restaurant manager

host/server

line cook

sous chef

server

Bubba Gump Shrimp Company

A typical day at work was never run of the mill, but I don't any server would say it is especially in the mecca of tourism: Times Square. I started my day by checking the board for my section, view my running side work, check to see my "zone buddies" followed by heading to my section and straightening up anything not noticed the night before. Then i begin working as the sea of people flood times square ready to eat. Working here I have learned various details about diverse cultural all over the world, including phrases like please and thank you as well as favor and spice preferences. The management at Bubba Gumps constantly changed, for example in the two years I worked for the company we had over 4 different managers come and go. However, the management style was very much the same  and it was easy to communicate with any member of the management team. Just like management there was a high turn over rate for the servers too, maybe over 200 servers came and went in two years, but I got along with most of them. Working as a server in NYC i have to enjoy working with "starving artists" and the dramatic yet playful they communicate. The hardest part of my job was the language barrier between me and many foreign tables; furthermore, the fact that some cultural do not practice american traditions like tipping. However, that is just part of being a server: nothing is guaranteed. The most enjoyable part of my day was when i did the "movie trivia" with a family that was really into it and we all have a good time trying to stump one another. 

Everyone is dressed the same. Hosts and servers. Hosts are basically just Server assistants here. We run food and drinks, stop at tables if they need anything. The structure of the job was great. They taught everyone the same thing and even servers with past experience had to train for at least 6 weeks as a host before they could start serving. The management is excellent, very understanding and supportive. The worst part is that as a Host we not only greet people and seat them but we also Buss and SA. the only thing hosts don’t do is take orders or payout tables. (We even clean the bathrooms)
I was able to get a promotion to Host trainer which got me a dollar raise which was nice, but regular hosts were still making minimum wage. When I first got promoted we actually got payed the same as regular hosts, but they changed it as incentive to make people want to do it. 
Other than promotion though, there is no way to earn a raise. Even if you excel and go above and beyond (I did and never got any real recognition for it, just “thankyou” and “good job”) They would even go so far as to ask me to clean high spots and the fan blades. 
But even though we had to do EVERYTHING and got no rewards. I would still say it was my favorite job to date. The people and work culture is what made it bearable. The management knows we do a lot and know that we don’t get paid well enough so they were very understanding of needing a quick 10 before continuing. 

My time working for Bubba Gumps was at the Kemah location. At first, it seemed cool especially since the managers talk about how much money servers make during spring break. I worked right after the pandemic shut down and with the company being short-staffed in all departments the overall workplace wasn't pleasant. In my experience, the management needed huge changes in upper management and morale boosts. It was such a huge restaurant but management would not fill the restaurant because of the kitchen being short-staffed and new workers were not trained properly. The tip share, in my opinion, did not need to go to hosts because they were paid more an hour than servers (obviously) but their work duties were far less than that of servers and were allowed to leave each shift earlier than the servers. It's a huge restaurant. Each server had 1-2 sections they were responsible to clean each shift plus silverware which in any other restaurant is completely normal. The fact is hosts were required to do the bare minimum and in a big restaurant like Bubba Gumps with huge sections and it being understaffed with servers and management yes I believe the tip share to hosts was ridiculous.

I enjoyed my time immensely working in the gift shop of Landry's Bubba Gump Shrimp. Everyone was really friendly and the guests were a lot of fun to interact with. I usually worked during the afternoons and sometimes opened the store. I would keep track of the daily sales per hour, serve guests at the till, validate the parking for the Pier 39 garage and collect and sign the paperwork from deliveries at the other end of the Pier. I also organised various merchandise in the stockroom. The hardest part of the job was having to wear and giant stuffy Shrimp costume in middle of the hottest time of the year. I sweat a lot during the job! My favourite part was meeting and talking to various from all over the world. I talked to people from France, Italy, Spain, India, Kazakhstan, Bulgaria and even my hometown Ireland. I learned a lot about a completely different culture as well as the importance of customer service in relation to the workplace and how to make them feel at home. I also learned a lot about sales terminologies such as SPG (Sales Per Guest) and UPG (Unit Per Guest). The management were very friendly and lovely to work with.

This place is chronically understaffed in the most ridiculous way. It is nearly impossible to perform your duties at an acceptable level because of this. Wait times regularly go over an hour even with the restaurant at half capacity or less. Bartenders are so overburdened by Togo orders, and having too many tables so drinks regularly take 20+ minutes for them to make. Between this and the understaffed kitchen, servers spend their entire shift apologizing to tables for extreme waits on orders. Managers are extremely overburdened, and are caught between angry staff and indifferent corporate. Worst of all, servers pay 3% of all tips to the bar and host regardless of whether the ticket had alcohol or not. Servers regularly pay 30+% of nightly tips to the house, on top of low tips due to casino comps. You can definitely make money here but don't expect any consistancy, and the effort level required to due so isn't worth working here. On top of all of that is the inconsistency with the rules, some employees can no call no show or walkout during shifts, create hostile environments with 0 punishment, while others are constantly ridden.

At my location, the pace was fast in the summer, but dreadfully slow all other times of the year. The work was easy enough, and everyone was a treat to be around. But the restaurant isn't sustainable outside of their peak months. There are too many employees, and not enough where they're needed. This issue is further exacerbated by the hiring on the off season, effectively dividing everyone's hours, adding to the stress of a restaurant taxed by poor sales.

The restaurant is themed around the movie "Forrest Gump", and that's quirky. What's not quirky is being asked if you're stupid by every other person that comes into the restaurant during the off season because you ask them to follow the smiley faces on the floor. (We do this to ease traffic as the entry is fairly small and gets jammed during the summer.) That was the worst part of the job. You have to subscribe to and enact the kitschy philosophy of Forrest Gump.

The best part is always having something to do. In between customers, you can practice trivia, learn a new workplace skill, decorate, stock, "Bark" at people walking by (Greet them and get them to come inside.)

Worse concept ive ever worked for in my 10 years of serving. Management requires you to "sell" 2 Landry's Select Club memberships per month. They are "free" to sign up, its "only a 25$ deposit on your club card which is reimbursed in 24 hours, and which you are able to use at any other Landry's location"

Working on the strip in Las Vegas, NO ONE is trying to spend more money than they have to while on vacation, especially if you have to go through some online application b.s.

If we failed to "sell" 2 cards by the end of the month, we would have to come to some deliberately dumb sales class on a Saturday morning 8am, THEN we would be limited to a 2 table section UNTIL we sold the next months 2 cards. ON TOP OF THAT, if we failed two months in a row we would be subject to termination. Naturally, the only solution servers saw at the end of the month if they couldnt sell their cards, was to buy it themselves. Literally paying 50$ just so we can gave our full section. And the management convienantly enough, would never follow through with the table, just give you your card and go. Maybe it was because the managers got a bonus whenever everyone sold their cards for the month. Hmm?

Bubba Gumps is a great place for someone to gain experience in the service industry. They train you well for the position you have. The management usually has the backs of the employees if there is a dispute with a guest. The management let's employees trade shifts, but if you need time off, it is up to you to find coverage. Bubba Gumps is a themed environment, be prepared to train for knowledge of the theme. It is important that you utilize the theme of the restaurant to entertain your guests. Management also pushes you to sell the guest a membership for the company (there is quota you must meet). Some guests come for value. Positions require you to have good organizational skills and to keep your stations clean. Side work must be completed before you check out. Little to no experience is needed for most positions. 

A typical day at work for me consists of being attentive to guests needs as well as working together with my coworkers as a team to help one another if needed.
I learn something new everyday whether it is from talking to a guest at a table or learning something new from one of my coworkers/managers. So far, I have learned how to be extremely efficient and manage my time, as well as improving my communication skills each and every day.
Management is great. They do the best they can everyday regarding pleasing our guests and their employees.
The workplace culture is probably my favorite thing about my job. My coworkers are all amazing people and we all do whatever we can to help each other out.
There really isn't a really hard part about my job at least from my experience there so far. Like i said my coworkers and i all do whatever we can to help each other and that makes it easier for all of us.
The most enjoyable part of my job is that i get to socialize, learn from others, and meet new people each and every day.

My experience working at Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. was great. I had a fun job as a hostess and I learned a lot about what it takes to run a restaurant. For me a typical day at work was entertaining guests, answering phones, cleaning tables and polishing silver. Working in an environment where every one depends on each other to get the job done has taught me about the value of team work and how important  it is to be dependable. The Management team worked well together for the most part. they were all very friendly and great with the guests, however, like most management teams, they had room for improvement where clear communication was concerned. My Co-workers were all very friendly as well and I still talk to many of them as friends. for me the hardest part of the job was setting tables when the restaurant was crowded because I couldn't fit in some of the smaller spaces. The best part of my job was making the guests laugh and smile as they entered the restaurant.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Restaurant manager 1 salary reported	$67,000 per year
Host/server 10 salaries reported	$16.77 per hour
Line cook 6 salaries reported	$17.66 per hour
Sous chef 1 salary reported	$75,000 per year
Server 1 salary reported	$19.18 per hour

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