Jobs for 14 & 15 Year Olds: 15 Stores Hiring Now

Are you a teenager searching for a good-paying job so that you can save for a car, college, or have a little extra spending cash? There are lots of jobs for 14-year-olds that will put money in your pocket.

While there are plenty of stores hiring teenagers, it’s important to find a job that is enjoyable and works with your schedule.

If you want to make money as a kid this summer or during the school year, our post shares a few of your top choices.

Places That Hire 14 and 15-Year-Olds

There is a lot of opportunity for young teens to make money. Many retail companies that hire at 14 or 15.

These are often restaurants or stores. If you’re reliable and willing to put in the work, there is ample opportunity to make money.

Here are the best jobs for teenagers under 16 years old.

1. Chick-fil-A

If you have a Chick-fil-A in your town, you know how popular it is. To work for Chick-fil-A, you must be at least 14 years old.

You can’t be a delivery driver, but you can work as a dishwasher or kitchen staff.

To apply to work at Chick-Fil-A, go to their careers page and find a restaurant near you.

2. Publix

Publix is a popular grocery store chain in the Southwest. The chain hires children as young as 14 years old to work in their stores.

Publix offers up to 23 hours of work per week for teenagers under 18. Even as a teen employee, you can qualify for promotions, discounts, and more.

It’s easy to apply to work for Publix online.

3. McDonald’s

Working at McDonald’s is a rite of passage for many teens. To work for McDonald’s, you must be at least 14 years old.

Since most McDonald’s set a minimum of 16 years old to work in the kitchen, you will likely be maintenance or counter crew.

The company frequently holds “walk-in” hiring days (check for the signs at your local restaurant). Alternately, you can apply online.

4. Baskin Robbins

If you find yourself searching online for “jobs for teens near me,” then Baskin Robbins is a terrific option. With thousands of stores across the country, you can likely find a location close to your home.

The ice cream shop hires teenagers as young as 14. You can apply for a customer service, ice cream scooper, or cake decorator position.

Applications are available at your local Baskin Robbins, or you can apply online.

5. Kroger

Kroger has grocery stores all over the country. Some of their more well-known brands are:

• Baker’s
• Dillons
• Fred Meyer
• King Soopers
• Ralphs

If you want to work for any Kroger brand, you must be at least 14. However, you need to be 16 to work behind counters (like cheese, meats, etc.).

The grocer does require a drug test before employment. Teens can apply online easily, but a parent or guardian may also need to consent to the drug test depending on where they live.

6. Hy-Vee

Hy-Vee is a popular grocery store chain in the Midwest. Teenagers can apply to work at Hy-Vee as long as they are 14 years of age or older.

Like Kroger, there may be some positions you can’t do until you’re at least 16. It could be worth looking into which roles you can fill before submitting an application.

You can apply for a job near you through Hy-Vee’s online career portal.

7. Safeway

Grocery stores are one of the most popular places that hire younger workers. Safeway is a terrific option for youth workers as they hire 14-year-olds.

At 14, you’ll qualify for the courtesy clerk position, which means you can greet customers, bag groceries, perform price checks, stock, and clean.

You can find out if your local retail store is hiring on the Safeway careers page.

8. Dairy Queen

You likely live near a Dairy Queen as the fast-food restaurant has over 4,000 locations in the United States. To work for Dairy Queen, you usually must be at least 16.

It’s important to note that a few franchises start at 15, so it’s worth it to check with your local store. You can do this by calling your local Dairy Queen for more information before you apply online.

9. Taco Bell

Taco Bell requires employees to be at least 16. Keep in mind that, based on your state’s minimum age laws and the specific franchise, you may be able to start as early as 14.

You can call your local Taco Bell to ask about their minimum age before applying.

10. KFC

KFC is another fast-food restaurant that is in many cities across the country and requires workers to be at least 16.

The company keeps applications on file for one year. This means that when you get close to 16, you can go ahead and apply online.

You can also talk to your local restaurant’s hiring manager to see if they’d make an exception and let you start working at age 14 or 15.

11. Winn-Dixie

Winn-Dixie is a popular grocery store chain located mostly in the deep South. While most Winn-Dixies require employees to be at least 16 to work, some stores will hire at 14.

You’ll need to contact your local Winn-Dixie to see if they hire 14 or 15-year-olds.

When you are ready, you can apply online for work.

12. Boston Market

Boston Market is a growing restaurant chain that serves rotisserie chicken with locations in nearly 30 states. The market is one of the companies that hire at 15.

This restaurant likes to promote within the company, so you’ll have the opportunity to take on bigger roles and make extra money as you get older.

You can apply online for available positions near you.

13. Little Caesars

While you won’t deliver pizza with Little Caesars, the restaurant chain is a terrific first job for teenagers. For most Little Caesars, employees need to be at least 16.

However, some Little Caesars start hiring people at the age of 15. Be sure to check with the location closest to you for more information.

You can apply online after you’ve confirmed the age requirements with your local store.

14. Giant Eagle

Giant Eagle is a grocery store chain in the Northeast with nearly 500 locations. Most job positions with Giant Eagle have a minimum age of 16. But, depending on your state, you could start as young as 15.

It’s easy to apply online and see what is available in your area.

15. AMC Theaters

Theaters are a popular choice for many youth workers. AMC is one of the largest movie chains in the country and has over 600 locations nationwide.

You can apply to work for AMC as soon as you turn 14. If you don’t mind working a concession stand or cleaning up, this is a fun way to start working to earn money.

To apply, you can visit AMC’s careers page online.

Businesses You Can Start as a Teenager

While many places hire at 14 or 15, you may not want to work at a grocery store or flip burgers. You may also want to earn more than minimum wage.

Don’t fret. There are still ways for teens to make money. If you have the entrepreneurship bug, here are some businesses that teens can start to make money.

Babysitting

Babysitting is one of the easiest ways to start earning money as a teen. All you need to do is volunteer to babysit for local neighbors or friends and family.

CPR and first aid training are not mandatory, but it’s strongly recommended to set yourself apart. Doing so will give you and your potential customers valuable peace of mind.

These certifications are typically free through your local school district or county. Pay varies depending on where you live, but Sittercity reports the average hourly rate is $15.

Care.com is a fantastic platform to find work and create a profile, but you must be 18 years old to use it. You might be able to get your parents to create an account though so you can get referrals.

Advertising on social media is another excellent way to find work.

Yard Work

If you love working outside, you can always do yard work to earn cash. You can mow and garden in the spring or summer and shovel snow or salt driveways in the winter.

The opportunities are endless.

If you have your own tools or equipment to do the work, this will increase your earning ability. Common examples of useful tools include:

• Lawnmower
• Leaf rake
• Lawn trimmer
• Spade shovel
• Hedge shear
• Hand pruner
• Shovel

Ask your parents if you can use any of the above to help you grow your side business.

Indeed reports the average hourly pay for a yard worker is $14 an hour, so this is a decent opportunity to make good money.

Dog Walking/Pet Sitting

Do you love animals? You can charge to dog walk, pet sit, or house sit while pets are inside the home. This can be one of the most fun jobs for 15 year olds.

According to Indeed, you can walk dogs and earn at least $12 an hour. If you double or triple the number of dogs you walk at once, you can increase your earnings.

Just be careful only to walk as many dogs as you are comfortable handling at a time.

Rover.com is an excellent website to find work, but you must be at least 18 to use it.

You can advertise your side hustle in your neighborhood or on social media.

Tutoring

Are you proficient in a particular subject in school, or do you play an instrument? If so, you can earn money by tutoring.

According to Indeed, you could make an average of $25 an hour depending on your skills and what you’re teaching.

For example, I know a teenager who charges $25 an hour to teach the harp, which she’s been doing since age five.

Like other jobs for 14 year olds, social media is a terrific tool to advertise your services. You can also ask your parents to tell their friends about what you do.

Start a Product Business

Are you artistic, or do you enjoy making things? You could start a product-based business. You can make products like lip gloss, art, magazines, and more.

The opportunities are endless. Speak with your parents before pursuing this opportunity because they may need to help you create a business name, manage taxes, and more if you go this route.

Starting your own business is fun, but it does take a lot of work. Fortunately, with a little creativity, you can find numerous online jobs for teens that earn good money.

Labor Laws for Teen Workers

It’s exciting to get a job as a teenager. However, there are several things you need to know before looking for jobs for 15-year-olds and younger.

There are numerous state and federal guidelines employers must follow when hiring teenagers. State laws can vary based on where you live.

You can consult the Department of Labor in your state or the Employment Law Handbook website to learn about the child labor laws where you live.

Follow the Laws

Many jobs require background checks and drug tests from their employees and potential employees. Even as a minor, you may have to follow these requirements.

In some states, the parent or guardian has to sign off on this or be present when the testing occurs.

You also have to make sure that you follow your local city laws. For example, if you’re 14, you won’t be able to drive yourself.

As a result, you need to ensure you follow the law and use proper transportation to and from work.

You will also need a work permit to start working for a business. Do an internet search for “work permits for minors” to learn where you can get one in your city.

Make Sure the Employer Follows the Laws

There are many federal and state rules for working if you’re under 16 years old. These prevent employers from taking advantage of minors.

Federal laws include the following for young workers:

• Can only work up to three hours each school day
• You can only work 18 hours per school week
• No more than 40 hours on non-school weeks
• You can work up to eight hours on non-school days

The above are a part of the Fair Labor Standards Act. Once you turn 16, many of these restrictions will expire.

The Department of Labor also restricts the types of work you can perform for an employer. Those include:

• Bagging and carrying out groceries
• Cashiering
• Basic cleaning work like mopping, floor waxing, and vacuuming
• Shelf stocking
• Cooking, but only with grills that do not have an open flame

Many of these restrictions lift once you turn 16. Additionally, they don’t apply to business ideas you may pursue, such as babysitting or yard work.

Your local regulations will vary as well. These may include how late you can work and if you’re allowed to serve certain products or drive a delivery vehicle.

Lastly, the employer must pay you the federal minimum wage. The current federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour.

Your state likely pays more than the federal amount, which benefits those looking for work.

Benefits to Working at a Young Age

It may be a scary thought to start working at such a young age. Getting a job as a teenager forces you to juggle your employment with school work.

Fortunately, there are numerous benefits for teens to start working. Here are a few of the top benefits:

• Learning the value of hard work
• Opening a bank account if they don’t already have one, Copper is a terrific option for new accounts
• Learning the importance of time management

This is your first opportunity to build a foundation that will help you develop good financial skills.

You can even open a teen checking account to begin learning more about financial responsibility.

Summary

Making your own money for the first time is exciting, and there are plenty of jobs for teens. Even if you’re 14 or 15 years old, there are lots of places that hire teenagers.

It may seem like you should not work and instead focus solely on school. Luckily, there are countless benefits ranging from developing a strong work ethic to learning the value of earning an income.

With a little balance, you can excel in school, have fun with your friends, and earn good money as well.

What are some other places that hire at 14 or 15? How do you balance work and school?