Meet Fred...
Fred Turner has been working with McDonald's for around 14 years. His expertise is hospitality, and his role is greeting people as they come in and making sure that they’re well satisfied. Working with McDonald's helped him with the financial difficulties of early retirement so he can enjoy a good social life - as well as judo twice a week, fishing on a Saturday and golf on a Friday...
Why did you start at McDonald’s?
Well, I retired early and my pension went down. I retired before I was entitled to my state pension so I was finding it very difficult.
What do you like most about working at McDonald’s?
Meeting people, enjoying the crew members, keeping the standards up for McDonald’s. I like doing that because if you don’t keep them up they start to slip but now it’s proved that they’re excellent. I enjoy it.
What skills do you use in your job?
Most of the skills I’ve learnt during my life. I like to treat people as I like to be treated. You can tell a lot by body language. You can tell if they don’t want to be bothered, if they’re upset and if you can have a bit of fun with them. And if you get it right you’ve cracked it.
How has the flexibility of your role at McDonalds helped you live your retirement how you like?
If I want time off I’m not in a position where I have a mortgage. If anything happens you can go into the Manager and say ‘I can’t make it this week’ and they’ll accommodate you. That’s the flexibility of McDonald’s.
What has been your most proud moment at McDonald’s?
Getting the job. Because I could afford to do what I was meant to do when I was retiring.
How is the social life at McDonald’s? Have you made friends?
Yes. We go out regular. I’ve been to places that I wouldn’t have gone if I’d been staying at home. It has broadened my mind a lot, made me more sociable than I was before.