Red Lobster Reviews

Pros

overall, they have the best benefits in the industry, especially for part timers - very flexible scheduling, mostly great people anywhere you go

Cons

every restaurant is very different - they strive to have them all run the same, but they just aren't there yet

Advice to Senior Management

Overall, keep up the great history and traditions of the company. A lot of the changes have been great, and more good things to come

Pros

You get health benefits if you desire (though you have only the first month of employment to sign -up), you can request days off without much hassle, you never have to get up extremely early because the restaurant only opens at 11, and the managers at this particular restaurant were reasonable and friendly (usually) people.

Cons

There's a bit of favoritism, and the kitchen dish area seems very cramped and really slows down your ability to scrape clean your dishes back there and get back to the front of house.
Your wages are variable for the server, bartender, and busser positions. Fortunately, even as a busser, I managed a good hourly rate.
Some servers don't pre-bus well, which slows you down as a busser and you take longer getting to tables of the servers that actually made an effort.
Some servers are more pushy than others about getting their tables cleaned, but the servers that pre-bussed the best didn't ever complain.
Like any job, some people will choose to dislike you no matter what. Most hosts had no problem with me but a couple of them made my job harder.
Being a busser is a very sweaty job that definitely wears you out if you don't have a lot of help.

Advice to Senior Management

Hire more than one busser to be on staff, which would stop the hosts from having to help out on something that isn't actually in their job description. If that one busser gets sick and can't make it on busy nights, it would not be good for the restaurant.

Pros

Understanding and flexible direct management who do their best to create a desirable schedule . Excellent benefits are available. A comprehensive training program.

Cons

Recognition is a joke, as well as the competence of some team members that you are required to assist when they are repeatably unable to complete basic tasks.

Advice to Senior Management

Stop focusing on guest surveys completed through the website as the only metric for performance evaluation. Also, our district manager was completely incompetent and was unable to even demonstrate elementary understanding of written language or any semblance of effective management skills.

Pros

a very flexible work schedule with good money and cool coworkers great discount on food as well easy to picke up shifts if needed for extra money

Cons

lazy coworkers who get away with everything management that wont be managers and stick to policy sometimes too many days (6 days a week almost every week is a little crazy)

Advice to Senior Management

find out what the employees want not just what you want. have a better benfits package to offer to hourly employees

Pros

Great benefits and somewhat expensive menu items make for a decent place to work. I've known several people who have advanced to management.

Cons

It's a serving job, so you probably know what that means. The servers are expected to do a lot beyond their individual tables (make salads, bus tables, etc.).

Pros

100% support in developing your potential.

Cons

long hours sometimes takes a toll on the body.

Advice to Senior Management

keep up the ggod work.

Pros

Grill Masters Make Servers alot of money

Cons

Not Respected By Management or Servers for hard work at all..Expected to perform under super high pressure and not get upset impossible. Server make triple the money a week and do half the work a cook does.. Terrible place to work if u love cooking, and looking to advance in this field
.

Advice to Senior Management

Respect Your Employees, Especially the ones that help you look good.

Pros

give you fair pay for hours worked

Cons

too many e-mails repeated over and over with same message

Advice to Senior Management

talk more one on one

Pros

Flexible on schedule if talked to manager in advance of needing time off
Great part-time job
Quick money
Uniform provided to all employees

Cons

There was always a lot of turnover, which made it hard to form relationships with coworkers.
Senior manager didn't always communicate

Advice to Senior Management

Communicate better with all employees
Communicate better with other management
Stand up for your employees; the guests are not always right

Pros

Great Training for everyone
Opportunities for Advancement
Great food

Cons

Bad tips at bar if bad neighborhood
Very long hours
Very hectic and busy all the time

Advice to Senior Management

It is always important to praise your employees and thank them for a job well done. Just a simple, thanks for a good shift" makes a lot of difference. Remember, it is the hospitality industry, and you must set the tone even when dealing with employees. Say hello to each employee nicely if you have the chance.