McDonald's ends hair color rules in Japan to attract workers

Sugoi

McDonald's changed its appearance policy in August 2021 to allow employees to grow a beard, considering various reasons, including religion.

Welcome to the 19th century.

So, in the future, the person taking my order may not have black hair? It’s too early in the day to have my mind blown. Maybe MacDonald’s just needs to slow down, a bit

It doesn't matter, the result will be the same, the same bland burger as always...

No thanks..

McDonalds here in the US sucks, yes, but Japan's seems to put out great variety and better quality. Another place I'd like to try if I ever make my way back.

Its crazy that this is 'BIG NEWS' ..... lol. Good for them!

I love fast food, junk food of all varieties, shapes and sizes. Sausage McMuffin my fav regular item at McD's. I hate waiting and I hate sitting arm length from total strangers practically yelling at each other to have a conversation.

Many Japanese customers won't be able to sleep at night knowing the hair colour of the server could be blond, or heaven forbid, green or purple.

And due to this 'tight' labour market they'll soon have to employee the dregs of society, including those with full body tats.

And they will say the service there will soon go to the dogs because of this 'gateway' employment policy.

Everybody: calm down.

its a minimum wage part time job who cares

The new policy, which was introduced on a trial basis at an Osaka outlet, has had a positive impact

That explains the diversity in the Osaka area. We've had this for almost a year here in Osaka. No worries about this. The staff have always been easy-going and friendly. No worries.

Good news (even though I NEVER go there)

McDonalds here in the US sucks, yes, but Japan's seems to put out great variety and better quality. Another place I'd like to try if I ever make my way back.

My oldest daughter (Japanese born and partially raised in Japan), who's been living and studying in the US says the same thing. She tells me that the McDonald's here in Japan feels much better and healthier than in the US. She also says the same about Taco Bell, too.

its a minimum wage part time job who cares

Unlike McDonald’s in the US, McDonald’s Japan is known for its rigid training process and strict regulation of standards. Having work experience at McDonald’s is considered a plus on your CV.

Starbucks Coffee Japan Ltd. has revised its dress code to allow workers to choose their preferred style.

Not if its a "Free Palestine" t shirt....

Not if its a "Free Palestine" t shirt....

Nice one!

They must include body piercing and tattoo maybe oppppppppsss.

Finally!! I’m going to apply today!!

Not if its a "Free Palestine" t shirt....

Of course not. Supporting terrorism doesn't go well with coffee.

Woohoo!!

I’ll go there today to buy a celebratory Big Mac meal!!

Cant wait to pick up my order in future from lovely old purple haired grandmother!

In general, as a whole, food in Japan is better & healthier.

Conbini bentos in Japan are restaraunt quality in the US... in many cases even better than avg sit down restaraunts where you have to tip.

Gold hair color would be perfect to match Mc Golden Arch.

OK Ronald good move on hair, what about white underwear? :-)

My local MOS Burger has always employed staff with a variety of hair colours, it has never stopped them cooking tasty food, and every burger to order, fresh off the hot plate.

to attract workers

the pay.

workers are looking at the pay.

raise the pay and you'll attract workers real quick.

did I mention, the pay?

the pay.

This means that Ronald McDonald will be able to visit? This is encouraging!

how abt to pay better money to workers instead?

I don’t know man, people with blue hair don’t wash their hands after they take a dump.

"In general, as a whole, food in Japan is better & healthier."

Some people have got the Japan mania bad.

Chico3: "She tells me that the McDonald's here in Japan feels much better and healthier than in the US."

There is no way McDonald's food is healthier in one place than any other. It's all incredibly unhealthy. What differs, in my opinion, is the quality of service -- which is much, MUCH better in Japan. However, the brutality of the employment is also well known. I've seen staff literally burst into tears because I couldn't understand some word of Keigo (at first) and they were not allowed to paraphrase and go off script. That person was fired.

I'm glad they're finally getting rid of yet another draconian rule about hair color, especially since the majority of Japanese (women, anyway) dye their hair often, be it a lighter shade of brown, or to cover gray roots popping up, etc. They don't seem to mind too much about unnatural hair-coloring then.

My oldest daughter (Japanese born and partially raised in Japan), who's been living and studying in the US says the same thing. She tells me that the McDonald's here in Japan feels much better and healthier than in the US. She also says the same about Taco Bell, too.

It's definitely not healthier. Maybe you can argue this because the portion is smaller hence less calories, but in terms of nutritional value and added artificial ingredients, they are about the same. The burgers are also mostly bread and the meat is puny here also. Don't even get me started with Taco Bell, those overpriced "tacos" they are selling here are not only tiny (menu also seems to be smaller), but they also don't allow you to take as many hot sauce packets as you want. Subway is also a disgrace here, although I hear they are terrible in the US now as well. I do have to admit Burger King and Carl's Jr. does serve up some nicer quality burgers here than the US.

The only fast food I eat nowadays are local as you can never go wrong with Matsuya or Marugame if you are in a hurry.

My local MOS Burger has always employed staff with a variety of hair colours, it has never stopped them cooking tasty food, and every burger to order, fresh off the hot plate.

Yep.

MOS Burger**McDonald's

My local MOS Burger has always employed staff with a variety of hair colours, it has never stopped them cooking tasty food, and every burger to order, fresh off the hot plate.

Yep.

*MOS Burger***

Should have been a greater than sign. MOS Burger beats McDonald's any day of the week.

SDCA,Carls Jrs service is slow as molasses,I witness a fried getting cold , because of the slow service

So they can attract even less quality service people who care nothing about Japanese culture. Next will be face tattoos etc will be standard.

You McDonald's always ask you want an apple pie, when Trump showed up after the debate,they ask do he want his humble pie

So they can attract even less quality service people who care nothing about Japanese culture. Next will be face tattoos etc will be standard.

meh, it's not 'culture' - it's an ideology.

https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20221223/p2a/00m/0na/031000c

hair, underwear, eating, half naked checkups, dating....power over another.

So they can attract even less quality service people who care nothing about Japanese culture

You mean the millenary Japanese culture of flipping burgers and serving fries?

What is this discussion about? A fashion competition or institute? They can have or offer for displaying any hair color, but should finally a bit more concentrate on some more delicious taste and that none of the hairs lands in the offered products.

Won't make a shred of difference. The problem is younger people (who, in the past, would typically have jumped at the chance of a part-time after school job) specifically Gen Z, are way to lazy and entitled, and their parents indulge them.

How about raising wages?

How about raising wages?

Won't be happening. There is a reasons why maccas is still 'reasonably' priced here.

Some people will applaud this as progress or the abolition of an arbitrary rule, but the value of setting arbitrary rules is often underappreciated. This rule acts as a filter to find employees who are willing to follow rules. Someone who is willing to submit to arbitrary hair color rules is also likely to submit to other seemingly arbitrary rules about hygiene, rules about safety, rules about quality and consistency etc.

Won't make a shred of difference. The problem is younger people (who, in the past, would typically have jumped at the chance of a part-time after school job) specifically Gen Z, are way to lazy and entitled, and their parents indulge them.

So you think the problem is people not being desperate enough to do a job they don't want to do? That seems more like a problem from the employer's point of view instead of the employee.

This rule acts as a filter to find employees who are willing to follow rules. Someone who is willing to submit to arbitrary hair color rules is also likely to submit to other seemingly arbitrary rules about hygiene, rules about safety, rules about quality and consistency etc.

That would still mean no real benefit, someone that is willing to obey a rational, well justified rule is more than enough, to search for someone that "obeys" even things that appear to have no reason and that nobody bothers explaining seems more like trying to find people that will accept abuse from the employer.

Conbini bentos in Japan are restaraunt quality in the US... in many cases even better than avg sit down restaraunts where you have to tip.

What bentos would those be? Mostly full of fried food and additives glore, with a big lump of white rice. Sorry can't believe food at your average sit down diner in the US is worse.

Not if its a "Free Palestine" t shirt....

They don't want to take the legal risk of leaving off the "...with proof of purchase" part.

Once, when writing on the subject of terrorism, the NY Times' Nicholas Kristof quipped, "If you want to kill qs many Americans as possible, open a McDonalds franchise."

Like to see green and purple

Around here, the fast food workers tend to have wild colors in their hair, lots of tattoos and often a nose piercing similar to what humans do to bulls and water buffaloes to help with control.

The nose rings aren't really very appetizing to me.

There is a McDs walking distance from our house. I've been there 3 times in the last 25 yrs. Just for a tall coffee if we ran out of coffee or tea at home. They do have excellent coffee and it is easier to get there than the Donut place on the other side of a busy street which also has excellent coffee too. Once, used it as a place to perform a private sale of some computer parts to an acquaintance. It was convenient and public for both of us, but we aren't friends enough to meet at our homes.

Hair color is not important at all to me from almost any worker in any industry. But the nose rings are just making a statement that I find unsettling.

There is no way McDonald's food is healthier in one place than any other. It's all incredibly unhealthy. 

McD's in India is vegetarian.

I don't get the institutional fixation on hair color in Japan. It's not just McDs, but schools too. Where I work there are an abundance of PhDs and other advanced degrees but you see plenty of multi colored hair. It's just hair. It's not a crime to dye it.

There is no way McDonald's food is healthier in one place than any other. It's all incredibly unhealthy. What differs, in my opinion, is the quality of service -- which is much, MUCH better in Japan.

McDonald's is always unhealthy, but it is less unhealthy in some countries than others.

This is partly down to local tastes, but also down to what food additives are legal. The USA has talent weak controls on quality and the food has more fat and salt.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-12138705/How-McDonalds-UK-menu-compares-Americas-items-calorific.html