On The Border Reviews

Pros

I began at On The Border four years ago as a server and I am now one of the "senior bartenders." Although I do not wish to advance with the company (this is just a job to get me through college), there are opportunities to advance for those who wish to do so. I work at a very busy store so the pay tends to be great!

Cons

Typical downsides of the restaurant business. Long hours, working holidays/weekends, smelling like tacos, etc.

Pros

I have a very flexible schedule thanks to the manager who does my schedule. They care that I need off on certain days.

Cons

To much micro management. We recently changed from individual service to team service meaning everyone is supposed to help everyone but there are those who get help but never pay it forward.

Advice to Senior Management

We need to add gratuity onto checks of parties of 6 or more. We give great service but are not tipped accordingly because some people are unaware that 10% is a not good tip. Stop watching us so much about eating the queso. You only pay us 2.83 an hour don't you expect us to try and take a little.

Pros

Schedule flexibility, and that's just about it. Hasn't been the worst place I've ever worked, but the management doesn't have a clue.

Cons

Everything. Lack of respect from management, lack of career/growth opportunities, management making scheduling changes without any sort of warning or discussion

Advice to Senior Management

Get a clue. Stop treating your employees like they're garbage. Start respecting others and maybe the respect will be returned.

Pros

easy job to get, closed early so you could still have a life, so many servers you never had trouble getting off

Cons

the management would not understand that we needed autograt for large parties to protect the servers from working hard and then getting stiffed.

Advice to Senior Management

Loosen up and stop contradicting your self everytime you make a decision. try to listen more to the servers when they have an issue

Pros

discounted food, good size table sections

Cons

bad tippers, restaurant gets pretty messy when its busy

Advice to Senior Management

Pretty good management

Pros

Nice fast paced atmosphere, fun over all

Cons

Sometime you have to deal with jerks on the job, but that's anywhere. You have to learn to take one thing at a time although you can feel very overwhelmed at times.

Pros

chain of command was used very well

Cons

the food was delicious yet very fattening

Advice to Senior Management

healthier food options

Pros

The management really made a point to congratulate us when doing a stellar job. They named an employee of the month, and although it sounds cheesy, it really raised moral at our meetings and gave those of us who cared something to strive for. There was an opportunity to make decent money at dinner shifts and a lot of corporate types come for lunch from the Atrium and TD Bank offices next door. The commradery of employees was amazing. Some of my closest friendships to this dat were formed at OTB. We still go back for drinks and food, and many of the employees still work there so that says something!

Cons

Sometimes, especially weekend lunch shifts and mid-week dinners, there were too many people staffed and very few customers. They don't have much of a screening process so some of the employees hired didn't have any experience (annoying but okay) or were very lazy/drugged up (not okay). I had one problem with sexual harassment from a member of the kitchen staff but it was handled quickly and empathetically by the general manager.

Advice to Senior Management

Keep up the good work! The leadership at OTB was always professional and cared for the employees when I was there. It would be nice to have more in-house opportunities for growth though.

Pros

GReat Concept with a established name.

Cons

No appreciation for a job well done.

Advice to Senior Management

Support and value the operators int he feild who make things happen for you.

Pros

flexible work schedule, generally helpful staff

Cons

salary based on tips. it's not an upscale restaurant so ticket prices average less than 50 bucks. no auto-gratuity included. unfortunately, a high percentage of the population do not know what a good tip is, even if you're the best server they've ever had-according to them, not you! 20% is barely sufficient anymore. So, if you cannot afford to tip a sufficient amount then you cannot afford to eat out. period.

Advice to Senior Management

positive reinforcement, not negative.