An Alternative Christmas Dinner

Last Sunday we were in Preston watching Red Rose Daddy complete his fifth marathon and, afterwards we walked through the city back to our car. We passed McDonalds along the way and I was really surprised by a large poster in their window stating that their Deepdale branch would be open on Christmas Day.

McDonalds. On Christmas Day.

Two days later and I've thought about this quite a bit. I did a bit of Googling to find out more and it turns out that McDonalds have been open on Christmas Day there for the last two years. In the first year they made 150 sales. Is that enough to justify opening?  Clearly it is as they will be open for the third time this year. Last year they were one of 60 branches to open nationwide.

In an interview the manager stated that staff were 'queuing up' to work the shift and all were volunteers, I find this difficult to believe. I worked in a well known 'royal' fast food restaurant for three weeks in my youth and most of the staff were a similar age to me. The staff were regarded as entirely disposable and if you did anything to merit the manager's disapproval then you were out of a job, which was probably why I only lasted three weeks! I can't help thinking that only essential staff should have to work on Christmas Day, fast food workers really don't fit that criteria. The argument that some people have to work and they need to eat is quite spurious too,  surely they would just take a packed lunch or dinner? It seems to me that a number of teenagers who should be at home with their families will feel obliged to work simply to increase a fast food chain's profits. I wouldn't be happy if it was a member of my family. If there was no demand

Would you work on Christmas Day, if you didn't have to? Would you eat at McDonalds on Christmas Day?