Can you work at McDonald’s with a felony on your record? Will the world’s largest fast-food retailer hire former felons to flip burgers and serve milkshakes? Does McDonald’s hire felons with drug or theft charges?
Yes. Many McDonald’s locations will hire felons. The company and its franchise operators are willing to hire felons, especially for entry-level positions.
However, McDonald’s restaurants that run background checks hire felons on a case-by-case basis, and some felons will be unsuccessful when they apply for a job.
Does McDonald’s Hire Felons?
McDonald’s hasn’t made their official company policy on hiring felons public. However, based on numerous employee reports, it’s clear that McDonald’s is willing to hire felons, and many ex-felons have been able to get jobs at McDonald’s in the past.
In general, the fast food industry is felon-friendly, so it’s no surprise that McDonald’s offers felons a second chance.
The hiring policy for felons at McDonald’s restaurants will vary, though, because the majority (95%) of McDonald’s restaurants operate as franchises. When you work at a McDonald’s franchise, you’re employed by the franchise owner rather than the McDonald’s Corporation.
Some franchise owners only operate a single restaurant, while others operate hundreds of McDonald’s in multiple states. Currently, around 1,000 franchise owners are running more than 13,000 McDonald’s restaurants in the United States.
Franchise owners are free to set their own employment policies, so there isn’t one single hiring policy that applies to all McDonald’s restaurants.
You’ll see who you’ll be working for when you apply. Job applications for restaurants owned by the McDonald’s corporation will say McDonald’s USA. Job applications for franchised restaurants will display another company name.
What Are The Chances Of McDonald’s Hiring A Felon?
Your chances of getting a job at a McDonald’s with a felony on your record are high because McDonald’s restaurants regularly hire felons, and criminal backgrounds are considered on a case-by-case basis.
As a member of the Second Chance Business Coalition, the McDonald’s Corporation has joined with other major employers to introduce fairer hiring polices which remove some of the employment barriers faced by felons.
These employers recognize that former felons can be valuable employees. To see which other companies are part of this felon-friendly initiative, visit the Second Chance Business Coalition website at https://secondchancebusinesscoalition.org/about.
Even though the McDonald’s Corporation is willing to hire felons, they haven’t joined the Ban the Box movement. Ban the Box members remove the criminal background question from their application forms and invite candidates to an interview based on their abilities and experience.
If you’re applying to a corporate-owned McDonald’s restaurant, you’ll be asked about your convictions on the application form (unless you live in a Ban the Box state), but having a felony won’t result in automatic rejection.
Ban The Box states:
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Hawaii
- Illinois
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Minnesota
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- Oregon
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Washington
The McDonald’s application form informs candidates that having a felony in the previous five years won’t necessarily result in rejection.
Franchise-owned McDonald’s restaurants may or may not ask about felony or misdemeanor convictions when you apply.
If the question is asked, always answer honestly. Very often, having a felony isn’t going to be a deal breaker, but lying on the application will be.
Has McDonald’s Hired Felons In The Past?
Yes. Absolutely! Many felons have been employed at McDonald’s restaurants thanks to the felon-friendly hiring attitude of the company and its franchisees.
We’ve seen messages from current and former McDonald’s employees who were hired the day after they were released from prison. Other employees were even hired with multiple felony convictions on their records.
Staff turnover at fast-food outlets is high. Managers can’t be too picky with their hiring requirements, and they know that felons can make great employees.
Does McDonald’s Do Criminal Background Checks?
Yes, a background check is part of the hiring process at many McDonald’s restaurants. In fact, background checks are a standard procedure for most employers these days. Background checks usually take anywhere from one day to one week to complete, and take place after a successful interview.
When you apply to a corporate-owned McDonald’s, they’ll run a background check to verify your application information and check your criminal history.
Their application form asks if you’ve been convicted of a felony in the last five years, so that’s the period they’re interested in. You can still get hired with a more recent felony, though, so don’t be discouraged about making an application.
Many franchise owners also run background checks. Once again, having a felony on your record doesn’t mean you’ll be turned down automatically.
Some states don’t allow employers to go beyond seven years on a background check, so an older felony in those states won’t even be taken into account.
These states limit employment background checks to seven years:
- California
- Colorado
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Hawaii
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Montana
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Mexico
- New York
- Texas
- Washington
Make sure you take your ID to your interview because you’ll need to provide it for your background check.
Will McDonald’s Hire Felons With A Theft Conviction?
Yes, it’s possible to get a job at McDonald’s with a theft conviction. Remember, though, that McDonald’s franchise owners have different hiring policies. Some will hire a felon with a theft conviction, others won’t. Having an older theft conviction on your record will be less of a concern than a very recent one.
With a theft conviction, a restaurant manager is more likely to hire you for a kitchen position working on the grill or at the prep station, at least to begin with, rather than give you access to the cash register and customers’ bank cards.
Can You Work At McDonald’s With A Felony For Drugs?
It depends on the hiring policy of the McDonald’s you apply to. People with drug convictions have been hired at many McDonald’s outlets in the past, and if you can show that you’re rehabilitated, that will certainly work in your favor.
A conviction for drug possession will be less worrisome for an employer than a conviction for drug dealing or drug manufacturing. Even so, no matter the reason for your drug conviction, it’s a good idea to put in an application.
You’re unlikely to face a drug test during the hiring process for crew member positions, but a drug test may be required after a workplace accident.
Will McDonald’s Hire Someone With A Felony For A Management Role?
According to employees, McDonald’s restaurant owners employ some former felons in management positions.
If you’ve got the necessary experience, you can put in an application, but the hiring criteria will be stricter for management positions because of the level of responsibility involved.
McDonald’s owners frequently promote from within, however. If you start work in an entry-level position and prove that you’re capable and trustworthy, you may be eligible for a promotion.
Does McDonald’s Hire Sex Offenders?
It’s possible to get hired at McDonald’s with a felony for a sexual offense. It depends on the hiring policy in place at the McDonald’s you apply to. If McDonald’s runs background checks and you’re required to register as a sex offender, you’ll probably be turned down.
Employers have a duty to provide a safe environment for their employees and their customers, and they’re wary of negative publicity and the possibility of a negligent hiring lawsuit if someone gets hurt.
Does McDonald’s Hire Recent Felons?
Yes, many McDonald’s restaurants will hire recent felons but it depends on the type of felony. With so many franchise owners, it’s difficult to give precise information.
The McDonald’s in your neighborhood may turn you down, while one across town owned by a different franchisee could be perfectly happy to give you a chance.
When you’re on job sites like Indeed, Glassdoor, or Monster Jobs, go through the listings in your area and look for the name of the company advertising the position. If more than one franchise owner is advertising for staff, then put in applications with each one to improve your chances of success.
Do Felons Need Experience To Work At McDonalds?
If you’ve already got some food service experience or customer service experience, you’re going to be an attractive candidate to any McDonald’s hiring manager. But experience isn’t necessary for entry-level crew member positions, and you’ll be given full training to get you up to speed.
McDonald’s managers want reliable employees who show up on time and are willing to work hard in a fast-paced environment.
Being personable and able to work well with others is important for food service jobs, so even if you don’t have experience, you can still shine at your interview by being friendly and enthusiastic.
Wrapping Up
Many McDonald’s restaurants (corporate and franchise) will hire felons for entry-level crew member positions. You could be asked about your convictions on the application form, and you’ll probably be asked to consent to a background check.
Having a felony on your record won’t necessarily result in an automatic denial, and you’ve got a good chance of being hired if you apply.