restaurant manager

chef

line cook

general manager

sushi chef

Benihana

I’ve worked here for 4 months as a hostess and let me tell you it is WORK. I do get paid a couple dollars more than other hosts because I came into the job wanting to move up in management. Little did I know that would not be the case. After working here I would NEVER want to be a manager. Although my duties consist of managing, I feel. Hosts are responsible for so much. So so much. And I don’t feel the pay is what it should be. I am responsible for greeting guests, answering the phone that rings nonstop, getting to go orders ready- meaning I also have to run to the back to get all of the food after each order is prepared, I handle all seating of guests, making sure the grills are turned on and ready when seating and greeting guests, also making reservations over the phone and in person, as well as placing to go orders in person. I also have to use the tablet to make reservations, to seat people in their proper places, and walk around and keep up with when people get their apps, then when they get their entrees, to when they are done, when they pay, and when they leave. It’s very strenuous.  I am responsible for stocking everything- including sauces, refilling 1 oz cups of our plethora of different sauces (very time consuming and we go through them like crazy) I have to go upstairs multiple times to stock all supplies- bags, chopsticks, straws, napkins, menus, anything requires in to go. 
It’s almost impossible for me to be everywhere to do everything at the same time then I have the phone ringing nonstop and I get nagged at that i need to be up front at all times to answer the phone. It’s madness. 
I am the only morning hosts so everything falls on me. Then once 4-6pm hits we have typically 2 hosts come in and 4 or more on weekends. They just schedule everyone and whoever shows up, shows up really. 
I like my job I really do aside from all of the complaints. It’s just a lot for one person to handle. Especially when you have servers and other hosts, cooks, calling in, not showing up, or late. Making the whole system a jumbled mess. 
Now to management. It’s awful. That’s the one thing that I’d improved, could turn everything around  to functional from dysfunctional. We can’t keep employees let alone mangers. The turn around rate is ridiculous. Management is just poorly ran and there is no system. I have one manager that I’m cool with and actually like and could consider even a friend maybe. We both joke around and see eye to eye on how poorly ran this place is and it just so happens he has recently resigned and found work elsewhere because he can’t take it at Benihana anymore. It’s draining, sucks the life out of you, you’re under appreciated, made to do too much for sucky pay, and it’s just all around a stressful environment. Definitely not for the weak hearted/ minded folks. 
I would say this job could be fun if it was ran properly and a system was in place. 
For example- nobody trained me. I was thrown to the wolves and just had to watch, follow, and learn on my own. Then 2 weeks in I was made to train other hosts when I was great at the job by then but still didn’t know all of the details I needed to know. You just shouldn’t do that to someone. It’s unprofessional and not logical. 
Now the customers. I could go on and on about how terribly rude they are because of poor, slow service. But to sum it up, the whole process of dining in is slow, makes the customers upset, and they take it out on the employees. Mangers are constantly running around like chickens with their heads cut off to comp meals, listen to customers rants, help the servers out by bringing the guests what they want. It makes it hard for when employees need assistance from mangers. 
I have to check out before I can clock out and that process has taken up for an hour just for me to be able to leave work. It’s insane. Managers are doing so much they don’t prioritize making time to check me out and give me my tips so I can go. Therefore I never everrrr get off when my schedule says I’m supposed to get off. Not to mention them always asking me if I can stay later because most of the time they need extra help. It’s nice the flexibility of getting more hours but the work is strenuous. 
Being off work is flexible I will say. My GM is quite understanding that things happen and people miss work all the time without getting fired. It’s okay when things come up but at the same time gives employees a lot of leniency to not come to work most of the time. And they know they aren’t going to lose their job. 
So with all of that being said, I’m grateful for my job and would love for things to improve not only for me and my workload but for the guest to have a more enjoyable experience. It’s important to me that I do my job to the best of my abilities, but when my job is so poorly ran, it doesn’t give me the encouragement needed to properly give my all. 
In conclusion my work experience at Benihana is overall terrible and I would only suggest those ready to work work, be on the go go, and know how to keep a smile and stay professional when getting cussed out multiple times a day, almost everyday- should work here. Sensitive beings don’t make it here. Lazy workers don’t make it here as they just make it harder for other workers or they just leave after a few days and all that training I did goes to waste. So maybe don’t eat here unless you’re willing to be inside this building for a good 3 hours. Godspeed, y’all. 

I used to be one of the best bussers at Benihana Dallas and I worked there from April of 2019 to February of 2024. So, I've seen how much the place has changed over the years.

We actually used to have a great general manager, a decent clientele, great dinner food for the employees, and a break room for everyone for a time until the shift got busy. That lasted from 2019 to 2020 - and it got worse from there when the general manager of that time left us.

So, over the years, we stopped serving great dinner food for the employees, we stopped having a break room, the clientele shifted from being decent to horrible bad, and corporate forced our location to accept more customers no matter the costs.

While work was intense and aggressive back in 2019, it was never ever to the point where the work environment was intolerable. When we got our first new general manager in 2020, our work efficiency and the general atmosphere immediately tanked to the bottom of the barrel - where our employees were overworked to the bone and treated very very poorly. I got used to it because it was kind of the norm.

Over time, corporate forced us to take in more customers at a unrealistic manner for profits and forced us to take in customers ten to thirty minutes past closing times if they have a reservation. Our location is also  one of the only few to close at midnight on certain holidays.

Despite being one of the best bussers at the location, I was almost always given the heaviest load of work to the point it affected my personal life and wellbeing. Always given the late side, always going home around midnight to one in the morning, and always working my hardest while some of the other bussers laze around.

We tried to improve my given situation but they kept on giving me the weekend nights and a double Sundays, and it just never got better.

It got bad to the point it affected my work performance. The other bussers always were given some level of freedom, but I never really had that choice and was severely underpaid for four years until my departure.

It was also kind of insulting that despite doing alot more than the other bussers, they were given alot more praises and respect.

Oh yeah, at Benihana Dallas, you're going to always and almost always be treated as a cog in the machine.

A typical day starts with worrying about managers and their mood of the day. This tells you the atmosphere you'll be working in. It could be very bright and excited to face a busy night, or standoffish and unsure about what the game plan might be or if you'll have any support to face mobs of rude customers. 
I learned really how to stay on task and handle myself in a busy, arduous, and loud environment while supporting my co-workers to provide excellent customer service in a timely fashion. Management, however, is usually not a part of any equation to smoothen or expedite the process. There is a lack of immediate constructive coaching, response to customer requests to see a manager, and overall a lack of presence of management on the floors. 
Benihana has a real knack for hiring people with great work ethic and a great sense of camaraderie. We help each other out, we look out for each other, the more senior staff are more than happy to give advice so we can all get through the business day and night in one piece. The hardest part is dealing with gross overbooking and dealing with customers whose time and money have been wasted in bringing their family and friends to mid-town Manhattan and pay for parking to either wait for an hour for their reservation or even worse, to make other plans. So many customers leave with such a bad taste in their mouth because they had to wait and delay their other plans or watch their hungry children complain about a service they were promised at a certain time.
The most enjoyable part of work was indeed our customers who though sometimes can be very rude are a real joy to provide to, especially when they come back again to enjoy the space the front staff provides.

Long-hours standing, answers telephone, chatting with customers, using the PC for official business only, cleaning restrooms, and being polite to the customers / staff

I've learned strong work-ethic, hard-work, and excellent customer service.

The management can sometimes be a pain in the neck. Telling us what to do all the time, but it is for our best interest or just following the company policy (or what the company thinks best for us).

My co-workers come from all walks of life. Some of them are bad, and most of them are really friendly people too.

The hardest part of my former job, was getting yelled or being scorned both by impatient customers / managers-in-duty who wanted to sit at the hibachi tables with long-list of waiting time for table reservations. Sometimes, the blame games gets passed onto us--the Front-Desk Host. I think there should be a time-limit set for the customers to use the table, and the chef is cooking really fast. Also, it's hard in my job to keep an eye on minors trying to buy a drink at the bar..That's a big NO NO!

The most enjoyable part of my job at Benihana, is to watch live big HD screen TV football games or other sports. Also, the best part of this job is I have an opportunity to eat authentic Japanese dishes, and it's all free food & free drinks (except wine / beer)...

I will definitely see you again, Benihana! I will be back, that's for sure, for lunch & dinner with my family, soon! Arigatogozaimazu! I feel that I'm at home. This is like my second home now :-)

Thanks for everything Benihana. I'm sure our paths will cross again in near future!

What is the best part of working at the company?
Managing a reservation only restaurant can be rewarding. However, Benihana's overbooks there units (to maximize profit). It creates such a disorderly environment that they need an armed guard (with bullet proof vest and two guns) patrolling inside the restaurant in the evenings to control the chiaos. I wouldn't recommend working here unless you like "RoadHouse" style restaurants. 

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Tehe company overbooks the restaurant, literally between 5-8 nightly. There will be 60 spots available, however your required to manage 80-90 spots, while controlling labor, as well as being left to deal with the aftermath of angry guest. It's literally so awful that they employee armed security to patrol there restaurants after 5pm to try and control the chaos.
The General Manager and Area Manager don't work in the evenings past 6pm. So your life is pretty much always in danger, as other stores in the region (Ontario/Downy) are constantly targeted and robbed at gunpoint. However, they wont tell or share this with you because they dont hold weekly manager meetings.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Very fast paced, and exciting. If you like "RoadHouse" style restaurants, this is perfect for you.

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Daily celebrations, and birthday coupons, and long wait times for angry guest. The restaurant is usually overbooked and understaffed, causing guest to react hostile majority of the time. The armed security guard with the bullet proof vest and two guns, comes in nightly to help with the rowdy crowd.

Worked for this company for almost 7 years! Started as a bartender and worked my way through management to eventually become an Assistant GM. Operations Manager hated my guts and never gave me  a chance, he was not the one who hired me. But he came in 3 years after i became a manager. Case in point, they have no regard for work/life balance:

I was the opening manager for this shift, and the regional manager made an unexpected stop into the restaurant. The reason he came in was to fire the GM. The regional comes up to me during the last few hours of my shift and asked if i had a babysitter(my girlfriend and i just had a 6 month old child) i said no, he said, " well you need to get one, because you will have to close the restaurant down for the next few days until we can get someone out here to fill the GM's position." Mind you, i was the OPENER. So i had to stay and close and open the restaurant for 2 weeks by myself open to close. When they finally hired a new GM, i was responsible for training them and they couldn't close, or work weekends. I was like, so why did you hire them? They said that i didn't have enough experience to be the GM at the time. Meanwhile, i already sacrificed a lot being the assistant manager for 3 years, having to close every night i worked and every weekend, and holiday! So i took my experience elsewhere where i was compensated appropriately and wasn't used for my time. BTW they started their entry level managers at  40k. DISGUSTING! 


I'll start with the best part of the job: cooking for the customers and making them happy after they were unsatisfied with the front, servers, and management. The day starts with getting to work at 11am, prepping and being interrupted to go out and cook tables for the lunch period, which ends at 2pm; at which time, we put away the food, and clean the kitchen. When all is said and done, break starts around 2:45pm until we have to return at 4:30pm. I live about 30 minutes away, so driving home isn't a great option. No lunch is provided, so we have to either bring our own or go to one of the other local restaurants to eat. When we get back to work at 4:30pm, we resume the prep and try to finish everything before about 5:30 when people start showing up for dinner. If we do not finish the prep, we put it away and bring it out after the restaurant is closed and finish it then. Between 5:30pm and about 9:30pm it's non stop cooking and entertaining 8-12 people at a time within 45 minutes. Other chefs couldn't live up to that standard, so the one's who could would end up cooking more tables and doing more work for the essentially the same money. When the night is over, we clean the kitchen once more and head out to clean the grills, finishing up the night by cleaning our carts and utensils. This means we end up leaving around 11pm. A 12 hour day. All of this for $8.00/hr plus 9% of the total food sales for the night in the form of cash pooled together by the servers to split between the chefs. This is corporate policy, and essentially means that the servers earn about as much as the chefs every pay period, for doing half the work and being there half the time.

Benihanas moto is “create guest memories” but that isn’t the case. They expect so much out of every single employee but the managers sit around and twiddle their thumbs in a nutshell. Guests berate you, belittle you, and complain about you for the prices you didn’t set. If a guest complains a manger is sure to take their time getting to the table. They have “breaker” shifts specifically for you to come in and break people so they don’t get flagged… “top” servers will get the best hours but if the managers don’t like you they will let you know and make your life messy. I had anxiety going into work, at work and when I left work. The only positive was the coworkers and tips but sometimes it didn’t make sense you would literally only take home 50% of your tips because the chefs get some, bartenders get some and bussers(all understandable because we all teamed up) but if chefs get a cash tip they don’t have to give you any of it and on top of that they get your tips too. And if a table or party decides to tip you under 18% or nothing you are still expected to “tip out” of your own pocket unless you beg a manger to close the check and you still don’t get the tip. High turn around from employees and even managers don’t want to stay. Best position is possibly hostess or BOH because they get hours and are paid way more. The only plus is maybe you will get nice coworkers who are there to help when needed.

Teppan Chefs prone to bickering and arguing just as they are to tell a funny story or a joke. No real teamwork, BOTH always fights with FOTH. Simultaneously easy to move up and stagnate because someone doesn't like the way you work or your attitude etc. Certain managers are just as egomaniacal as some of the chefs. At the end of the day corporate only cares about numbers which makes even the nicest manager ultimately untrustworthy and occasionally callous. Scheduling is odd as it's hard to get ahold of a manager let alone have them remember to do anything about it, shifts start at odd times and your often held past scheduled hours with a strict no OT policy. No formal break room, staff were expected to take breaks out side at the back of the restaurant on dirty tables at the full mercy of the elements. during COVID-19 our informal new break room was in the dining area with 4 operating cameras. Ultimately like in most every other restaurant job everyone is looking out for themselves or are a full on corporate stooge.

COVID-19: multiple staff members caught the virus and we did not shut down nor did management ever make an announcement, it only spread via word of mouth. Not enough P.P.E. for FoTH and chefs that were in contact with customers nor did management really enforce the usage of face visors.

**BennyHanna: A Review from the HR Perspective**

As an HR Generalist at BennyHanna for the past year, I have a unique vantage point on the company’s inner workings. BennyHanna is a place of contrasts—while it strives to deliver a vibrant, entertaining dining experience, the behind-the-scenes environment reveals both strengths and challenges.

**Strengths:**

One of BennyHanna’s greatest assets is its commitment to its employees' development. The company invests heavily in training, ensuring that staff are not only adept at their tasks but also understand the importance of delivering a memorable experience to our customers. The structured onboarding process, paired with continuous learning opportunities, makes it clear that BennyHanna values its workforce.

Furthermore, the company culture is lively and fast-paced, which aligns well with the dynamic nature of the restaurant industry. Employees are encouraged to bring their personality to work, which contributes to a unique and enjoyable atmosphere. This energy is infectious, and it’s reflected in the camaraderie among staff. I’ve seen team members form close-knit bonds, supporting one another through the busiest shifts.

**Challenges:**

However, BennyHanna is not without its challenges. The fast-paced environment, while exciting, can also be overwhelming, especially for new employees. The high standards expected of staff

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Restaurant manager 7 salaries reported	$56,429 per year
Chef 6 salaries reported	$18.50 per hour
Line cook 3 salaries reported	$18.67 per hour
General manager 24 salaries reported	$94,542 per year
Sushi chef 9 salaries reported	$23.56 per hour

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