Is working at McDonald's a worthwhile summer job?

I’m a teen who’s getting his first summer job. I get good grades and am an honest, hard worker, but apparently my parents think that working at McDonald’s is a worthwhile, ‘character-building’ experience.

I really do not want to waste my summer, as I am skilled enough to do freelance or charity work on my own. I have heard that colleges value personal initiative more than anything else, so these would even be more worthwhile activities. Even after explaining this, they still believe McDonald’s is the better choice, citing ‘character-building’.

Is this true? Or will I be wasting my summer flipping hamburgers?