I’ve got the scoop on what kinds of jobs are available for young people, plus read the end to find 13 business ideas for teens!
Many companies hire teens aged 14 and 15, meaning you can easily start a side hustle as a teen or get a job wherever you are.
Having a job is also a great way to learn new skills, make new friends, and prepare them for life after school- plus put something helpful on their resume!
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Key Takeaways: Best Jobs For Teens
Before I get into our list of over 29 companies that hire 14-year-olds and other young teenagers, let’s talk about a few of the best places to work for.
I’ve got a few great companies, plus some business ideas you can start as a teen:
- Best Flexible Schedule – Surveys
- Highest Earning Potential – Blogging
- Most Fun Job For Teens – Dairy Queen
- Best Company To Work For – Wegmans
Places That Hire 14-Year-Olds & Other Teens
The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) says that the minimum age to work most jobs in the U.S. is 14 years old.
However, every company is different, so you need to contact them to find out their specific child labor laws and hiring requirements in your area.
So let’s check out local businesses and more that hire young teens so you can find your first job:
1. McDonald’s
Minimum Age – 14 year olds
McDonald’s fast-food restaurants nationwide are always looking for great employees!
McDonald’s hires young workers, so stop by your local McDonald’s if you are 14 years old and ask about their minimum age requirements and open employment positions.
2. Chick-fil-A
Minimum Age – 14 year olds
Chick-Fil-A is a fast-food restaurant known for its chicken sandwiches. They have over 2,000 locations across America and hire teens as young as 14-year-olds!
One perk about working at Chick-fil-A is that they are closed on Sundays.
Each Chick-fil-A is independently owned and operated, so wages and the age minimum at Chick-fil-A may vary by the local store.
3. Kroger
Minimum Age – 15 year olds
If you are looking for places that hire 15-year-olds, you’ve gotta think of any grocery department around.
Kroger is the largest grocery store, with over 2,700 stores in the United States. Kroger owns other stores like Fry’s, King Soopers, and Smith’s.
You will want to check with a store near you to see their age requirements because the legal age to work in a store can vary depending on your state.
There are some perks to working at Kroger. They include tuition assistance, discounts, and more.
4. Wegmans
Minimum Age – 15 year olds
Wegmans hires younger teens for the floral, grocery, or bakery departments. The earliest age requirement for store positions is 15 years old.
Additional requirements to hire workers at a young age may be based on required equipment use or labor laws discussed during your interview.
But you could have this job for years in high school like my friends did if you have excellent customer service!
5. Starbucks
Minimum Age – 14 year olds (15 in some states)
There’s a good chance that your 14-year-old could find employment at Starbucks.
With over 17 thousand locations in the United States, they hire younger teens and have plenty of opportunities to choose from!
6. Baskin-Robbins
Minimum Age – 14 year olds
The ice cream flavors at Baskin Robbins are endless, with ice cream shops in nearly three thousand locations throughout America.
They hire younger workers and offer potential employees an opportunity to earn money as an ice cream scooper and work during the school week.
7. Arby’s
Minimum Age – 14 year olds
Arby’s now operates over 3400 locations across America, and it isn’t difficult to see why their roast beef sandwiches are some of our favorites!
In many states, young teens work as cashiers or food preparers at an Arby’s location.
8. Wendy’s
Minimum Age – 14 year olds
Wendy’s hires 14-year-old employees to work at some of their almost 6,000 locations across the U.S.A.!
Each Wendy’s is a franchise, so each restaurant’s hiring rules may vary. Your teen will have to ask about the age minimum when they go into the local restaurant to apply.
9. Boston Market
Minimum Age – 15-year-olds
Boston Market is known for their delicious rotisserie chicken and side dishes.
You can work there as long you’re 15 years old or older, but they typically hire people in that age group for servers or dishwashers.
10. KFC
Minimum Age – 14 year olds
KFC is one of the most popular restaurant chains in America, with over 4,000 locations across this great nation and over 22,000 locations worldwide.
In some areas, they hire 14 and 15-year-old kids to work as customer service providers or clean-up crew members at their restaurants!
11. Culver’s
Minimum Age – 14 year olds
Culver’s is the perfect place to get some fast food when you need something refreshing.
They have nearly 700 locations across America and offer jobs for 14-year-olds and up.
12. Taco Bell
Minimum Age – 14 year olds
Taco Bell serves 40 million customers each week, with 7600 locations in every state of the US. They have a team that includes 14-year-olds as well!
The requirements will vary by location. Employees get flexible hours and discounts on food purchases.
13. Rita’s Italian Ice
Minimum Age – 14 year olds
One will surely be near you with 600 locations across the United States!
At Rita’s Italian Ice restaurants, kids 14 years old or older can work alongside adults to help serve customers their favorite flavors.
Job openings for young teens vary by restaurant.
14. Pizza Hut
Minimum Age – 15 year olds
Pizza Hut, the popular pizza chain with over 7 thousand locations across America, was founded in 1958.
With a parent’s permission, you can get hired as an early 15-year-old and work at your local restaurant!
Many positions are for cashiering or cleaning up the restaurant.
15. Six Flags
Minimum Age – 14 year olds
Six Flags operates 27 amusement parks and water parks in North America.
Job positions for people as young as 14-year-olds vary- mainly because these are seasonal jobs.
Contact your local amusement park for more information about what they have job opportunities they have available!
16. AMC Theaters
Minimum Age – 14 year olds
AMC Theaters has been bringing people together through movies for many years. They operate over 375 locations and hire young teens as young as 14!
Many front-of-house and back-of-house positions are available, such as working the concessions stand or being an usher.
Most of these positions at your local AMC Theater do not require any prior experience.
17. Palace Entertainment
Minimum Age – 14 year olds
Palace Entertainment is a company with 21 locations across the country. Some locations may hire someone as young as 14 for available job openings.
18. Fareway
Minimum Age – 14 year olds
Fareway operates grocery stores in 120 locations throughout six midwestern states.
They hire people as young as 14 years of age for checkout lanes, bakery departments, restocking shelves and other jobs in their grocery stores.
Some of the jobs include bagging and stocking in their grocery department.
19. Bruster’s
Minimum Age – 14 year olds
A fun and easy way to make money is by serving ice cream! I think sounds pretty awesome for your first job, especially if you get free desserts.
Bruster’s Real Ice Cream has over 160 locations in 20 states, and hires young teens.
20. Publix
Minimum Age – 14 year olds
Young teens looking for part-time work should check with their local Publix store.
There’s a possibility of finding a job in the Publix chain stores because they are one of the jobs that hire at 14 years of age in some areas.
They offer cashiering positions, service desk clerks, bagging, or cart attendant gigs.
This includes 1,305 locations across four states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North & South Carolina, and Virginia.
21. Safeway
Minimum Age – 14 year olds
Safeway, one of the largest grocery chains in America with over 900 locations across 18 states, is looking for young people to work as baggers.
The applicants may need to work a few hours during the school week, though some restrict if you can work on school days.
22. Winn-Dixie
Minimum Age – 14 year olds
Winn-Dixie has a few jobs where they hire young teens. The jobs at your local Winn Dixie could include baggers at their 1,400 stores and cashiers at the front end of stores in general!
The jobs could require working up to eight hours on non-school days like Saturday and Sunday and paying the federal minimum wage.
23. Giant Foods
Minimum Age – 14 year olds
The 150 Giant Foods locations across Delaware, Maryland, and Washington D.C., are always looking for new employees!
Your 14-year-old could be just what they need to fill their needs – you never know until you try, right?
The store locations usually need someone who can work a few hours during the school week and additional hours during non-school weeks.
24. Little Caesars
Minimum Age – 15 year olds
Little Caesars is a great place to start your first job, especially if you’re interested in working with people.
Most locations require employees to be at least 16 years old, while some stores accept 15-year-olds who can work a few hours on a school day.
25. Hy-Vee
Minimum Age – 14 year olds
Hy-Vee is a grocery store chain with over 240 locations throughout the Midwest United States.
Hy-Vee grocery stores are individually operated, so the minimum hiring age varies from store to store, but some hire younger workers, starting at 14 years old.
26. Dairy Queen
Minimum Age – 16 year olds
Dairy Queen is one of the places that hire 16-year-olds.
There are over 4,000 Dairy Queen locations in the US, and available jobs vary by store location for the minimum age according to state labor laws!
If you are a young teen who can work up to three hours per day on a school day, a Dairy Queen team member job may be the job for you!
27. Runza
Minimum Age – 14 year olds
Runza is a unique fast-food restaurant in the Midwest and is one of the places that hire young workers to work as crew members!
They hire 14 and 15-year-old crew members at most of their store locations.
Be sure to check whether a work permit is needed for youth workers and know how much money you’ll make.
28. Giant Eagle
Minimum Age – 14 year olds
There are over 400 Giant Eagle grocery store chains in five U.S states- Pennsylvania, Maryland, Indiana, Ohio West Virginia.
They are one place that hires younger workers as young as 14 for various grocery store positions where they can learn valuable professional skills.
29. YMCA
Minimum Age – 14 year olds
The YMCA is a worldwide organization that provides child care and sports for children and D.R.E A M.
There are currently 2,400 locations across the country where you can around your school hours.
Most local YMCAs hire teens in your age group, but you need to check to see if your state requires work permits or age certifications for young teens.
Businesses Teens Can Start
Are you interested in jobs for 14 years olds and other young teenagers? Well, instead of searching for businesses that hire teens, you could create your own work!
Starting your own business is a great way to learn about the working world and earn money simultaneously on a school day or any day.
Teens can start many business ideas, depending on their skills and interests, and potentially make more than the minimum hourly rate.
Also, check with your parents or guardians before starting any online business. They may be able to help you get started and offer advice along the way.
Blogging
Starting a blog is a great way to start your own business and make money as a teenager.
I wish I had started a blog younger to see how this blog could’ve grown over more time!
Starting my blog was easy, and the main work came from creating content for readers like you.
You can write about any topics you like, just pick something that interests people and that you could create a lot of articles about.
Then, you need to monetize your articles- sell advertising, accept paid guest posts, or use affiliate marketing to earn commissions on products.
want a bit more information about starting a blog, even as a teen? Let me show you how in my free Blogging Bootcamp!
Get FREE access to our step-by-step plan for starting a blog that makes $1,000 per month.
Freelance Writing
Starting a freelance writing business is a great way to make money as a teenager. You can work from home, set your hours, and earn a good income.
As a teen, I had to write a ton of papers—I wish I could’ve made money writing stuff for someone else!
Now I can write for my own blog or other blogs for cash, but being younger, you’ll need to focus on networking and finding people to hire you.
You can also use social media platforms like Twitter and LinkedIn to connect with potential clients.
To learn more about freelance writing, Freelance Write From Home offers a FREE eBook to show you how to start a freelance writing business.
Busy Moms! Learn How to Become an Online Freelance Writer and Start Making $1,000 to $5,000 per month in your spare time!
Online Tutoring
Starting an online tutoring business as a teen is a great idea, and I know from experience!
I started tutoring in high school, but no matter what grade you’re in, you could find someone younger than you who needs a bit of help.
My first tutoring job was in English. I helped middle schoolers practice spelling and grammar, and we worked on writing a bit to prepare them for high school.
I made my own plans and lessons based on what my students needed help with- then, when I joined VIPKID in college, they made the lessons for me.
As a teen tutor, you don’t need to be a pro or have all the answers; you can find worksheets online to review and use to help your new students.
BookNook is an excellent service for finding tutoring jobs (that provide the lessons!) when you get older and may want to make money on the side after high school.
Dog Walking & Pet Sitting
One business option for teens is dog walking and pet sitting for local business people.
As teens, my brother and I started walking dogs for our neighbors and dog-sitting for family members to earn quick cash.
He still does it on and off, making money on the side with doggos still!
Dog walking can be a great way to make money and offers flexibility. You can work as much or as little as you want and get a job with clients you want to work with.
To find jobs as a dog walker or pet sitter, start by talking to friends, family members, and neighbors. They may know of someone who is looking for this type of service.
When you turn 18 and want to stick with it and reach more people, you can join Rover to connect with dog owners around town.
YouTube Or Twitch Streamer
I started a YouTube channel to go with this blog and talk personally about these side hustles to give people a better feel for them.
Many teens, as young as 14 years old, are turning to streaming services like YouTube and Twitch to share their hobbies, skills, and interests with the world.
I’ve seen young kids reviewing toys and opening bling boxes, teens doing coding or makeup routines, and more!
If you’re interested in starting as a YouTube or Twitch Streamer, there are a few things you’ll need to do first.
The first is to find your niche. What do you love doing? What are you good at?
Once you’ve found that, focus on creating quality content that will interest your viewers. You’ll need to script and record videos that can entertain people!
It takes time to grow a following, though- I get impatient and want our channel to reach millions, but all high-earning YouTubers started off slow and steady.
Social Media Management
Another great business idea for 14 or 15-year-olds is to start a virtual assistant business as a social media management business.
I have young cousins who use social media as much as I do- way more than I did as a teen- and they help our relatives with selling on Marketplace and starting groups.
Businesses need help creating groups and sharing posts, and some struggle to get momentum going online.
Teens are perfect for helping others do that, as they are often more tech-savvy and up-to-date on the latest social media trends than adults.
If you’re interested in starting this type of business, you’ll need to be skilled at managing social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Then, you can look for inactive Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, and more accounts and offer your services.
Affiliate Marketing
When you’re young, there are a lot of things you want to do. You want to explore the world and find out what makes you happy.
One great way to do both is by starting your own affiliate marketing business. You can make money by promoting other people’s products or services with affiliate marketing.
My blog makes some money from affiliate marketing. I review and recommend products that I like or that my readers may benefit from.
You’ll need to create a website, social media, or blog and drive traffic to it to make money while you sleep.
You can write, create videos, review products, show yourself using things, and more.
Babysitting
Babysitting can be a great way for teenagers to make money.
As a teen, I babysat younger cousins a few times, but my wife did a lot more of that when we were in high school.
She enjoyed it and said it was good money to make dinner and put kids to bed on a Friday night.
When starting a babysitting business, there are a few things to remember:
- Make sure you are comfortable caring for children and have the necessary skills, especially if you’re caring for babies and toddlers.
- Be sure to have a lot of references and be prepared to show them to potential clients to get a job.
When starting, offering discounts to clients who hire you for after-school hours may be helpful.
Online Sales
As a teenager, making money with online sales is a great option. Right now, I focus on online courses and printables, but teens can sell those or other stuff.
You can sell items you create or design on Shopify, or even dropship popular items on Amazon.
You can also sell handmade goods on Etsy if you’re crafty. You can sell anything from jewelry to home decor.
Just be sure to price your items competitively and take high-quality photos.
Check out the FREE workshop by Gold City Ventures to get ideas about creating printables to sell online if you like that idea.
Sell Used Stuff
Selling used stuff is a great way for teens to make money. As a flea market flipper, you can buy items at a discount and sell them for a profit.
As a teen, I found items at garage sales and estate sales and sold them on eBay, usually electronics or sneakers that would make easy money.
You could sell on Facebook Marketplace to avoid fees or reach more people on eBay, but consider the costs of buying and selling to determine what items are worth your time.
If I could get an item for $10 and make $40 on it, and it sold within a month for other sellers, then I would snag it to get a profit of $25 after fees.
Don’t forget to market your items on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. You can also post flyers in your neighborhood, local community centers, or school.
Flea Market Flipper offers a FREE workshop to give you more information about getting started with flea market flipping.
House Cleaner
There are plenty of businesses that will hire 14-year-olds, and house cleaning is one of them!
I got a small allowance for doing chores around the house and bonus cash for doing bigger jobs, but you could earn more by helping family and neighbors clean the house.
One of the best things about starting your own house cleaning business as a 14-year-old is that you don’t need much start-up capital.
All you need is some basic supplies like vacuum cleaners, mops, and cleaning products. You can also invest in some marketing materials like flyers and business cards.
Lawn Service
Starting a lawn service business at 14 is a great way to earn money, gain experience in the workforce, and learn about running your own business.
I mowed three neighbors’ yards for $10 a piece back in the day, and for an hour of work, that wasn’t too bad.
I stopped once I had summer sports and other side hustles (like dog walking), but it was easy just to poop over to my neighbors and offer to do it.
Tell all of your friends, family members, and neighbors that you’re starting a business and see if they know anyone who needs yard work, like mowing their lawn or trimming.
You can also put up flyers in local businesses or post an ad on Craigslist or other online classifieds websites, letting people know you do yard work.
Odd Jobs
When you’re 14 years old, finding a job can be challenging. The good news is that there are plenty of odd jobs out there that will hire at 14 years of age.
One option is to offer your services to people in your neighborhood to do odd jobs. You can mow lawns, rake leaves, shovel snow, or do other yard work.
If you live in a warm climate, you could also offer to water plants or take care of pets while people are on vacation.
You could also do odd jobs like helping clean gutters, washing windows, or power washing houses.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, plenty of places hire 14 and 15-year-olds. So if you’re looking for your first job, these are a great place to start.
Just be sure to research the company before you apply and only work with reputable businesses.
Check to make sure the hiring requirements for jobs that hire 14-year-olds. Some places require a work permit when they hire workers that are 14 or 15 years old.
In addition to the places listed above, there are many online options where you can work from home and work the hours you want.
You can take online surveys with Swagbucks, sell products and services, or do odd jobs online. With a little bit of effort, you should be able to find a job that’s perfect for you!
Start sharing your opinion, earn points, and cash them out for free gift cards or cash today. Claim your FREE $10 sign-up bonus now!