?"
"Club.. with the chicken crispy, not grilled"...
<Long silence>
"A Crispy Club Salad?"
"Yes, Ma'am.
<short silence>
"Would you like a drink with that?"...

I am not kidding. I actually had this conversation and it didn't end there. And it wasn't the first time. So I think the state of our nation's youth is actually in worse shape than it's ever been, not only where work ethic is concerned but also education level... in fact, I wonder if education level may actually be partly to blame for why some kids don't feel comfortable working... after all, several fast food chains now even give them registers with pictures of the food on it, to make things as easy as possible, and still they can't find competent people half the time.

Looks like things are going from bad to worse...

Well to be fair, part of the miscommunication could come from the crappy headsets & the background noise. The same buddy I talked about above said it was a misery working at Hardees on account of awful headsets. He liked working for Chickfila MUCH better. Not only did they have much better facilities, equipment, they had better training. At Hardees when customers pulled up in the drive thru the worker just said "go ahead with your order." At Chickfila they were taught to say, "welcome to Chickfila, may I take your order." Then to respond to thanks with "it was my pleasure."

 

[dqhall]

And he probably walked five miles over ice and snow in traveling to work.

When I was 15 I was eligible to work in Virginia and worked during the summer in Pier One Imports doing stocking and as a cashier. When I was 17, I worked during the summer doing moving and storage. I had to get strong fast.

 

[Hidden In Him]

Instead they'll spend a week building a house for the poor in Mexico or something, then will spend the rest of the summer congratulating themselves for it.

LoL.

Well to be fair, part of the miscommunication could come from the crappy headsets & the background noise. The same buddy I talked about above said it was a misery working at Hardees on account of awful headsets.

Yes, I've considered this as well. And in some cases they've told me so (cuz it's happened a lot). But the fact that they get your orders wrong so often leads me to think they're not always really in the moment, if you know what I mean.

But don't get me wrong; there are really sharp young kids out there as well, and I'm always thankful for them when I see them and make good eye-contact to show how much I appreciate them. And frankly, I can't really blame some for maybe not being all there. For one, they're young and probably have a lot of other things they'd rather be doing. But Heavens!... I'm just trying to get some fast food. Sort of turns the experience into "Excruciatingly painful, iffy food that you're really gonna have to work hard for," LoL.

 

[HereIStand]

When I was 15 I was eligible to work in Virginia and worked during the summer in Pier One Imports doing stocking and as a cashier. When I was 17, I worked during the summer doing moving and storage. I had to get strong fast.

One of my first jobs was putting in insulation in a house. I worked with my sister's boyfriend. He got me the work. I remember the owner of the house stopping by. Not sure he was thrilled with someone so young and green helping to insulate his new house.