server

cook

dishwasher

assistant manager

grill cook

Cotton-Patch-Cafe,-LLC

A typical morning shift would be a little slow with about 3-4 servers on and 1 to-go, if that. This allows for there to be enough people for the lunch rush and eventually the other two servers get cut around 1-2 depending, and leaving the closers on. Since there are no host's the servers sit the door and constantly skip rotation (shark) regardless of the rotation on the system/iPad. Since it's usually dead the servers are constantly on their phones/vaping while working. Everyone is looking out for themselves and managers don't step up to check everything is getting done right, or even getting done. 
When I started a little over a year ago there was better management and the servers somewhat cared about their jobs. I was trained well but if I wouldn't have said anything about not getting trained on certain shifts the managers wouldn't have scheduled me to train on certain things (to-go/closing) 
The management was absolutely terrible. Apart from talking about their employees and helping spread rumors, there is no real management taking place. There were so many issues in so many areas that everyone was aware of and nothing getting done about it. Nothing is being enforced and when they have a chance to do something they just sweep it under the rug to just talk about it later.
Multiple times while working here I have heard racist/body-shamming/sexist/homophobic comments from multiple employees and sometimes managers and everyone laughs about the situation. This is not a healthy or welcoming work environment all around.
Hardest part about the job will have to simply be the work environment. The job is a basic serving job with side work and some to-go/hosting shifts. This is not a hard job but having coworkers who don't put in their part and be rude gets old.
Most enjoyable part of the job is being closed at 10 pm every night and also not having a bar which cuts out the opportunity of dealing with drunk customers.


What is the best part of working at the company?
The coworkers were lots of fun, and it was nice that you could customize your hours. The one down side to the hours though is that a single shift is only 4-5 hours. It’s not much time to make good money as a server.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Things are ALWAYS breaking down. The dishwasher had to be replaced, the frozen machine NEVER worked a single time the entire time I was employed, the computer system was always crashing and needing to be fixed, the AC was broken half the time, the roll heater broke down towards the end of my employment, and the customers there are some of the rudest people I have ever encountered. Of course not all were, but when it rains it pours there. 

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Hot, humid, and often times stressful seeing as everything is always broken. The building itself was perfectly fine, but booths were always torn up and needing to be replaced, the bathrooms were constantly filthy, and who I’m assuming was the district manager would always show up unannounced, and not once did he even try to introduce himself to new hires. They claim it’s a, “southern hospitality”, kind of place, but that hospitality has a lot of passive aggression behind it

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Exhausting. The hours may be short, but those customers will wear you down to a nub within the first hour if you aren’t careful. Cross your T’s and dot your I’s around these people cause for some reason some guests seem to expect a small cafe to taste like they are dining in a steakhouse. The backups and cleaning afterwards is simple enough, so I really can’t complain too much there. Just an overall condescending vibe.

I worked at Cotton Patch Cafe in Denton for a few weeks in 2025 under the current management team, which had changed about four months prior. One manager was very laid-back, and the situation I experienced involves him. Before I had a set schedule, I requested time off, which was approved. Around that time, I noticed I was scheduled for a shift while I would be out of state. I brought it up to this manager, and he told me not to worry about it and that he would handle it, but the shift remained on my schedule. Because I was out of state and had been verbally approved for time off, I did not show up as he told me DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT.... So I DIDN'T WORRY.  I flew out of state like I had planned.

After that, all of my scheduled shifts were reassigned to other employees, and my access to the scheduling system was removed without explanation or communication. I was paid for the hours I worked, but the lack of notice and clarity made the experience very stressful.

The other manager was stricter but communicated clearly. He regularly asked if I was enjoying working there, though he sometimes spoke poorly about staff, saying only one cook was “good.” I personally had no issues with him and appreciated his communication.

The laid-back manager often allowed staff to vape in his office and would frequently be on FaceTime with one of the lead servers during work hours, which contributed to a relaxed and sometimes unprofessional environment. Neither manager seemed to communicate well with one another often having very drastic expectations of staff depending on which manager was working.

My typical work week was approximately five shifts a week.  I would work multiple shifts on the weekend and one to two shifts between Monday and Friday.  Since I had classes at the same time, I wasn't able to work more than five shifts per week.  I learned how to manage my classwork, which was a pretty heavy load consisting of sixteen hours.  I learned how to multitask by fulfilling customer needs and providing excellent service.  I enjoyed my management team.  I'm never the type of person to go against management orders or talk badly about anyone.  There may have been changes I disagreed with, but if it was anything that had to be said, it would be done privately with the manager.  I always believed in strong team building, so I would strive to be the best co-worker I could be.  I would assist other servers if they needed help.  I would also work the QA, quality assurance, line and prep the food in case others didn't have time to do so.  The hardest part of the job would be the hours that would sometimes conflict with my class schedule.  I was able to overcome this hurdle, but it was difficult to do so.  The most enjoyable part of the job experience was the people I had the opportunity to work with.  My belief is that work culture is one of the most important aspects of the job and I had an excellent work culture at Cotton Patch.

What I learned during my time at the Cotton Patch Café was to always appreciate the small things in life and to never take anything for granted. We had many green card Latino men and women that worked for us and they were most hard working and respectable people I had ever known. I always notice how many of the customers would always look at them as if they were about to get robbed, but in reality the person they were judging was the most honest and loyal human being you could ever be lucky enough to encounter. They might not have much, but what they did have was lots of family that loved them dearly and to them that's all that mattered. So in essence the small things matter most, not how much money you have, the big house you live in, or the fancy car you drive. If you don't have anyone you love and no one to share your heart with, then in my eyes you are the poorest of poor.

Typically, I would go in for either a single or double shift. Single shifts lasted approx. 4-5 hours as a hostess. Double shifts lasted around 8-10 hours. The management was brusque, quick to judge, and not willing to help with most issues. I learned to manage my time and how to deal with situations that go awry, however I would not want to deal with the management again. They are inappropriate and unprofessional. They often invade personal space (emotionally) and judge you. The corporation cares more about making money than its actual employees. I have not known a single co-worker to enjoy their job the way they should be able to. My co-workers were (for the most part) determined to do well and free of drama. However, they were often terrorized by the management and led to quitting or the like. Even when working a 10 hour shift you could not eat a piece of bread without putting a coin into the cash register. They need to prioritize. 

After working there just a few weeks I ended up spraining my ankle at the restaurant on Aquarian all that was left on the floor in the dining Room I was never given any copper set computation or made AA accident report out but I stuck it out and stayed with them after my 25 years of service were in the waitress business and continued with them given a 100% every day working and making sure everything was done when I got there before I left the manager never knowledge me the manager did not appreciate me I had to call in on a Sunday because my foot I had a problem he told me I had to have a doctor's note that he wasn't putting up with it anymore other people who are a lot younger that I am not naming any names but are better looking get to do it all the time this should be kept in mind

I learned how to handle awkward situations and how to react to costumers when they are not happy. I believe the hardest part  the job at that time was to take the orders of people who had bad attitudes and would be indecisive to what they wanted to order. the people i worked with where outgoing and nice and they helped me out a lot. i enjoyed when ever we would close because while closing and cleaning up we would have conversations about how the day went and all the tips we made. a typical day at work would always be quick paced because the cooks where fast at getting the the orders out. the management was good mainly because the boss was a very nice man but when he relocated the new boss that came in was not a very likable person which brought tension the workers.

A typical day at work is usually very busy. Goes by fast because you always have some thing to do. Whats great about cotton patch, is that most of the customers are locals so we see them often as they are regulars. And thats the best kind of clientele in my opinion. I learned many things at cotton patch for the simple fact that it was my very first time serving. I learned everything there is to learn about serving and providing excellent service. Management was great, always helpful in stressful situations. My co-workers were absolutely amazing, always worked and helped each other like a  real team. The hardest part of the job for me was just being in an entirely different state Id never before been to. So I wasn't used to the southern hospitality. The most enjoyable part for me was being able to be around people period, and making them happy by doing my job how its supposed to be done.

In my first 18 months, hard work earned me a General Manager position. The benefits are adequate. However, working 60+ hours/wk isn't unusual.  Must be prepared to work most weekends and holidays. While technically scheduled 4 twelve hour days and 1 "short" day (usually 6-8 hours), you can expect most of your shifts to be a bit longer and sometimes, much longer. 

Having said all that, if the stress (physical and mental) and hours don't bother you, this can be a great career choice. However, after many years in the business, I made the personal choice that it isn't for me anymore. Much of this description isn't limited to Cotton Patch.  I've found it to be true throughout the industry with few exceptions.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Server 4 salaries reported	$18.11 per hour
Cook 5 salaries reported	$13.80 per hour
Dishwasher 7 salaries reported	$12.71 per hour
Assistant manager 4 salaries reported	$50,000 per year
Grill cook 1 salary reported	$13.25 per hour

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