Screengrab from Mike Waite’s Facebook page
‘Today I have had enough of the judgmental criticism.’
These were some of the words posted by a regular McDonald’s employee on Facebook, about what it’s like to be ridiculed for his chosen profession.
Mike Waite, who works for the fast-food chain’s Edinburgh branch in Scotland, took to social media to air his frustrations and ‘educate people’.
In a lengthy post last week, Waite explained that contrary to most people’s beliefs, fastfood workers do not lack aspiration, motivation or intelligence—but rather, the opposite.
“Let me be clear. YES I work at McDonald’s and do it nearly 50 hours a week,” the 20-year-old, who’s saving money and returning to school in a few months, wrote.
He went on to rave about the ‘amazing’ colleagues and opportunities the company has given him.
“Every person I work with has a story and every person is working their [expletive] off in what can be a very tough job for their own reasons,” he said.
“Some are working to become pilots, lawyers, designers, and architects. Others need a job to take care of their families and McDonald’s is appealing to these people because it allows them to save up, and it’s “extremely flexible.”
Fastfood employees have taken bad rap over the years as people often perceive them as lazy and goal less.
The unjust stereotype has been the butt for jokes online, and has spawned countless of internet memes.
“Please just take your preconceptions and be rid of them,” Waite pleaded.
The up-and-coming employee, however, ended his tirade with an inspiring positive thought.
“Because I work with some amazing people, and like many of them McDonald’s is not a ‘dead-end’ of my working life but rather part of the beginning.”
Meanwhile, Mike admits that he’s still in awe about the positive feedback he has received not just on Facebook, but from the local media as well.
His post has since been liked nearly 47,000 times and shared by over 7,000 people.
Fellow fast food workers have also taken to the comments section to share their own stories and experiences. Khristian Ibarrola