Are McDonald's Workers Not Allowed To Sit While Working?

While some of us wonder whether to purchase that swanky treadmill office chair to reduce the hours we spend sitting in a day, service workers at most American department stores and fast food chains don't have the luxury to sit during work. It may come as a shock to anyone who is from the other side of the world, but most American service workers, like cashiers, aren't given chairs to rest while working.

No one seems to be happy about it, except, of course, the employers. According to Fast Company, American managers prefer their staff to stand during their shifts because it makes it easy for service workers to freely move around and complete job responsibilities. Another reason is that American customers may view sitting down as unprofessional and casual.

No matter the reason, standing for hours on end sounds pretty painful. If you're lucky, you can catch a break to eat or maybe sit down while you're not working. One TikTok user decided to look into whether service workers at McDonald's get that luxury.

McDonald's workers get creative to rest their legs

Several Indeed responses to the question of whether McDonald's workers in the U.S. can sit unfortunately revealed that's not the case. Despite the restriction, service workers try their best to give their legs a little rest. One TikTok user compiled a video of how workers are able to do it. Many users could relate to the staff's agony. "When I worked in fast food I straight up went to the bathroom just so I could sit down," one user commented. Several others admitted to doing the same to catch some relief from standing. Others questioned why workers aren't allowed to sit.

Not all businesses have the no chair policy. Aldi famously allows its workers to sit, because apparently, the employees can scan items faster while seated. In California, employers are required by law to allow workers to sit during work and make reasonable arrangements for it. When the California Supreme Court ruled that employees are entitled to sit, there were concerns about how it might look unprofessional, but the court maintained that every worker who wants a chair has to be given one.