McHelp McWanted: Teens not applying for fast food work

‘Get your own fries with that,’ say local youth|

According to the New York Times and other media, there is something amiss and missing in the fast food business: teenage customers and teenage workers.

The Times defines a “limited service” restaurant as one where you order at the counter, like McDonald’s, Subway and Taco Bell. Apparently teenagers are neither coming in to purchase fast food nor coming in to apply for jobs.

Are they eating healthier? Are they working elsewhere?

Local casual restaurants have reported several cases of a person accepting a food job and then not showing up for the first day of work. Or working a couple of days and just disappearing. And finding food workers who have appropriate papers is another challenge for food-related employers these days.

Some restaurants have tried everything: online employment sources, neighbors, chambers of commerce and schools. Are there just too many fast food outlets? Do young people just not want to work? Are they thinking of starting their own businesses?

CBS radio reported on one McDonald’s that was offering a $500 signing bonus to anyone who would work there.

Meanwhile, the lack of agricultural workers seems not to have created more American jobs. Instead, many vineyardists are turning to machines and robots to perform needed labor.

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