Pros
The work, with enough practice, is easy to handle. Working line and DML (online orders) are constantly fast paced enough to be overwhelming, but if there are enough crew it's manageable. Inexperienced employees automatically get $21.00 per hour base pay (in my area at least), and we do have health insurance (dental and visual too). In personal experience, I've found that managers are very accommodating to class schedules and appointments given notice, and are able to give you hours that work around your life.
Cons
Having worked there for years, the changing dynamics of hours have become unsustainable. Having understaffed stores mean good hours, but overworked employees. One person can't handle DML if it's a popular store. Having to make eight orders in ten minutes (so it isn't "late") isn't possible if each order has three entrees and you're alone. Being in line has the added pressure of a growing line and impatient customers to deal with by yourself. You're responsible with restocking, calling out food, packaging, and ringing up orders. If the store's packed, you're running around like a headless chicken just to move the line along. On the other hand, if the store's overstaffed, your hours tank. You could work as little as five hours a week, with no leeway for more because there are too many people working. And in particular for California, since the increase in minimum wage the distribution of hours have been so much less. Part-time workers should regularly work 15-20 hours, but that has decreased to barely 10 in my experience. It helps if you have a wide availability in this regard, but if you can only work three days, it's likely they'll give you 3 hour shifts and call it a day. So one side is terrible physically the other financially. However if you have a good manager or good coworkers, they will come to help out when they can.
