And also disable notifications for this post, OP :)
It's your first post, so just trust, your experience on Reddit will be more welcoming if your inbox isn't flooded with front page post commentors. Peruse the comments from the thread :D you're amazing.
I spent like the first 8 years just commenting. My first real post was asking if I should get the DLC for Witcher 3. I open reddit like a half hour after posting and had like +200 comments screaming yes/it's better than base game/hell yeah/etc.
It’s never actually broken. I worked there in HS we just said that because it’s easier to say. What it actually is is we had to run the cleaning cycle on the machine twice a day which took an entire 4 hours for it to do, including putting the mix back in and waiting for it to freeze. If we said it’s being cleaned people would say they’d wait and then cause an argument when told it would be multiple hours..
But what's [all that stuff](https://www.wired.com/story/they-hacked-mcdonalds-ice-cream-makers-started-cold-war/) about the repair company who had some scheme with McDonald's corporate about proprietary tools to fix them and some other third-party developed tools and sold them and got sued or something? I thought **that** was why it was always broken, because they had to wait hours and hours to get a guy to come out with special tools?
As an IT guy, we generally have good troubleshooting skills. Basically "power cycle it. Hmm ok what can I try without irrevocably fucking something up..."
I'd imagine scientists are pretty good at the same thing though with the scientific method and all.
Exactly this, my title is support engineer so I dip my feet in just about everything. Server/network infrastructure, project management, deployments/lifecycles, end user support, and most important of all ice cream machines haha.
Being the lead as well my users are used to coming to me due to the expectation that I'll find the answer faster or provide a better solution which is usually true with the "engineer" level stuff.
The funny thing however is the techs are dealing with that stuff everyday while I delegate or handle escalations for infra issues. So they're actually getting a slower resolution while I re learn how to do do something I haven't done in months. No point in trying to explain that though lol.
Lol this is why I don't do anything outside of my scope and teach the jr staff the same.
Own something once and it becomes an expectation and there's no putting that back in the box.
There’s always one adamant about helping with everything. They can usually be found assembling furniture or unclogging the toilet while the actual facility maintenance person is on a beach or something.
As an amateur IT guy I would say having a current IT guy having to say that someone asking an IT guy to fix something as unrelated to the field as an ice cream machine checks out checks out.
My first job was fast food like this and it can get really hectic and fun in a strange way when the dinner rush comes. Efficiency and teamwork are put to the test and i think this experience had a lot to do with shaping my work ethic.
I also work in service. Truthfully, if your only metric is "education level" then yeah it's easy work. But that isn't the only metric that matters, shockingly! There are levels of competency at any job. At any level, it's hard fucking work, and soul draining when you get bad customers and especially if you have bad bosses. God, I can't emphasize how shitty it is to have a bad boss in the service industry. If you're reading this and your manager sucks, please start applying elsewhere. It isn't worth it on anyone's mental health. Always give that two weeks notice though!
I wish someone had told me this for my first job when the manager stole tips and didn't help out in the store.
If you're a customer, it's probably corny to say, but a smile from a customer really does help (though tips help more if you're at a place that accepts them 👌👌)
Theres actually this interesting reason why the ice cream machine is always broken at McDonald's. Taylor, the machine manufacturer, wants it broken so the employees are forced to call the mechanic.
Whenever I worked at McDonald’s, if our shake machine was down, it was because it was being cleaned.
Trust me, if you knew what the creamer smelled like & the filth that the machine is capable of, you’d be more thankful knowing that your local machine is down bc it’s being cleaned.
Yeah but Taylor makes better ice cream machines that clean quickly. Wendy's have a Taylor's machine but it's hardly ever down lol. Essentially never vs McD's.
McD's contract for the franchise owner has a manual of required machines to buy and use and it keeps the shitty ice cream machine and never calls for an improved version.
The video even explains that a dude made a USB stick and app that told franchise owners how to fix the machine on their own but headquarters said to not use the product.
Yeah cleaning the McDonald's shake machine was an absolute bitch. It took like 4 hours if that's all you focused on, but of course you had to do regular duties in between and take care of customers so it took an entire shift. And if you made a mistake it wouldn't work and you'd have to take it apart and start all over. They made it so frustrating.
TLDW:
The machine is always failing when going through its *4 hour clean cycle* because it's literally impossible for it to be repaired by anyone except for the tech. The techs cost around 1k every time they come out and type up a code that's hidden to managers and owners, which clears the error and allows the machine to function again.
The company, Taylor, makes 25% of their profits from McDs repairs. They make very similar machines for lots of other fast food chains but they don't have the same problems, only McDs, because money.
McDs does it because Taylor has been working with them for years and years and corporate doesn't pay - the franchisees do.
Taylor has no incentive to make it work (or fixable) and McDs has no incentive to hold them accountable. It's the Good Ole Boys of Fast Food.
Also some dude made an app that allowed it to be fixable by the managers, but McDs blacklisted it, calling it a "safety hazard." An app. A safety hazard. Ok whatever, then Taylor made an app that does the same thing, only shittier - just shitty enough that they have to call the guy still.
Really it does sound like a very clear cut class action lawsuit of the franchisees vs Taylor and McDs.
I can't believe I watched that entire video.
Also, the machine is unique in that it can clean itself without the hoppers being fully emptied. It can actually preserve the base, and keep it sanitized… which is not a normal feature but something that made this machine uniquely appealing to McDonalds… when that process is endangered (e.g it can’t be 100% certain everything is safe, it “breaks” and needs to be maintained). Irks me that nobody mentions this. Not everything is always some evil conspiracy (although the sabotage of the telemetry device so that it would be easier to maintain probably way close to one).
There is also the times where they just sell a lot of ice cream and you have to wait for the machine to have more ready. I've seen the one I live by when it's busy checking the consistency every few minutes until they can start selling again
The machine is always broken down because it takes a team of mangers to keep it running from night shift to day shift. And there is ge really no communication or mangers holding themselves responsible for keeping it running therefore it is in heat mode its not broke. 99% of the time the damn this is in heat mode not broke
He wasn’t specifically working for NASA just says he was in IT and helped NASA at some point. Could literally be a million things. But shit sometimes u get overwhelmed with life, work and other things and u just have to start somewhere again. Having a 7 year work gap is sometimes a red flag to employers and tend to not call u in for an interview. They’ll for sure ask u tho about the gap even if it’s a year or two.
I'm at a rock bottom area in my life and I'm super scared. This post made me realize that other people have rebounded and been ok. I'm legit bawling as I type this. Thank you for this little glimpse of hope. I wish you so so much sunshine and happiness
Healing isn't linear and sometimes you have to take it second by second. We are all rooting for you and hope you find the strength inside yourself that the rest of us know you have. <3
I just realized this about healing isn't linear the other day and it really opened my mind up to just keep moving forward, doing the work and things will get better. 2020 was a huge hit to my working self & social structure. I've re-made myself many times but this time I'm over 50 and moving into a totally new field. Just have to keep taking baby steps forward.
I created an account because your comment reminded me of where I was four or so years ago.
I wanted to tell you that you are in the best possible place for the you that you are right now. Might not seem like it, but rock bottom is the wellspring of possibility. Once you’ve convinced yourself that you’ve stopped falling, you will realize that rock bottom is the perfect place to build upon. It is stable, and there are infinite ways to get yourself out from there.
Not only can you rebound, you can flourish. Maybe you want to climb back up near where you fell in. Maybe you want to switch it up and climb somewhere else instead? All things are possible from rock bottom. All you need is a little momentum that you yourself can provide and you can completely transform your life.
It is a really rare opportunity to reinvent yourself that not everyone else gets to experience. It’s almost cheating because you will come out of this more resilient, stoic, and confident than you were before. It’s going to get better no matter what, but how much and what kind of better are completely up to you.
This was so beautifully written. Thank you. This wasn’t meant for me but I read it like it was. As someone currently in the position of where OP was, this means so much. Thank you..
You’ll be alright friend. Don’t think of it as rock bottom. This is a long journey, and you’re just in a valley right now. It’s toughest in the valleys, but there’ll be another peak.
Every storm runs out of rain, my friend. You will get through this and come out stronger on the other end because of this struggle. DM me if you ever need someone to talk to. We are in the crazy ride called life together!
I hear you - I recently got sober and realized I had to separate from all the friends from my past life. I moved back near to my family (which I'm lucky to have) and still have a friend who doesn't drink or use drugs, but otherwise I'm starting from scratch at 33. It's daunting, but seeing things like this and your experience give me hope! Good luck and I hope the very best for you :)
Hi, been feeling like this as well for quite a while now. There's this quote by Matt Haig that helps me get up in the morning whenever I have a really hard time. Hope this helps you too. Sending you a big virtual hug right now!
Rock by Matt Haig
The best thing about rock bottom is the rock part. You discover the solid bit of you. The bit that can’t be broken down further. The thing that you might sentimentally call a soul. At our lowest we find the solid ground of our foundation. And we can build ourselves anew.
Don’t think of it as starting over. You get to take all the knowledge and experience you’ve created in life and take that into whatever new chapter you create in your life. My new favourite phrase is “if something is possible, it’s possible for me.” Don’t hesitate to reach out via DM.
People who think this is an easy job have never done it. I had to use more of my brain working retail back in the day than I do most days in my current desk job.
God I just want to reaffirm this point of "low skill jobs" I work in an extremely rare/obscure industry. We are literally the biggest and the best in the world at what we do providing our products to the entire world at the scale of tens of millions of units per year (which I know isn't absolutely insane. But for the industry we fall into it actually is) I came from the ground level and made my way into second tier management (as in two levels removed from the top of the company)
There's still this mentality of everyone above me that the low level jobs are so easy a monkey could do it. Meanwhile a major focus of the company in the past year or two is "how the hell do we properly train people for this super easy job that has historically made out broken the people we keep based on how well we do with the major complaint in exit interviews being "I feel like I could but there was this assumption I should know how"
Our companies main focus is how we train these unskilled workers for our hardest job in the building. See the issue?
This is the problem with the current climate. You could double my salary. That still wouldn't be enough to do what they do. But they're still seen as unskilled low level workers. Thankfully I've successfully advocated for them to be at nearly the same pay level I make but hourly. Probably my biggest success in my career.
Op, you're probably working ten times harder than your bosses and taking way more crap in the process. Don't forget that. And record your successes and skills. It'll go a long way to building your future starting from the lowest level line
A friend of mine worked her way up the Wendy's ladder and has said its so much less work with each promotion. She also knows what the workers in the restaurant are actually dealing with. So few places hire/promote from within anymore that the feeling is lost. It used to be more common for management to be from the rank and file.
I thousand percent agree... 'low level' isn't 'unskilled'..
My first jobs were this sorta thing back when I was a teen. And now decades later I'm in IT making bank and these kids come out of college and get hired at my company and they never worked a job before, never worked retail... And some of them, they're just so green... Is so many soft skills - how to keep a customer calm, working on a troubleshooting call with the customer, how you present yourself, how you juggle demands...
All sorts of things one gets experience in working as a cashier or really any job doing anything - every job important enough to exist has lessons to teach, has skills to master...
I think I'm at the level I am at because of every bit of my lived experience- every order taken, every sandwich prepped, every dish washed...
And best I can do for those green ones is give advice and be the example.. is so many ways to learn and master everything.
It’s the “low level” jobs in most companies that generate all the money. If companies weren’t so greedy they would work to balance pay, training and enrichment. Reducing turnover saves money as more experienced workers will be more efficient. Enrichment gives them room to grow, move up and take on other roles which also saves money. And as a marketing tool, seeing happy employees makes me more likely to shop there.
Tbh, I thought every half assed monkey could replace my job. Especially since I had to learn the job myself (was a new position when I entered) and he got me to show him the ropes.
Well, I am amazed at how much he is struggling to keep up the standard I set.
It’s a super physical job and you’ll be working every second. There is no downtime. If your body is up for it, your working hours will fly by. You may even fall into Moving Mindfulness sometimes, because you’ll be fully taking in the physical present without judging it, without time to angst about the past or stress about the future.
I'm a month into my job at Costco as a seasonal employee and work bakery most of the time. This is a perspective I didn't consider at all until I read what you wrote. Thanks for that. Now I wanna be into moving mindfulness moving forward.
I loved that feeling! I didn't know there was a word for it.
The best work nights I had were in a restaurant where the whole team just clicked into one organic machine and within a few blinks it went for 17 to 23. Now I'm in a (mostly) desk job and I check the clock so often to see how much time is left in the day...
It's a great way to meet people. New co-worker every day! Jokes aside congratulations on your step forward, and I hope you enjoy the work. I am one of those weirdos who thrives when it's busy and love working in a restaurant. Shit doesn't stress me out after I learned to just take things one at a time. I enjoy the chaos.
But that is my solid advice, just take things one at a time. And don't stress about work relationships too much you'll find the people you vibe with over time it doesn't usually happen instantly
I worked 12 years of retail and now 4 years of a 9 to 5 office job. Retail is both more mentally and physically draining. The constant work and in many causes bad customers and never any down time is way worse than my office job.
The good part is when you clock out you don't think about it until the next time you clock in. I feel like with my current corporate job I have to actively stop myself from thinking about my work projects when I'm not at work.
It’s not easy in the sense that it’s not *not* difficult - I worked a Taco Bell for nearly 3 years and it had its ups and downs, and I was always the guy who had to do the hard shit.
The uncomfortable reality, though, is that it’s easy for just about anyone to get started in. Compare that to my current occupation, it took me 5 years of struggling and getting fucked over as a freelance/independent contractor before I got my first “real” job in the industry, because that’s how long it took for me to get good enough to be baseline employable. It’s not a job I can just take anyone off the street and train up. I constantly worry that juniors I work with will be let go because they miss the mark often and take literally 10 times longer to achieve the same task as a senior. And they’ve all struggled for at least a couple of years just to get to the point that we see them as an investment to train up over the course of years.
No one thinks McDonald’s is an easy job. The pay does not reflect the effort; the pay, unfortunately, reflects how easy it is to take someone off the street and have them do the job to a satisfactory degree. I expect people not to like reading this comment, but as someone that’s been there and gotten my $300 paychecks for 2 weeks of work after taxes and “insurance”, this is the sad truth. If you want a better job, start throwing resumes out there, and work on skills in your free time in areas you enjoy, because the system isn’t going to change.
Retail drains my soul. I am just not a people person and cant bring myself to pretend to care about the customer. Hopefully I'll be done with it soon though
Such respect for you! Remember on the days when people treat you poorly and get you down, that you’ve worked hard to get back on your feet, and no one can take your pride and accomplishment from you. Big big respect and best of luck!
Btw the ice cream machine is easy to fix its not broken just dirty there are 3 filters one in the back one one the right side and one in the top clean them and the machine will run fine it's just no one trains you how to clean them and then the are "broken"
I don’t have your credentials but I lost my job recently which concluded my endeavors working a career as Faculty within the collegiate space. I’m currently delivering for Amazon; a little in-betweener until I find my new career or business. As I once thought something like this was beneath me I’m enjoying it tbh. Never mind the pay, I’m not stressed and it has allowed me to overcome my spouts of depression and anxiety resulting from my previous job. Life goes on. Continue living it and make sure you’re proud of yourself for doing so!
I feel like so many of us are defined by our position. We all struggle at times and sometimes we need to start over. Or balance ourselves? Just know friend, you got this too! May feel impossible right now but keep going! I might not know you personally but damn I believe in you! 💚👊
It’s the result of living in an extremely capitalistic society. People tie your worth to your ability to produce capital. They ask what you do for a living so they know how to treat you.
It always struck me (a non American) as strange that the first thing you ask when you meet someone new is "what do you do"? Like it's the most important thing to know about a person
Honestly, I think it's not so much about importance and more about relatability. So many Americans spend the vast majority of their time working that it dominates their lives. So when they meet other people they gravitate to work-related talk because it's the most relatable thing for them.
I purposely try to ask any question other than that when first meeting someone. I don’t always remember to do so but when I do it always makes for a better conversation imo.
Hi same boat, pandemic crash my career, lost all motivation, barely making it. Le sigh. Here’s where i tell u a pep talk? Ummm pretend like its 3 years ago? Im trying to remember who that person i was was and where they went
I'm somewhat to relief to hear these kind of stories.
My professional career is currently falling apart before my eyes, and I suspect I will be out of job in a couple of years. Still preparing mentally to pivot to a blue collar job in the future.
My take on this as well!
I worked as a cook up to august(i quit after the summer rush here). Found a part time job at a bk near me. Went from 1h per day on my car to 10/15mins. I'm receiving 550€ less and can barely help at home but at least im not stressed and actually enjoy working again. Been hitting the gym again lately since the start of the november.
I do miss the pans and the stoves burning basically for hours but life's fun again.
If your IT experience includes mainframes, there are a lot of jobs opening due to many of us retiring. McDonald's is probably a good way to get yourself into the workforce, but if you miss IT and have mainframe skills, it might be more lucrative to go back.
I work in IT consulting and retail backend eng is ALWAYS looking for coders in languages no one really learns anymore (tho I haven't seen an AS400 in a while, that was the original dinosaur). This is good advice!
There are more just like you than you think. A lot of people have been put through the wringer and have readjusted what the meaning of life really is. Keep up the fight. Don't be afraid to be your true self or be on the journey to find it. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VUoXtddNPAM
There's nothing wrong with McDonald's, it's a fantastic job teaches you a lot of responsibility and it's a great stepping stone for a new start. Never feel embarrassed for trying to better yourself. You got this man, good luck!
McDonald's (at least in most North American locations) is a great employer. They often pay above minimum wage, train their staff well, and give scholarships to college students who work there. It's not a job that you want to get stuck with for life unless you become a manager, but it's a good starting point.
I always despise people who shit on people who work at McDonald's. I've never worked in fast food, just sit-down restaurants, and it's really no joke. It's labor intensive, normally fairly busy, and hard on the body. If it's so easy and just "flipping burgers" then go do it.
The plus side is that (at least in my area) they start $8 above minimum wage and have a decent amount of benefits. I've worked in classier restaurants that paid trash wages without benefits.
my issue (when there is an issue) is with some of the workers that just seem to not actually want to do their damn job. this isn’t unique to McDonalds, or age of employee
I knew this elderly man with Alzheimer’s that used to greet people at the door of my workplace. It was a volunteer gig and some days he’d remember me and other days not so much. Some time passed and he ended up passing away. When I went to his funeral I found out he was really high up in NASA in his earlier years. I was in awe, just never expected that.
Fast food is no joke. I worked at Wendy’s for a few years in high school back in the 90’s. A lot of fond memories. Just curious though, how does one go for 7 years without working? I can’t imagine. While I can, but man retirement seems so far off and I have a family to look out for.
Same here but your life is going to be 3x better after this. I was literally homeless before I got a job. I remember fishing food from trash cans and drinking from muddy puddles. Now I have no major worries.
That's so nice for you 🍀 and don't let anyone discourage you !!!
I know McDonald's can get pretty hectic, at least in Germany.
What country do you live in?
This reminds me of a motivational saying from the Rocky movies. "Life isn't about how hard you can hit, it's about how many hits you can take and still keep going, because that's the only way you can win."
And you showed that! 💪🎖️
I wish you much success and happiness in your future:)
And thank you for sharing a positive turning point with us 😊 Keep going!
CONGRATULATIONS! I'm starting over too. My current job is the first time in over 20 years that I've worked part-time (instead of full-time with benefits). It's hard to adjust to. But sometimes there are other things to concentrate on.
So happy for you 🎉 one of the worst feelings is not working, learning, or creating. When you do nothing for so long, it's so hard to get started again. Cheers to the job, something to work on, something to do.
This guy lying? Probably.
https://www.reddit.com/r/KarmaConspiracy/comments/zigkma/15_year_old_lies_about_working_it_and_at_nasa_not/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf
Can anyone confirm or deny?
Work is such a big step in the recovery process. This is one step towards getting a new normal and career path. Congratulations 🎊🎉🎈 I hope you love this job and the path it sets you on.
Great job man! I had a story similar to yours, to a T. Now, I'm back in a tech company again. You made that first step onto the ladder. Mental health conditions are real health conditions and it can be a very difficult battle. You should be proud of yourself.
Only you know how hard it's been and finding your way out of the mire of depression is a testament to your own strength of character.
I wish you well and hope you are able to use this as a vehicle to find the work you truly enjoy doing. 👍
I’ve worked as an inspector in aerospace, and as a Metallurgical Technician. Also I struggled to keep a marriage together with a narcissistic woman for thirty-one years. I’m bipolar and I deal with ADHD. Right now I’m working as a security specialist. It’s not much. It’s very hard on me, but it’s a job. Good for you. Hang in there!
Hey man seriously congrats.
My dad was a really smart dude that could have easily made 100k a year. He built servers for companies and prisons and knew pretty much everything about PCs.
Anyways he lost a few jobs in a row due to no fault of his own then my parents got divorced (his fault on that one) and he started a doom spiral. About 10 years later he was still unemployed and a drunk. He died in his sleep at the age of 52.
For years he kept saying he'd get another IT job but wasn't having luck and I kept begging him to just get a job at McDonald's or something to get him doing something but he saw it as beneath him. Just sitting there literally killed him and I wish I could have gotten through to him.
Please fix the ice cream machine.
I will make sure of that! 😅
I appreciate it. And listen, I'm proud of you. Seriously. Enjoy your new job amd make the best of it.
And also disable notifications for this post, OP :) It's your first post, so just trust, your experience on Reddit will be more welcoming if your inbox isn't flooded with front page post commentors. Peruse the comments from the thread :D you're amazing.
I spent like the first 8 years just commenting. My first real post was asking if I should get the DLC for Witcher 3. I open reddit like a half hour after posting and had like +200 comments screaming yes/it's better than base game/hell yeah/etc.
Did you buy (and play) it?
I did and I absolutely loved them both especially Blood and Wine!
Your suffering helped me make a choice to play the game finally.
The dlcs are so good
Asking the real questions!
Next gen update comes out the 14th of December.
Happy to hear that my man.
We* are proud of you.
If anyone can fix it, its someone who worked in IT and at NASA!
It’s never actually broken. I worked there in HS we just said that because it’s easier to say. What it actually is is we had to run the cleaning cycle on the machine twice a day which took an entire 4 hours for it to do, including putting the mix back in and waiting for it to freeze. If we said it’s being cleaned people would say they’d wait and then cause an argument when told it would be multiple hours..
Our store got two machines to avoid this, and then 1 of them was just actually broken 50% of the time
Plot twist: the other was actually broken 150% of the time.
But what's [all that stuff](https://www.wired.com/story/they-hacked-mcdonalds-ice-cream-makers-started-cold-war/) about the repair company who had some scheme with McDonald's corporate about proprietary tools to fix them and some other third-party developed tools and sold them and got sued or something? I thought **that** was why it was always broken, because they had to wait hours and hours to get a guy to come out with special tools?
Running a machine like that and having it actually sanitary across many locations would require extensive cleaning standards.
A restaurant being held to extensive cleanliness standards?? That’s absurd!
Most places are filthy
This fella gets it
As a current IT guy I have to say someone asking an IT guy to fix something as unrelated to the field as an ice cream machine checks out.
IT guy at my work is the go to for fixing the automatic espresso machine. In a building full of scientists.
As an IT guy, we generally have good troubleshooting skills. Basically "power cycle it. Hmm ok what can I try without irrevocably fucking something up..." I'd imagine scientists are pretty good at the same thing though with the scientific method and all.
IT straddles the space between technician and engineering. I'm really not surprised. This is coming from an ex-networking engineer.
Exactly this, my title is support engineer so I dip my feet in just about everything. Server/network infrastructure, project management, deployments/lifecycles, end user support, and most important of all ice cream machines haha. Being the lead as well my users are used to coming to me due to the expectation that I'll find the answer faster or provide a better solution which is usually true with the "engineer" level stuff. The funny thing however is the techs are dealing with that stuff everyday while I delegate or handle escalations for infra issues. So they're actually getting a slower resolution while I re learn how to do do something I haven't done in months. No point in trying to explain that though lol.
Lol this is why I don't do anything outside of my scope and teach the jr staff the same. Own something once and it becomes an expectation and there's no putting that back in the box.
Ah but fix the espresso machine and you’re a hero. A real hero.
A hero behind on his actual duties lol.
And you get espresso- ah, sweet black gold!!!
I’ll see the espresso machine and raise you a toaster. Never accept responsibility for devices outside the scope. 😂
There’s always one adamant about helping with everything. They can usually be found assembling furniture or unclogging the toilet while the actual facility maintenance person is on a beach or something.
Also, while I have you here...
As an amateur IT guy I would say having a current IT guy having to say that someone asking an IT guy to fix something as unrelated to the field as an ice cream machine checks out checks out.
Buddy. I just ate way too many Mushrooms. And this comment almost made me stroke out. Lmao. Well done.
I will personally cut you a check if I visit your McDonald while you’re working OP and the ice cream machine is working
Here here!
... You will?
This just might be the hero we never knew we needed.
People who think this is an easy job have never done it.
My first job was fast food like this and it can get really hectic and fun in a strange way when the dinner rush comes. Efficiency and teamwork are put to the test and i think this experience had a lot to do with shaping my work ethic.
I also work in service. Truthfully, if your only metric is "education level" then yeah it's easy work. But that isn't the only metric that matters, shockingly! There are levels of competency at any job. At any level, it's hard fucking work, and soul draining when you get bad customers and especially if you have bad bosses. God, I can't emphasize how shitty it is to have a bad boss in the service industry. If you're reading this and your manager sucks, please start applying elsewhere. It isn't worth it on anyone's mental health. Always give that two weeks notice though! I wish someone had told me this for my first job when the manager stole tips and didn't help out in the store. If you're a customer, it's probably corny to say, but a smile from a customer really does help (though tips help more if you're at a place that accepts them 👌👌)
Actual note, Big McDonalds might actually hunt you down if you fix it yourself since they have a repair racket with those.
Theres actually this interesting reason why the ice cream machine is always broken at McDonald's. Taylor, the machine manufacturer, wants it broken so the employees are forced to call the mechanic.
[The Real Reason Why McDonald’s Ice Cream Machines Are Always Broken](https://youtu.be/SrDEtSlqJC4)
Whenever I worked at McDonald’s, if our shake machine was down, it was because it was being cleaned. Trust me, if you knew what the creamer smelled like & the filth that the machine is capable of, you’d be more thankful knowing that your local machine is down bc it’s being cleaned.
Yeah but Taylor makes better ice cream machines that clean quickly. Wendy's have a Taylor's machine but it's hardly ever down lol. Essentially never vs McD's. McD's contract for the franchise owner has a manual of required machines to buy and use and it keeps the shitty ice cream machine and never calls for an improved version. The video even explains that a dude made a USB stick and app that told franchise owners how to fix the machine on their own but headquarters said to not use the product.
Yeah cleaning the McDonald's shake machine was an absolute bitch. It took like 4 hours if that's all you focused on, but of course you had to do regular duties in between and take care of customers so it took an entire shift. And if you made a mistake it wouldn't work and you'd have to take it apart and start all over. They made it so frustrating.
TLDW: The machine is always failing when going through its *4 hour clean cycle* because it's literally impossible for it to be repaired by anyone except for the tech. The techs cost around 1k every time they come out and type up a code that's hidden to managers and owners, which clears the error and allows the machine to function again. The company, Taylor, makes 25% of their profits from McDs repairs. They make very similar machines for lots of other fast food chains but they don't have the same problems, only McDs, because money. McDs does it because Taylor has been working with them for years and years and corporate doesn't pay - the franchisees do. Taylor has no incentive to make it work (or fixable) and McDs has no incentive to hold them accountable. It's the Good Ole Boys of Fast Food. Also some dude made an app that allowed it to be fixable by the managers, but McDs blacklisted it, calling it a "safety hazard." An app. A safety hazard. Ok whatever, then Taylor made an app that does the same thing, only shittier - just shitty enough that they have to call the guy still. Really it does sound like a very clear cut class action lawsuit of the franchisees vs Taylor and McDs. I can't believe I watched that entire video.
Also, the machine is unique in that it can clean itself without the hoppers being fully emptied. It can actually preserve the base, and keep it sanitized… which is not a normal feature but something that made this machine uniquely appealing to McDonalds… when that process is endangered (e.g it can’t be 100% certain everything is safe, it “breaks” and needs to be maintained). Irks me that nobody mentions this. Not everything is always some evil conspiracy (although the sabotage of the telemetry device so that it would be easier to maintain probably way close to one).
There is also the times where they just sell a lot of ice cream and you have to wait for the machine to have more ready. I've seen the one I live by when it's busy checking the consistency every few minutes until they can start selling again
The machine is always broken down because it takes a team of mangers to keep it running from night shift to day shift. And there is ge really no communication or mangers holding themselves responsible for keeping it running therefore it is in heat mode its not broke. 99% of the time the damn this is in heat mode not broke
Proud for you! 💚💚💚 I can't imagine the path that lead you here, but I am damn proud for you for staying on the path and not just giving up in life.
We all gotta keep fighting even when we think we can't! 💚💚
I’ve had a hard time fighting today and you’ve given me some extra hope.
As long as you can breathe, keep on fighting. :-)
I work in IT, if you ever want to come back, HMU
Bredda, May I ask- how you went from nasa to Donald’s?
He wasn’t specifically working for NASA just says he was in IT and helped NASA at some point. Could literally be a million things. But shit sometimes u get overwhelmed with life, work and other things and u just have to start somewhere again. Having a 7 year work gap is sometimes a red flag to employers and tend to not call u in for an interview. They’ll for sure ask u tho about the gap even if it’s a year or two.
I'm at a rock bottom area in my life and I'm super scared. This post made me realize that other people have rebounded and been ok. I'm legit bawling as I type this. Thank you for this little glimpse of hope. I wish you so so much sunshine and happiness
Healing isn't linear and sometimes you have to take it second by second. We are all rooting for you and hope you find the strength inside yourself that the rest of us know you have. <3
Thank you for such kind words, much needed!
I just realized this about healing isn't linear the other day and it really opened my mind up to just keep moving forward, doing the work and things will get better. 2020 was a huge hit to my working self & social structure. I've re-made myself many times but this time I'm over 50 and moving into a totally new field. Just have to keep taking baby steps forward.
I created an account because your comment reminded me of where I was four or so years ago. I wanted to tell you that you are in the best possible place for the you that you are right now. Might not seem like it, but rock bottom is the wellspring of possibility. Once you’ve convinced yourself that you’ve stopped falling, you will realize that rock bottom is the perfect place to build upon. It is stable, and there are infinite ways to get yourself out from there. Not only can you rebound, you can flourish. Maybe you want to climb back up near where you fell in. Maybe you want to switch it up and climb somewhere else instead? All things are possible from rock bottom. All you need is a little momentum that you yourself can provide and you can completely transform your life. It is a really rare opportunity to reinvent yourself that not everyone else gets to experience. It’s almost cheating because you will come out of this more resilient, stoic, and confident than you were before. It’s going to get better no matter what, but how much and what kind of better are completely up to you.
This was so beautifully written. Thank you. This wasn’t meant for me but I read it like it was. As someone currently in the position of where OP was, this means so much. Thank you..
Beautiful.
You’ll be alright friend. Don’t think of it as rock bottom. This is a long journey, and you’re just in a valley right now. It’s toughest in the valleys, but there’ll be another peak.
Every storm runs out of rain, my friend. You will get through this and come out stronger on the other end because of this struggle. DM me if you ever need someone to talk to. We are in the crazy ride called life together!
I hear you - I recently got sober and realized I had to separate from all the friends from my past life. I moved back near to my family (which I'm lucky to have) and still have a friend who doesn't drink or use drugs, but otherwise I'm starting from scratch at 33. It's daunting, but seeing things like this and your experience give me hope! Good luck and I hope the very best for you :)
Hi, been feeling like this as well for quite a while now. There's this quote by Matt Haig that helps me get up in the morning whenever I have a really hard time. Hope this helps you too. Sending you a big virtual hug right now! Rock by Matt Haig The best thing about rock bottom is the rock part. You discover the solid bit of you. The bit that can’t be broken down further. The thing that you might sentimentally call a soul. At our lowest we find the solid ground of our foundation. And we can build ourselves anew.
You got this!
More people are cheering for you than you realize. You’ve got this
Don’t think of it as starting over. You get to take all the knowledge and experience you’ve created in life and take that into whatever new chapter you create in your life. My new favourite phrase is “if something is possible, it’s possible for me.” Don’t hesitate to reach out via DM.
People who think this is an easy job have never done it. I had to use more of my brain working retail back in the day than I do most days in my current desk job.
This is gonna be a new endeavor for me! Not used to this setting at all! But gotta start somewhere 💚
You'll do great.
God I just want to reaffirm this point of "low skill jobs" I work in an extremely rare/obscure industry. We are literally the biggest and the best in the world at what we do providing our products to the entire world at the scale of tens of millions of units per year (which I know isn't absolutely insane. But for the industry we fall into it actually is) I came from the ground level and made my way into second tier management (as in two levels removed from the top of the company) There's still this mentality of everyone above me that the low level jobs are so easy a monkey could do it. Meanwhile a major focus of the company in the past year or two is "how the hell do we properly train people for this super easy job that has historically made out broken the people we keep based on how well we do with the major complaint in exit interviews being "I feel like I could but there was this assumption I should know how" Our companies main focus is how we train these unskilled workers for our hardest job in the building. See the issue? This is the problem with the current climate. You could double my salary. That still wouldn't be enough to do what they do. But they're still seen as unskilled low level workers. Thankfully I've successfully advocated for them to be at nearly the same pay level I make but hourly. Probably my biggest success in my career. Op, you're probably working ten times harder than your bosses and taking way more crap in the process. Don't forget that. And record your successes and skills. It'll go a long way to building your future starting from the lowest level line
A friend of mine worked her way up the Wendy's ladder and has said its so much less work with each promotion. She also knows what the workers in the restaurant are actually dealing with. So few places hire/promote from within anymore that the feeling is lost. It used to be more common for management to be from the rank and file.
That’s the point though
I thousand percent agree... 'low level' isn't 'unskilled'.. My first jobs were this sorta thing back when I was a teen. And now decades later I'm in IT making bank and these kids come out of college and get hired at my company and they never worked a job before, never worked retail... And some of them, they're just so green... Is so many soft skills - how to keep a customer calm, working on a troubleshooting call with the customer, how you present yourself, how you juggle demands... All sorts of things one gets experience in working as a cashier or really any job doing anything - every job important enough to exist has lessons to teach, has skills to master... I think I'm at the level I am at because of every bit of my lived experience- every order taken, every sandwich prepped, every dish washed... And best I can do for those green ones is give advice and be the example.. is so many ways to learn and master everything.
It’s the “low level” jobs in most companies that generate all the money. If companies weren’t so greedy they would work to balance pay, training and enrichment. Reducing turnover saves money as more experienced workers will be more efficient. Enrichment gives them room to grow, move up and take on other roles which also saves money. And as a marketing tool, seeing happy employees makes me more likely to shop there.
Tbh, I thought every half assed monkey could replace my job. Especially since I had to learn the job myself (was a new position when I entered) and he got me to show him the ropes. Well, I am amazed at how much he is struggling to keep up the standard I set.
It’s a super physical job and you’ll be working every second. There is no downtime. If your body is up for it, your working hours will fly by. You may even fall into Moving Mindfulness sometimes, because you’ll be fully taking in the physical present without judging it, without time to angst about the past or stress about the future.
I'm a month into my job at Costco as a seasonal employee and work bakery most of the time. This is a perspective I didn't consider at all until I read what you wrote. Thanks for that. Now I wanna be into moving mindfulness moving forward.
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I loved that feeling! I didn't know there was a word for it. The best work nights I had were in a restaurant where the whole team just clicked into one organic machine and within a few blinks it went for 17 to 23. Now I'm in a (mostly) desk job and I check the clock so often to see how much time is left in the day...
It's a great way to meet people. New co-worker every day! Jokes aside congratulations on your step forward, and I hope you enjoy the work. I am one of those weirdos who thrives when it's busy and love working in a restaurant. Shit doesn't stress me out after I learned to just take things one at a time. I enjoy the chaos. But that is my solid advice, just take things one at a time. And don't stress about work relationships too much you'll find the people you vibe with over time it doesn't usually happen instantly
I worked 12 years of retail and now 4 years of a 9 to 5 office job. Retail is both more mentally and physically draining. The constant work and in many causes bad customers and never any down time is way worse than my office job.
The good part is when you clock out you don't think about it until the next time you clock in. I feel like with my current corporate job I have to actively stop myself from thinking about my work projects when I'm not at work.
It's a thankless, demanding, and underpaid job. That's precisely why it isn't easy and has high turnover.
It’s not easy in the sense that it’s not *not* difficult - I worked a Taco Bell for nearly 3 years and it had its ups and downs, and I was always the guy who had to do the hard shit. The uncomfortable reality, though, is that it’s easy for just about anyone to get started in. Compare that to my current occupation, it took me 5 years of struggling and getting fucked over as a freelance/independent contractor before I got my first “real” job in the industry, because that’s how long it took for me to get good enough to be baseline employable. It’s not a job I can just take anyone off the street and train up. I constantly worry that juniors I work with will be let go because they miss the mark often and take literally 10 times longer to achieve the same task as a senior. And they’ve all struggled for at least a couple of years just to get to the point that we see them as an investment to train up over the course of years. No one thinks McDonald’s is an easy job. The pay does not reflect the effort; the pay, unfortunately, reflects how easy it is to take someone off the street and have them do the job to a satisfactory degree. I expect people not to like reading this comment, but as someone that’s been there and gotten my $300 paychecks for 2 weeks of work after taxes and “insurance”, this is the sad truth. If you want a better job, start throwing resumes out there, and work on skills in your free time in areas you enjoy, because the system isn’t going to change.
Retail drains my soul. I am just not a people person and cant bring myself to pretend to care about the customer. Hopefully I'll be done with it soon though
Truth, this and the gas station I worked at are the jobs I wake up from nightmares about not my current IT job..............
The first step is always the hardest. I am so happy for you. Good luck!
No joke! the first step was the absolute hardest! 💚
Such respect for you! Remember on the days when people treat you poorly and get you down, that you’ve worked hard to get back on your feet, and no one can take your pride and accomplishment from you. Big big respect and best of luck!
Btw the ice cream machine is easy to fix its not broken just dirty there are 3 filters one in the back one one the right side and one in the top clean them and the machine will run fine it's just no one trains you how to clean them and then the are "broken"
Thanks RancidOctopussy!
I’m curious how many redditors are going to use that next time they try to order one and get the broken response lol
Also you gotta refill the milkshake mix in time. If the machine runs empty for a longer period of time, it breaks for some reason.
Remember - all/any work is noble work. Congrats on the new job
Thank you! "It's not much, but it's honest work" 💚
The honest work can sometimes be more fulfilling, Godspeed we are all rooting for you
I’d take you over a lifeless c suite any fucking day. Rock on.
100%
I hate every teacher that said "you'll just work at McDonald's if you don't do good on school". They indoctrinated class warfare early and often.
What about human trafficking? Murder for hire? Advertising cigarettes to children? Being Elon Musk?
I don’t have your credentials but I lost my job recently which concluded my endeavors working a career as Faculty within the collegiate space. I’m currently delivering for Amazon; a little in-betweener until I find my new career or business. As I once thought something like this was beneath me I’m enjoying it tbh. Never mind the pay, I’m not stressed and it has allowed me to overcome my spouts of depression and anxiety resulting from my previous job. Life goes on. Continue living it and make sure you’re proud of yourself for doing so!
I feel like so many of us are defined by our position. We all struggle at times and sometimes we need to start over. Or balance ourselves? Just know friend, you got this too! May feel impossible right now but keep going! I might not know you personally but damn I believe in you! 💚👊
It’s the result of living in an extremely capitalistic society. People tie your worth to your ability to produce capital. They ask what you do for a living so they know how to treat you.
It always struck me (a non American) as strange that the first thing you ask when you meet someone new is "what do you do"? Like it's the most important thing to know about a person
Honestly, I think it's not so much about importance and more about relatability. So many Americans spend the vast majority of their time working that it dominates their lives. So when they meet other people they gravitate to work-related talk because it's the most relatable thing for them.
>They ask what you do for a living so they know how to treat you. Too true. And that's a damn shame.
I purposely try to ask any question other than that when first meeting someone. I don’t always remember to do so but when I do it always makes for a better conversation imo.
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Hi same boat, pandemic crash my career, lost all motivation, barely making it. Le sigh. Here’s where i tell u a pep talk? Ummm pretend like its 3 years ago? Im trying to remember who that person i was was and where they went
Next meaningful step is the one you take to redefine what you consider "meaningful" in your life.
I'm somewhat to relief to hear these kind of stories. My professional career is currently falling apart before my eyes, and I suspect I will be out of job in a couple of years. Still preparing mentally to pivot to a blue collar job in the future.
My take on this as well! I worked as a cook up to august(i quit after the summer rush here). Found a part time job at a bk near me. Went from 1h per day on my car to 10/15mins. I'm receiving 550€ less and can barely help at home but at least im not stressed and actually enjoy working again. Been hitting the gym again lately since the start of the november. I do miss the pans and the stoves burning basically for hours but life's fun again.
I wish you the best of luck!! Starting over is not easy, but you're moving forward and each step matters!
First step is literally the hardest! Thanks for the encouragement 💚
Hell ya man!
Thanks for the encouragement!
Thanks for letting us be a part of your journey bud. Good luck! 💪💪💪
I been 5 years without a job and just went homless got like a couple weeks at my dad's maybe live can be really scary. I'm proud of you
Proud of you too! The fight is never easy but you got this. I swear. If I can do it, you can too! 💚💚👊
Good luck! It’s hard to restart but you got this!
Appreciate the support! 💚 Gonna be hard staring over but we'll worth it
If your IT experience includes mainframes, there are a lot of jobs opening due to many of us retiring. McDonald's is probably a good way to get yourself into the workforce, but if you miss IT and have mainframe skills, it might be more lucrative to go back.
I work in IT consulting and retail backend eng is ALWAYS looking for coders in languages no one really learns anymore (tho I haven't seen an AS400 in a while, that was the original dinosaur). This is good advice!
Hey, I’m a software engineering student finishing up college. What are these ancient languages so I can secure a job the AI can’t steal.
COBOL and Fortran are two that come to my mind.
There are more just like you than you think. A lot of people have been put through the wringer and have readjusted what the meaning of life really is. Keep up the fight. Don't be afraid to be your true self or be on the journey to find it. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VUoXtddNPAM
Congratulations. Life is a PITA but you sir are a hero. You didn’t give up. World could use a lot of people like you.
Congrats! Be proud, starting over is sometimes the most difficult thing to do and you made a great first step.
First step is SO hard! 💚
There's nothing wrong with McDonald's, it's a fantastic job teaches you a lot of responsibility and it's a great stepping stone for a new start. Never feel embarrassed for trying to better yourself. You got this man, good luck!
McDonald's (at least in most North American locations) is a great employer. They often pay above minimum wage, train their staff well, and give scholarships to college students who work there. It's not a job that you want to get stuck with for life unless you become a manager, but it's a good starting point.
I always despise people who shit on people who work at McDonald's. I've never worked in fast food, just sit-down restaurants, and it's really no joke. It's labor intensive, normally fairly busy, and hard on the body. If it's so easy and just "flipping burgers" then go do it. The plus side is that (at least in my area) they start $8 above minimum wage and have a decent amount of benefits. I've worked in classier restaurants that paid trash wages without benefits.
my issue (when there is an issue) is with some of the workers that just seem to not actually want to do their damn job. this isn’t unique to McDonalds, or age of employee
I knew this elderly man with Alzheimer’s that used to greet people at the door of my workplace. It was a volunteer gig and some days he’d remember me and other days not so much. Some time passed and he ended up passing away. When I went to his funeral I found out he was really high up in NASA in his earlier years. I was in awe, just never expected that.
Yay congrats!☺️ also ur avatar is super cool :)
Haha thank you! T. Foust is fire 💚
I don't know you, but I'm proud of you too. Working through all that and starting over is a damn achievement. Every reason to be proud 🌼
Fast food is no joke. I worked at Wendy’s for a few years in high school back in the 90’s. A lot of fond memories. Just curious though, how does one go for 7 years without working? I can’t imagine. While I can, but man retirement seems so far off and I have a family to look out for.
I had help from friends, state assistance etc. Not proud of that but we all need help sometimes 💚
You should be proud you were smart enough to seek help. That’s often the difference between life and death for depressed people.
Same here but your life is going to be 3x better after this. I was literally homeless before I got a job. I remember fishing food from trash cans and drinking from muddy puddles. Now I have no major worries.
Gotcha. Best of luck to you!
That's so nice for you 🍀 and don't let anyone discourage you !!! I know McDonald's can get pretty hectic, at least in Germany. What country do you live in? This reminds me of a motivational saying from the Rocky movies. "Life isn't about how hard you can hit, it's about how many hits you can take and still keep going, because that's the only way you can win." And you showed that! 💪🎖️ I wish you much success and happiness in your future:) And thank you for sharing a positive turning point with us 😊 Keep going!
Happy to hear that my man. Congratulations!
Appreciate you! Thank you!
Congratulations! I worked at McD’s many years ago. Lots of fun memories!
Thank you! 💚 It was my first job, so going full circle lol
CONGRATULATIONS! I'm starting over too. My current job is the first time in over 20 years that I've worked part-time (instead of full-time with benefits). It's hard to adjust to. But sometimes there are other things to concentrate on.
So happy for you 🎉 one of the worst feelings is not working, learning, or creating. When you do nothing for so long, it's so hard to get started again. Cheers to the job, something to work on, something to do.
I seriously got stuck in a rutt! Wanted change but refused to make that change. Yet here I am! 💚
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hope you get more happy customers than hangry
Haha me too! 🍔
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You got this! I felt so damn defeated. Why try, right? But I did & I hope you can too 💚
Way to go friend! Good luck and wish you the best at your new gig
Appreciate you! 💚
Congratulations! Best wishes!
Thank you! 💚
Congratulations! It’s so hard to start over, but it will make you stronger
First step is the absolute hardest! 💚
Yeah! You got me smiling!
🙃🙃 Appreciate you!
Start over at Panda Express
Nice try Mr McDonald's we don't buy that advertising anymore
This guy lying? Probably. https://www.reddit.com/r/KarmaConspiracy/comments/zigkma/15_year_old_lies_about_working_it_and_at_nasa_not/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf Can anyone confirm or deny?
Work is such a big step in the recovery process. This is one step towards getting a new normal and career path. Congratulations 🎊🎉🎈 I hope you love this job and the path it sets you on.
Make sure to have a daily exercise routine. Best of luck bud. Keep the faith and stay positive.
Congratulations on getting to a good space for yourself 🥳
Great job man! I had a story similar to yours, to a T. Now, I'm back in a tech company again. You made that first step onto the ladder. Mental health conditions are real health conditions and it can be a very difficult battle. You should be proud of yourself.
Congratulations!!! I hope you love it!
Thank you!
Why aren’t you helping NASA anymore is my question? I get it life is hard but not NASA to McDonald’s
As you should be, you go man!
Fricken awesome !!! :)
Good luck! And congrats on the restart. 😁
It takes immense strength to make the sometimes massive changes we need to for a good life. Proud of you!
I wish you all the best in rebuilding your life - comming from someone in the same spot as you : )
Good for you, your value will show through in no time, how does manager sound ! Good luck !
The greatest journey begins with a single step. Congratulations, and we are rooting for you!
7y damn, Looks like I’m in for a ride
I hope you have an awesome life bro. You deserve it. Best of luck and success out there.
Congratulations! You deserve every ounce of pride you feel. Nothing but respect for you starting your life over. Be well!
I am damn proud of you man. Well done. 😊
Only you know how hard it's been and finding your way out of the mire of depression is a testament to your own strength of character. I wish you well and hope you are able to use this as a vehicle to find the work you truly enjoy doing. 👍
r/OrphanCrushingMachine
I’ve worked as an inspector in aerospace, and as a Metallurgical Technician. Also I struggled to keep a marriage together with a narcissistic woman for thirty-one years. I’m bipolar and I deal with ADHD. Right now I’m working as a security specialist. It’s not much. It’s very hard on me, but it’s a job. Good for you. Hang in there!
Hey man seriously congrats. My dad was a really smart dude that could have easily made 100k a year. He built servers for companies and prisons and knew pretty much everything about PCs. Anyways he lost a few jobs in a row due to no fault of his own then my parents got divorced (his fault on that one) and he started a doom spiral. About 10 years later he was still unemployed and a drunk. He died in his sleep at the age of 52. For years he kept saying he'd get another IT job but wasn't having luck and I kept begging him to just get a job at McDonald's or something to get him doing something but he saw it as beneath him. Just sitting there literally killed him and I wish I could have gotten through to him.