9 ms·

> Is it because the high-schoolers who would normally do that aren't looking for jobs due to pandemic? The concept that entry-level food service is mostly staf

> Is it because the high-schoolers who would normally do that aren't looking for jobs due to pandemic? The concept that entry-level food service is mostly staffed by high-schoolers who don't really "need" the money is the weirdest trope. Basically every restaurant is open during school hours. Who is handling the lunch rush?

pydry 5y ago
Almost as if the trope were a pretext for why it's ok to pay shit wages.
- minimuffins 5y ago
  When an objectively flimsy discourse like that circulates widely you have to ask yourself what its actual function is. Its apparent function of describing the world accurately is not being fulfilled, but the discourse persists, so what is its less apparent function (and you got it: it's to naturalize exploitation)?
imbnwa 5y ago
Yeah, I worked in hospitality my entire 20s in a major American city, only ONCE did I work with an actual HS teenager and that was at a middle-brow Mexican place and his family knew the owners, and he only worked weekends. Great kid though. Also, most places serve alcohol and teens can't serve.
- parineum 5y ago
  >Also, most places serve alcohol and teens can't serve. Considering how profitable alcohol is, I wonder if that regulation isn't a major factor in hiring under 21s.
  - ketzo 5y ago
    FWIW, many states allow you to serve alcohol once you're 18. But the "high schooler" lack is still in play.
leetcrew 5y ago
it's pretty common for the second shift to start right around the time highschool gets out. or if it doesn't, the manager might be flexible. dinner rush doesn't usually start until 6:00 or so. there's also the weekend. obviously highschoolers are not filling 100% of entry-level food service jobs, but they make up a pretty good chunk of these workers along with some college kids. it's a good option for someone who has literally no work experience.
- throwaway1777 5y ago
  Except it’s not really a good option. Maybe a high schooler should be focusing on school.
  - leetcrew 5y ago
    okay, it's a good option if you want/need work and you're a highschooler. I guess we could debate whether it is a good thing for a highschooler to have a job in the first place. that's going to depend on the situation. if you're working tons of hours to support your family instead of keeping up in school, that's going to hurt your long-term prospects. if you're working a couple shifts a week so you don't have to ask your parents for $20 to go to the movies with your friends, I'd say that's an important step towards independence. you learn a lot of stuff at a shitty job that you can't learn in school.
    - seibelj 5y ago
      Honestly - working crap retail and food service jobs during high school was as much (or more) valuable education than what I learned in school. Certainly motivated me in college to study and work hard. The value of working is not only in the money earned, and I will force my children to get part-time jobs during high school.
      - minimuffins 5y ago
        I feel similarly, but I think a big part of that is that my schooling was so bad. Ideally I'd have not had to work and actually been learning something (and that's the goal I have for everyone, as a collective political desire). On the other hand, I notice people who didn't have to work as kids and went straight into college and respectable white collar jobs usually have absolutely no idea how the rest of their fellow citizens actually work and live, so I'm thankful for the perspective.
nondeveloper 5y ago
I worked in food service jobs during high school on the weekend. I graduated a semester early and worked full-time in food service for a few months, too. Not a bad option and pretty common at my school c. 2010.
rednerrus 5y ago
The kids who just graduated and don't have other prospects.
meragrin_ 5y ago
My high school had a thing where students could work during school hours. My sister did it.

pydry 5y ago

Almost as if the trope were a pretext for why it's ok to pay shit wages.

minimuffins 5y ago
When an objectively flimsy discourse like that circulates widely you have to ask yourself what its actual function is. Its apparent function of describing the world accurately is not being fulfilled, but the discourse persists, so what is its less apparent function (and you got it: it's to naturalize exploitation)?

imbnwa 5y ago

Yeah, I worked in hospitality my entire 20s in a major American city, only ONCE did I work with an actual HS teenager and that was at a middle-brow Mexican place and his family knew the owners, and he only worked weekends. Great kid though. Also, most places serve alcohol and teens can't serve.

parineum 5y ago
>Also, most places serve alcohol and teens can't serve. Considering how profitable alcohol is, I wonder if that regulation isn't a major factor in hiring under 21s.
- ketzo 5y ago
  FWIW, many states allow you to serve alcohol once you're 18. But the "high schooler" lack is still in play.

leetcrew 5y ago

it's pretty common for the second shift to start right around the time highschool gets out. or if it doesn't, the manager might be flexible. dinner rush doesn't usually start until 6:00 or so. there's also the weekend. obviously highschoolers are not filling 100% of entry-level food service jobs, but they make up a pretty good chunk of these workers along with some college kids. it's a good option for someone who has literally no work experience.

throwaway1777 5y ago
Except it’s not really a good option. Maybe a high schooler should be focusing on school.
- leetcrew 5y ago
  okay, it's a good option if you want/need work and you're a highschooler. I guess we could debate whether it is a good thing for a highschooler to have a job in the first place. that's going to depend on the situation. if you're working tons of hours to support your family instead of keeping up in school, that's going to hurt your long-term prospects. if you're working a couple shifts a week so you don't have to ask your parents for $20 to go to the movies with your friends, I'd say that's an important step towards independence. you learn a lot of stuff at a shitty job that you can't learn in school.
  - seibelj 5y ago
    Honestly - working crap retail and food service jobs during high school was as much (or more) valuable education than what I learned in school. Certainly motivated me in college to study and work hard. The value of working is not only in the money earned, and I will force my children to get part-time jobs during high school.
    - minimuffins 5y ago
      I feel similarly, but I think a big part of that is that my schooling was so bad. Ideally I'd have not had to work and actually been learning something (and that's the goal I have for everyone, as a collective political desire). On the other hand, I notice people who didn't have to work as kids and went straight into college and respectable white collar jobs usually have absolutely no idea how the rest of their fellow citizens actually work and live, so I'm thankful for the perspective.

nondeveloper 5y ago

I worked in food service jobs during high school on the weekend. I graduated a semester early and worked full-time in food service for a few months, too. Not a bad option and pretty common at my school c. 2010.

rednerrus 5y ago

The kids who just graduated and don't have other prospects.

meragrin_ 5y ago

My high school had a thing where students could work during school hours. My sister did it.