If you're a Baby Boomer, eating at fast food joints is-or at least should be-one of your last options.
Of course some of our generation, having grown up on one form or another of this type of food, have developed a taste for it.
Despite the fact that we know the perils of a heavy duty fast food diet, every now and again we get a craving, and go off to McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's or any one of a dozen tried and true fast food emporiums for our periodic fix.
If we're not quite ready to admit that dietary diversion, maybe we can blame it on our grandkids.
Regardless of your age, a treat is a treat, and today's youngsters love a fast food meal as much as we did-or still do.
A lot has changed since those fast food shops first opened their doors, for the most part when we Baby Boomers were in grade school.
Before we continue, maybe we should take a brief trip back in time.
The Baby Boomer generation includes those folks-us, in other words-who were born after World War II.
The Census Bureau sets the start date for us as 1946.
If you were born then or later, you are a Boomer.
The next generation, Generation X, comes some time after that.
Although there are no hard and fast rules and the time frame has never really been defined, if were born in the 60's (the later the better) or definitely in the 70's, you are not a Baby Boomer.
You are member of Generation X.
Even so, even though you might be a tad younger, read on-this will most likely apply to you as well.
Going back in time again, Ray Kroc opened his first McDonald's in 1955.
So if you're the oldest Boomer there is, you were 9 when this happened.
Most Boomers were a lot younger.
The point is that we've grown up not only with McDonald's, but with fast food in general.
Absolutely all of the fast food companies that offer franchises operating today came into existence sometime during the Baby Boomer generation.
These restaurants have become a part of our lives.
They are fixtures on our radar scope of life.
But they have no business being a part of our retirement planning.
Just because fast food restaurants are constantly hiring doesn't mean you should work there.
If your income is to the point where working at a fast food joint looks like a solution, it's time to do some serious planning.
And some serious introspection as well.
If you are a Boomer-and even if you are a Gen Xer-regardless of your age, working at a fast food restaurant is not something you should be doing.
If it's a measure of last resort, again, it's time for some serious re-evaluation.
Things have changed.
You need to chart a new direction.
Stopgap measures simply won't cut it.
And flipping burgers at a fast food restaurant is a stopgap measure, make no mistake about it.
Be bold.
Go big.
If working in a fast food joint seems like a solution, it's not.
Figure out what will energize you.
Acknowledge your passion.
Embrace your energy.
(Even if you think you don't have any, you do.
Get excited about life, and your energy level will take care of itself.
) And then go for it.
Baby Boomers make things happen.
And remember: flipping burgers is not an option.
Period.