Run far away. - Server The Chastain Employee Review

Unrealistic expectations/ Work-life balance: Constant menu and rule changes make it difficult for servers with outside lives and responsibilities to strive here. If you cannot make the Chastain your life you won’t succeed. I don’t recommend anyone in school or with a second job to seek employment here. There is no room for error or you will always be reprimanded or fired. Poor Management: Management’s enforcing of these unrealistic expectations leads to low morale. Many employees are punished for simple human error, and many rules are created on the spot to sabotage employment for employees. No clear expectations are communicated until you are either being written up or fired. Many times, managers are nowhere to be found on the floor to communicate issues in service and you will be reprimanded for having to make your own decisions due to them not being present to address such issues. Management keeps a file on every mistake each person has made, but will not communicate their concerns until it becomes convenient to fire you. Work Conditions: Extremely hot kitchen even in the winter time, creates a terrible work environment for front of house staff, as the majority of sidework is conducted in this area. There is a constant upgrading of guest areas, while employees are confined to smelly bathrooms with lockers to place their belongings. Long hours with no break: A typical double is a 14 hour shift, with maybe a 30 minute break in between, and that’s being generous on days like Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Skewed employee accountability: Many senior servers are allowed to skate away with multiple errors, while other servers are held doubly accountable whenever they make mistakes. If you are in the “in crowd” you have the luxury of getting away with a lot more mistakes than others. Discriminatory practices: There is no advancement for persons of color in this restaurant. They will constantly raise the goal post for those seeking advancement in hopes of limiting you to where they feel you should be, despite great performance. Volatile Chef: He is part owner and gets away with cursing at employees, making mistakes in printing the menu, and speaking negatively about the guests in the heat of volume.