Saudi Arabia's Labor Minister found a novel way of encouraging Saudis to take jobs they think are beneath them -- by working as a waiter for three hours in a fast-food restaurant, newspapers reported on Tuesday.

Saudi media carried pictures of Ghazi Algosaibi, surprising customers in a popular restaurant in the city of Jeddah by serving up hamburgers.

"The beginning will always be tiring and difficult, but young people can realize their ambitions if they are persistent and work hard," al-Watan reported Algosaibi as saying before kissing a Saudi worker on the head in appreciation.

Algosaibi, a poet and former ambassador to London, has fought a battle against business and religious interests to attract more Saudis, including women, into employment.

Around a third of Saudi Arabia's population of some 25 million is foreigners. The government is trying to diversify the economy away from reliance on oil receipts.

Many Saudis including graduates hope for work in the government and shun many menial jobs done by the large expatriate labor force.

据沙特周二的报纸报道，为鼓励沙特人从事他们认为“低贱”的职业，沙特劳工部部长想出了一个奇特的方式：在快餐店做三个小时的服务生。

沙特媒体刊登了一幅劳工部长加齐