Man, 72, takes job at McDonald's because he found retirement too boring

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By James Kay

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A 72-year-old man has explained why he took a job at McDonald's where he gives words of wisdom to younger members of staff.

A lot of us dream of retirement, right? Being able to have lots of free time after decades of working and doing the things we weren't able to do while being locked into a nine-to-five.

Personally, I think tending to a garden while shouting at the young people near my front yard seems like a wonderful way to spend time.

However, 72-year-old Daryl Holmes realized that being retired simply wasn't for him and that it was all a bit dull.

The Australian previously worked in the disability sector before putting his feet up for a well-earned retirement but soon applied for a job at McDonald's.

Speaking to 2GB Sydney, Holmes said: "I've been playing golf all my life and for me, I've always loved to work. My wife was still working and had several more years to work so I wasn't going to sit back."

The 72-year-old wanted something to keep him busy while enjoying it at the same time, and he has since become a local legend due to his work at the fast food restaurant.

He has undergone two knee operations during his time in the business, which has currently spanned six years - making him one of Australia's oldest McDonald's workers.

Holmes opened up about being somewhat of a father figure to younger employees, saying: "I just talk about the importance of enjoying what you do, learning from it, and making sure they've got someone when times are tough to talk to," he said.

Describing himself as their grandfather, Holmes went on: "I work with some amazing young people. The kids we have are unbelievable, it's a real privilege to work with them. The one thing I keep saying to them is 'I can't do my job successfully if you're not doing yours successfully.

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Holmes has worked at McDonald's for the last six years. Credit: Alexey Panferov / Alamy

"It's about building teamwork. If something's not right, nobody's going to get into trouble, we've just got to fix it so the customer is the prime focus of what we do."

Holmes stated that his favorite time of year is when the restaurant runs its annual Monopoly promotion, as he dons a tophat and really gets into the fun of the event, channeling the Monopoly man.

He has encouraged other elderly people to get back into work, saying: "Employers want to know what you can do, not what you can't. If you can say to people I can do this, you have a very good chance of selling yourself."

We can all learn a thing or two about work ethic from him!

Featured image credit: William Barton / Alamy