We're not sure if this is a positive sign of a turnaround, or an image that will be our time's version of a Depression-era soup line.

But it appears that people are making a run on those thousands of jobs that have opened up at McDonald's. Yeah, the restaurant chain that not even American teenagers will work in.

According to USC's Neon Tommy:

The operator of half a dozen South L.A. McDonalds' locations had received about 100 applications by 11 a.m. for about 20 openings, according to an employee at the McDonalds on Western Avenue and 18th Street.

[NSFW video]:

[Get a jobbie job, today!].

Wow. These are gigs even illegal immigrants shrugged off in the go-go mid-'00s. (We kid, sort of).

With L.A.'s unemployment rate at 12.3 percent (and likely even higher as a result of people who gave up trying for months if not years), this isn't that surprising.

McDonald's reps tell the Weekly they're hiring 3,000 “crew and restaurant management positions” at 800 of its Southern California restaurants. Nationwide that number is 50,000.

Neal Ruby, president of the McDonald's Operators' Association of Southern California, states:

As our business continues to grow, we want to provide our customers with an even better experience in all of our Southern California restaurants.

Credit: McDonald's

Credit: McDonald's

A spokeswoman said interviews and applications were happening today. She couldn't say if there were lines for jobs at some locations.

“Flipping burgers” used to be a put down. Now it's a point of pride. (Where do we sign up?).

[@dennisjromero/djromero@laweekly.com]

Advertising disclosure: We may receive compensation for some of the links in our stories. Thank you for supporting LA Weekly and our advertisers.