Reasons to work in the quick service industry

Working at fast food establishments like McDonald’s or Burger King sometimes has a negative reputation attached to it, but what many fail to realize is that working in the QSI (quick-service industry) is actually a great way to build new and transferable skills, advance your career and earn some money!

Overall, there are about 13.19 million people who work in the restaurant industry in the US, and a whopping 28 percent of those employees work for fast food restaurants.

It’s not just for teenagers

If you are out of work and looking for something to get you back on your feet, many QSI jobs are willing to train the right employee. It's also great if you are looking for part-time work as hours tend to be flexible! Depending on the company many offer health benefits to full-time employees as well as advancement programs.

Who has worked in the QSI

Many well-known individuals have attributed working in the QSI to help them gain the skills they needed later in life such as task management, organization, leadership, and social skills.

James Franco (who you may know from Spiderman among other films) was a struggling actor living in Los Angeles. He was fired from a coffee shop and golf course and couldn't find acting work. Franco said he began working in the drive-thru and practicing foreign accents on customers. It helped him to perfect his craft.

"Someone asked me if I was too good to work at McDonald’s because I was following my acting dream despite all the pressure not to, I was definitely not too good to work at McDonald’s."

President Obama worked at Baskin Robbins.

It wasn't exactly glamorous, but it taught me some valuable lessons. Responsibility. Hard work. Balancing a job with friends, family, and school,"

What are some of the benefits?

Cash from tips

Many food service workers receive tips for their service. Those who work at sit-down restaurants, take orders and deliver food to tables generally make more from tips than those at counter-service or serve-yourself restaurants. Food workers who offer delivery services or use countertop jars for tips also make extra money in addition to their wages. Tips provide immediate income so you don't have to wait for your weekly or bi-monthly paycheck to get cash in hand.

Learn to handle money

Experience handling money is an advantage for many food service workers. You learn to make change, operate computerized cash registers, process credit card transactions, balance your cash drawers and report financial transactions. This is a highly transferable job skill that is useful in a variety of other industries.

Free or discounted food

Depending on the company and their policies you may get discounts on meals you purchase or even get it for free during your shift. Some employers may also provide free drinks or free refills. Employers might also allow their employees to eat wrong orders, unclaimed delivery items or foods that were overcooked and unacceptable to serve.

Build those customer service skills

You will interact face to face with customers daily and in doing so, will learn essential job skills such as how to provide excellent customer service, ensure employee-customer interactions are friendly, and problem-solve customer complaints. These skills are beneficial in almost any industry and are easily transferable into other career paths!

Check out what those at Jobcase had to say about working in the QSI in this short video!

Would you ever consider working in the quick-service industry?