Do you consider fast food jobs 'shameful?'

When I was in college, I had professors who would make backhanded comments about, or put down those who, worked at fast food restaurants; telling the class, "If you don't get a college education, the only route will be fast food joint." Or they would say, "If you don't have a college degree, the only thing you can say is, 'Paper or plastic?'" The truth is, however, that many of the people who work at these jobs actually have a college education.

In this economy, do you think that people should still slag off fast food jobs as being menial, or beneath them?

Fuck no. I think a person should try to aim higher but it's honest work and certainly more honorable than being a criminal. Last time I was laid off I was able to get a part time job as a cashier at one of the warehouse type home improvment stores. Was I over qualified for the job? Yes but I never had the attitude that I was too good for it.

Well if they do they are out of their minds. In this economy many people have probably taken on 2nd jobs in fast food places just to get by. I would never demean anyone, no matter what the state of the economy is, for working in a fast food place.

I don't consider any honest living shameful. What's shameful is someone who is able-bodied, but sits at home all day, unemployed, thinking that they are too good to drop fries.

They aren't shameful jobs. They are making an honest living.

Nhaiyel wrote:I don't consider any honest living shameful. What's shameful is someone who is able-bodied, but sits at home all day, unemployed, thinking that they are too good to drop fries.

Well said!

Nhaiyel wrote:I don't consider any honest living shameful. What's shameful is someone who is able-bodied, but sits at home all day, unemployed, thinking that they are too good to drop fries.

Alan Smithee wrote:Fuck no. I think a person should try to aim higher but it's honest work and certainly more honorable than being a criminal. Last time I was laid off I was able to get a part time job as a cashier at one of the warehouse type home improvment stores. Was I over qualified for the job? Yes but I never had the attitude that I was too good for it.

It was a short-lived part time job when I was in the military but I sold some of MacDonald's second MILLION burgers.

I have also swept streets and cleaned public toilets. Oh and cleaned bedpans and shitty asses in the hospital. All work that needed to be done. "Somebody had to do it," and that was me.

Of course I can't prove the prof wrong - I do not have a college education. But I learned not to look down on others who do honest work. Maybe they should include that in some humanities classes in college.

There's nothing wrong with these jobs. They're honest pay for an honest days work. A job is a job. I have as much respect for a doctor or lawyer as I do for the one who cooks my fries or takes my order.

I couldn't care less how much one makes, the fact that they are not sitting at home living off of the taxpayer's dime and working for a living is fine in my book...no matter what the occupation is.

And in this economy, some of those college professors ARE working at fast food restaurants now.

No absolutely not! It's called paying your dues, and gaining experience. I cannot abide that attitude that some people (all generations) have, of wanting a high-paying job when they have nothing to offer.

I worked in a french fry room in a lake-type resort one summer. It was a happy time.

I co-sign with everybody else. If I have to flip burgers, I will.

Nhaiyel wrote:I don't consider any honest living shameful. What's shameful is someone who is able-bodied, but sits at home all day, unemployed, thinking that they are too good to drop fries.

ITA with this, too. Nothing shameful about working hard. Fast food services jobs aren't easy!!!!

Not "shameful", but not desirable either because of the lack of opportunity to move up. At best you might become a supervisor or an assistant manager.....beyond that, even the fast food places want you to have had higher education to advance to store manager level.

People have to make a living somehow. I respect anyone who actually works to pay their bills. There's nothing shameful about it at all.

Definitely not.