general manager

shift leader

assistant manager

district manager

team member

Carls Jr.

Very typical, this is my 'first real' job, I have volunteered plenty of places but I have never felt so disrespected then here. For some reason getting to job was a piece of cake, but actually to start working was a dragged, the 'Boss' was nice, maybe not the real nice you wanted, more like the forced nice, she did do a lot of yelling to me for something else her employees did, shows how much she actually watched us. Usually people say the customers are the hardest thing in fast food but I think I only had two slightly angry customers but all I needed to do was speak to them calmly and explained the situation and I felt like they left ok. What I learned is from a younger assistant manager who did not have children was very judgmental about me, I would have an eight hour shift and when she would come in, she would send me home, taking off at least four to two hours I had left, or she would send me to wash walls or send me outside of the store. A lot of the 'kiss up' employees and managers would gather around and start speaking Spanish, and I understand Spanish, I guess they didn't know, and would talk about other employees, usually speaking very badly of us. I am a very calm, non-negative taking person, and I know whoever is reading this must thinking I am writing a bad review because I was released and it was my first job but it isn't the case. I took my job seriously, I was very happy going in, and being there felt like unbearable. I once had a customer  tell me that I was being very disrespected and that should tell you a lot when a customer tells you something. In all honestly since arriving at the job I did felt like they were going to fire me soon, I felt like they were hiring and releasing constantly to make it look like they were hiring because they did tell me about other people that were released once being hired. One thing I did not like is that I did sign the three time warning but not because I wanted to because they told me if I didn't sign then I would be fired on the spot. The first warning I had was because I called one hour earlier rather then three hours earlier to tell them a friends water broke, I called at seven in the morning, I had no knowledge of them opening at five and how can you predicate a water breaking, and I was taking her to the hospital and I did let them know that her husband could not take her because he is in the military and by the time he was in knowledge of her, most likely she would be in process of birth, and I was correct. I was told that this 'excuse' was not good enough, at that time I did question how is it not good enough, would you like to be left alone during birth, for no one to take you to the hospital? Then I was told I can't use that excuse unless it is myself giving birth, all by the assistant manager who was judgmental.The two others were about orders being wrong, but the last one I do take responsibility for. When I was being released when I came into work and asked if I could speak to the Boss because I did want to speak to them about being disrespected but was told she does not have time for that but she did have time to sit me down and release me and what I did not like is the Boss did not once look me at me in the eye or face my direction while a different manager was right behind her looking at her clipboard. Overall I guess you had to be specific way for they can like you, and I guess I just wasn't their fit.

After working for this place for ten years I have gained a lot of beneficial knowledge I've learned loads about customer service what are the best ways to earn and keep the respect of your Co workers well those that matter (the ones who aren't two faced little fakes) I've worked at many locations in the central valley area Tulare, Visalia, Kingsburg Hanford even kettlemen city. When I started in a red shirt at minimum wage ($8) an hour we were ran by corporate office and it was great they for the most part treated everyone fairly and hard work actually paid off for those employees that knew what it was and the district manager wasn't also the HR person. My corporate DM was great she taught me to follow all the rules and make  my numbers truthfully and honestly not by cheating corporate had great role models for those to look up to. When we switched to franchise it was a different experience all they want is their numbers and those$$$$ in their pockets oh and  the DM who owns a part of that franchise themselves is also the HR person you go to when you have a problem in the workplace??? Ummm what if the problem employees have are with the DM who do we go to for that. Depending on what store you work for and who your GM is you could have a great experience like I did at several locations with several GMs but the store on Mooney the GM just wants to look good and make money she don't care about the employees the customers or the store unless the "bosses" are around that store is a flipping joke it's like being back in highschool just a darn popularity contest ugh just work there a week if you can last and you'll see it's horrible the one that follow the rules and work the hardest are always the ones that get treated the worst by the other Managers whether your on the same level or not. Like if they feel like your work performance is threatening them or their position they will do and say anything truthful or not to get you on the bad list that GM I have literally quit twice for once when she oversees the store on Chinowith and the second the while working with that same GM on Mooney after it's remodel. She is the worst GM I've ever worked for shows favoritism to her buddies and they create the worst most uncomfortable hosile work environments DONT WORK AT THE CARLS JR ON MOONEY UNTIL THEY GET A NEW GM and I wish they'd bring back our corporate DM she was the best didn't give you a rule booklet to for you to follow then turn around band not promote you because you refused to break the rules and turn in false fake cheated unearned numbers

This is a fast paced environment and you always have to be moving. We deal with hundreds of people a day and orders that cost up to $200 on average because we are located off of two highways and around so many oil field locations. We have to be able to complete those orders in timely manor while getting all other orders out in the same way, even on very busy days. I have learned how to manage my time and how to stay calm in stressful situations. I also learned how to handle customers with the utmost respect and how to keep all team members busy while keeping the entire store under control and clean. As part of the management team, I have seen what it's like to have so many responsibilities. I have been on the crew side as well as the management side and that has made me a better part of the management team because I can better understand what problems and concerns that another team member might have and how to handle it based on what I am allowed to do and what I would have liked to see done when I was in a similar position. Some of my co workers are around the same age as I am except most of the crew, such as the cashiers and cooks because they are mostly high school aged employees. Most are easy to communicate with but some can be difficult and I have had to work with what they give me to have a better understanding of what they need and want to see done. The hardest part of the job is having to deal with other team members who don't want to do the work and having to pull their weight as well. Otherwise, everything that I do in this position is easy and even though it can be stressful, it's easily dealt with. The most enjoyable part of the job is when I and many other team members have worked very hard to accomplish something and it's completed. It's even better when someone recognizes our accomplishments. These accomplishments include: working hard to meet a deadline or when we have the corporate office come in and they see that all team members are trained well and knowledgeable because we, as a whole, have done our best at training and picking the right people to train their fellow team members. It's also great when a customer recognizes our hard work and happy faces. When they leave happy because they received great customer service, it's a great feeling knowing that they like what we offered to them.

I've been with Carl's Jr. or CKE Restaurants for three years now. I chose to work for this company because it was right down the street from campus and also I was seventeen at the time and it was surprisingly hard to find good work because of my age (insurance and things like that). Regardless I was hired and now here I am three years later.

A typical work day is to get to work, clock in and open a register. Take stock of what needs to be done, are all the health codes met? Bathrooms cleaned and fully stocked? Cups, lids, napkins, straws and other condiments ready for the guests. Other things that need to be done is have a clean parking lot, enough prep for the day, clean cookware and other dishes, Quality Assurance checks and paperwork. 

I learned so much at this establishment it is amazing. I learned about teamwork, management of a crew, skill-sets with talking to guests and handling complaints. The most invaluable skills acquired are the multitasking skills. Working the front-line while keeping track of the kitchen and QA standards and maintaining a clean restaurant for eight hours a day really sharpens one's multitasking skills.

Management was alright, not the best but I know my manager always tries to do her best. Just like me sometimes mistakes are made in the schedule, but other than that the management was great.

The crew there was amazing. They would have their off days just like everyone, but everyone did their job.

The hardest part of my job can sometimes be the best part as well and that is the human interaction. Some of the guests that come through are so high it is a wonder they can even drive, some others complain about the littlest things to get free food and finally some of them are just so rude and call you names like slow and stupid and all the while you have to be just so nice to them because the customer is always right. But then you have your regular customers who are just so sweet and nice. There's a relationship there for human beings to connect and share a moment from the day and laugh. These guests are why everyday I strive to do my best, because even if you aren't a regular, it is my pleasure to make sure you have a great experience at my restaurant and enjoy your meal. Seeing happy guests is easily the most enjoyable part of my work.

A typical day working there is aweful, I'll share some of my person experience. 
A Normal day of work at Carls Jr is practically doing everything because most of the general staff are SUPER lazy and not very helpful in the slightest way. Most of the time I pondered of quitting because of how much work load I had to do every single day, every single month, every single year. 
Management is unreliable as managers come in and out, giving ideas that there's no stability at the job. Management is Rude because the allways think they're better than you, leading to multiple co-workers leave due to it. Management also shows they do not care for you, don't provide job security and will squeeze every dollar of labor out of you. 
Workplace Culture is aweful, the Elder workers there will alway try to show their authority in any way possible. Elder workers at Carl's are the most misserable people there and are misserable to talk to. Most of the time, there is no "Team bonding" as shift leader will always try to make everything about themselves and make workers feel like nothing. 
The Hard Part of the Job was the labor, I single handedly would be resonsible for the entirty of the back kitchen with no one's help nor a good days pay to justify so. Personally the hardest part was feeling like a ghost to everyone, being friendly to everyone, yet no-one seemed to care to even get to know me. It's soul crushing to be in this position and I hope no-one else ever has to feel that way. At some points I always felt so depressed there and didn't want to continue working nor live, absolutly soul crushing for an early adult to learn in life. 
The Most Enjoyable part of the job was clocking out, No more working so many tasks because the job is poor to not afford a 2nd worker that day, No more caring about any of my co-workers aweful lives thinking it's ok to pass it down to co-workers aswell, No more dealing with Egotistic people, No more dealing with PoorPay, No more dealing with my depressive state of mind, NO MORE FEELING LIKE A GHOST TO EVERYONE, No more having to be the most adutl mannered person there, No more caring for any of my co-workers problem, No more of being seen as useless to the company. 
If there's one thing I would change, it would be my life choice to focus of my school program and to NEVER have stayed longer at this job than I needed.

Overall a good starter job. There’s definitely opportunities for advancement, you just need to take initiative. Don’t wait around for someone to tell you what to do. Glean as much wisdom & knowledge as you possibly can, and ask a lot of questions. As I understand and fully acknowledge that money is a fundamental reason for working, so is experience. People seem to forget that not everything is going to be fine and upbeat at work. Not everything is going to go smoothly and your coworkers may not always be so nice for whatever reason (btw never take that personally). But your determination and desire to attain information will pay off in the long run. Doing the most you can and a little extra will leave YOU feeling satisfied at the end of the day. Do whatever you can for the EXPERIENCE. With that being said make sure you never work for free. If you’re acquiring new skills, be sure to let them show and don’t be afraid to ask for raises or promotions. Also, scheduling is overall flexible. Managers try their best to work with your personal schedule as much as possible, although not all your requests may be honored. They have to make sure they’re fair with all employees when it comes to distributing days off, but their sole purpose is to ensure that the store is up and running. But they definitely will try to make it work for you as much as they can. And one last thing … It’s all about the customer service. Not every customer is going to be the nicest person ever. You WILL have some bad attitudes and rolling eyes coming to your store, BUT learn how to kill them with kindness. Your patience will be put to the test on a daily basis so might as well learn to have a good-natured tolerance for people. With that being said never let anyone disrespect you. There’s a fine line that people cannot be allowed to cross. So if you feel like things might escalate between you and a customer, the best thing for you to do is to just get your shift leader or manager. But just be sure to try your best to satisfy and have patience with everyone because ultimately the customers are the reason we have a job. This may not be a dream job for all who apply, but it’s definitely something you can work with.

A typical day at work is either sort of relaxed or high strung. The workload wasn't a problem neither were the employees. The only personal problems I had came from customers and was handled professionally. 

I learned that new management is never a good thing. I was 17 when I got this job and they were giving me 20-25 hours a week. Then management changed and my hours were reduced to 12 or less a week. I began to struggle paying bills and couldn't afford transportation. I lived miles away from my job it would take me longer to walk to work than the hours they were giving me to work, so my attendance declined.That's when I learned that attendance is very important because they began to blame my lack of hours on the recent lack of dependability. Even when I asked about my hours it was as if I didn't matter. 

Management is confusing. We had two different general managers during my time here. The first one kept the store under control. No one had any issues with hours and a typical work day was different. Every day was like a mission, no one day was too relaxed or too high strung. There was balance and order and during that time I was able to work at my best. 

The culture is all about the customer as expected of a fast food restaurant. It is hard to get a gauge of what really goes down because I am surrounded by people who speak Spanish as their first language. 

The hardest part of the job was watching my hours decline pay roll for no apparent reason no matter how many times I asked. Then having management tell you that it was because of your attendance. It was hard to get up every day to go to a job that wasn't giving you enough hours to sustain on. Going from 9am - 2pm Monday through Friday to a random schedule with 2 to 3 hours a day was the hardest part. 

The most enjoyable part was working. When everything was going smooth or when I was a catalyst to the success of the daily lunch rush was the best part. I really loved my job and it showed in my work.

I was a cashier, I enjoyed for the most part--the customers are great, understanding, and patient. I was even given some tips about 3 times during my shift, but due to Carl's Jr. policies, employee are not allowed to accept them. 
Despite the mostly negative work environment created by mostly the management all the way up to the shift leaders, there are some immediate useful benefits that is, a weekly paycheck, paid vacation time after 6 months(if you can last there that long), higher than average wage, flexible scheduling, and immediate benefits health benefits enrollment about 30 days after hire. A note about the flexible scheduling, Carl's Jr. is super serious when they say they offer flexible scheduling as long as proper notice is given in advance they will accommodate most employee requests. Also Carl's Jr. had these periodic “rushes” during lunch as well sporadic peaks when tourists or some large group comes in which in my opinion were exciting. Carl's Jr. can have random some fast paced moments which sometimes caught me off guard but nonetheless fun though. Almost forgot to mention there is rampant favoritism by management from a select few employees there. 

Unfortunately, even with all those benefits mentioned the uninspiring work environment just voids any benefits earned at Carl's Jr.. The GM appears friendly and considerate during your interview but her true personality will be revealed later on during the Carl's Jr. “slow business times”. The GM is unprofessional and unethical to say the least. The new assistant manager that was promoted is uncouth-ed and unprofessional. The shift leaders are obnoxious, immature, impatient, overly critical of faults, rarely offered praise if any, and just mostly bad attitudes.

•A topical work day consist of ensuring everything is done correctly to provide smooth operation, double checking orders to provide customer satisfaction, always upsell correctly by following the script and being mindful about your customers  needs and wants or special accommodations.
• Even if the costumer knows what they want always offer suggestions, your goal is to make as many sells as you can each shift.
•My favorite part of the job is the conversations/ encounters I have with the customers— especially customers who are having a bad day, if you can make there day better do it. Customer satisfaction is just as important as your other duties.
• As far as management goes things are done in a specific order— learn to read the room and always try to help out the best you can, follow the  instructions you learned during training.
•the hardest part of the job is  letting a costumer leave unsatisfied or multitasking during rush hours.
 
A few things to consider important are keys to securing and maintaing your position. Customer satisfaction, time management when taking orders and completing orders, up selling menu items, providing support for coworkers and customers, answer any questions to the beast of your abilities, always find something to do stay productive there will be times were things move slow when there are no customers, find something to do, consider advice from experienced coworkers and find your flow, learn your environment and make it habit- eventually it will come naturally.


Working for Carl's Jr for many years, was my second home, I learned all the skills that it take to run a successful restaurant.   I started as a cashier on the graveyard shift, after a couple months went to the day shift and that's when I started my management career, you put in a lot of hours but seeing the rewards was so much greater. I work in many restaurant across the Los Angeles/ Orange County areas meant lots of people,  over 30 years with Carl's Jr I still come across some of them who first job was with Carl's Jr and they are now teachers, lawyer's etc, its make me proud its a feeling of you gave them their first job which gave some of them personality, work ethic ability to work well with others.Being in this industry for this long I found that my passion is people, training and cheering them on to be successful .Anyone who has a passion to teach, train or motivate, management is a good start to get there. Now to be able to work as a manager in this industry, you first have to have a dedication, and average on 10 hours a day is required and to be honest most days will actually be about 12 hours until you get your team on the same page, One of my biggest challenges has been to have integrity among your team one  of your responsibilities is inventory and sometimes their will be dishonest team member who you will have to investigate to separate from your team. But I love the energy it brings, the customers/employee's that you get to interact with on a daily basis and all the financial you have to meet.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
General manager 2524 salaries reported	$61,318 per year
Shift leader 3116 salaries reported	$16.85 per hour
Assistant manager 32 salaries reported	$17.63 per hour
District manager 216 salaries reported	$20.50 per hour
Team member 326 salaries reported	$16.59 per hour

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