“Does McDonald’s drug test for pre-employment?” is a question on the minds of many job seekers, especially those who are recreational drug users. Whether you’re looking for a job at a young age to make some money, or you’re looking for something temporary in between jobs, it’s always best to know if you will need to pass a drug test.
The last thing you want is to fail in getting a job because you didn’t know you would be tested for drugs and weren’t prepared. McDonald’s, being the largest and most well known fast food chain in the world, is a very popular place to look for a job.
McDonald’s Company Facts
McDonald’s was founded in 1940 in California, USA. At first it was simply a restaurant, then a hamburger stand, and finally the popular franchise that we all know today. Up until 2018, the company’s headquarters was in Oak Brook, Illinois. In 2018 it was moved a few miles East to Chicago.
The worldwide franchise is the largest restaurant chain in the world serving almost 70 million people daily. McDonald’s is present in about 100 countries worldwide. There are currently around 250 thousand people employed by McDonald’s. If you’re looking to be one of them, then this article will be quite useful for you.
There are a variety of jobs at McDonald’s, all of which you can expect to find at any fast food restaurant. You can work as a crew member where you interact with and serve customers. You can also apply as a member of the kitchen crew, or even as a manager.
McDonald’s Drug Test Policy in 2023
It’s highly unlikely that you’ll be tested for drugs in order to secure employment at McDonald’s. However, on the off chance that a drug test is required, you can expect to be tested for all the standard drugs including methamphetamines, barbiturates, cocaine, heroin, THC, benzodiazepines, among others.
If your test turns up positive for one of these drugs, will probably not be hired. If you are already employed at McDonald’s, you will most likely be fired and unable to be rehired.
What to Expect During the McDonald’s Hiring Process
The process is as straightforward and simple as you’d want. You start by filling out an interview online and then wait for their call. Within 2 to 3 days, you should get an invitation to come in for an interview within the next day or two.
At the interview they should ask you pretty basic questions such as why you want to work there. They will also ask questions to test your personality and how you would react in different situations. If you successfully pass the interview, you will probably be hired on the spot. The interview is often with the store manager.
Sometimes you might be required to undergo a second interview with the general manager. But this is usually not the case.
Does McDonald’s Do Pre-Employment Drug Test?
You’ll be relieved to know, as stated above, that McDonald’s does not drug test for pre-employment. So, if you’re a recreational drug user, there’s nothing for you to worry about or prepare for in advance.
That doesn’t mean, however, you should show up to the interview high. This will no doubt be detected by the interviewer(s) and you won’t be hired.
Some report that in Wisconsin you might be required to pass a drug test before being hired. However, this has not been independently confirmed. So if you’re from Wisconsin you should ask someone who already works at McDonald’s if they had to take a drug test or not during the pre-employment interview process.
McDonald’s, like most fast food chains, has a consistently rapid turnover of employees. Therefore, it would be highly time consuming and commercially unviable for them to drug test every person who goes in for an interview. They’d rather hire you without testing, but keep a close eye on you while you’re on the job.
Do I need to pass a drug test to work at McDonald’s?
No, you don’t have to pass a drug test to work at McDonald’s.
Does McDonald’s Do Random and Pre-Promotional Drug Testing?
Of course you can expect random drug testing while working at McDonald’s. That doesn’t mean regular schedule drug tests, but drug tests when needed. If you’re involved in a work related accident you’ll need to pass a drug test so they can be sure that you weren’t high.
Basically you need to be on your best behavior while working at McDonald’s. Don’t show up for work high or under the influence of other substances. Manager might detect that you are under the influence putting you at risk of losing your job.
If you’re on prescription medication, you should let your manager before you take your test. McDonald’s might need to contact your doctor to confirm that you’re on prescription meds. Nonetheless, they don’t have the right to ask what you’re prescribed or why you’re taking it. So rest assured that your prescription meds won’t get you fired or into trouble.
You definitely can expect to be drug tested as part of the promotion process. Promotions aren’t a common occurrence at McDonald’s since people don’t usually work there long enough as we stated earlier. But if you’re up for a promotion to manager level, then you will certainly be tested for drugs.
What Type of Drug Test Does McDonald’s Use?
McDonald’s relies on an unsupervised urine drug test, which is quite easy to pass compared to a supervised test.
Your urine sample is sent to a contracted McDonald’s lab to be tested for the aforementioned drugs. If the results are positive and you’re not on prescription medication, then you’re in trouble.
How to Pass Urine Drug Test at McDonalds?
You might be asked to take a random unexpected urine drug test while employed at McDonald’s.
If you a light user and have not used marijuana for the past 4-5 days, you have a good chance of passing the urine test.
However, if you are a moderate user (consuming marijuana at least 2 times a week) or even just smoked a joint a couple of days prior, you might need to have handy a detox drink like Mega Clean or XXTRA Clean to use on your drug test day.
However, if you are a heavy user, there is a high chance you will fail your test if you are not prepared. We have seen that some heavy users try synthetic urine when the urine test is unsupervised. However, there is always the risk of being caught and facing the consequences for such action.
Summary
So to answer your question is ‘No’! McDonald’s doesn’t drug test for pre-employment, with the possible exception being in the state of Wisconsin. McDonald’s still retains the right to test you for drugs if you’re involved in a work related accident or your behavior is suspicious while on the job. You will also be subjected to a drug test before being promoted to manager.
Thank you for reading our article “Does McDonald’s Drug Test for Pre-employment?”
We would love to hear about your experiences going through McDonald’s hiring process and drug testing procedure.
We believe others who are applying for jobs at McDonald’s will definitely appreciate and benefit from it.
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Helpful links:
“How Long Does Weed (THC) Stay in Your Urine? – Important Data You Need to Know!!!”
“Fact or Fiction – You Can Beat a Drug Test with Home Remedies?”
Learn more here:
PMC, Chemistry, Metabolism, and Toxicology of Cannabis: Clinical Implications
American Journal of Clinical Pathology, The Effects of Adulterants and Selected Ingested Compounds on Drugs-of-Abuse Testing in Urine
Jpo.Wrlc.org, The marijuana detection window: Determining the length of time cannabinoids will remain detectable in urine following smoking
