crew member

shift leader

assistant manager

general manager

manager

Dairy Queen

The most enjoyable parts of the job for me was seeing the customers. I loved being able to interact with them. I also enjoyed being able to use my creativity and help people find what they were looking for whether it was cakes, or novelties. 

A typical day at work for me was walking into an absolute mess. Usually things were left sloppy, frosting everywhere, dishes not properly cleaned, floors not properly mopped or swept, I could go on and on. But it was like working with toddlers. I no longer work at this store. But that essentially was what I would walk into. That was because I was a “Lead Decorator”. Even though I was micromanaged the entire time I was the “Lead Decorator”. I would then check all of the orders that needed to be done or special orders that needed started (usually those were never started or finished at the Dairy Queen I worked at) because of the horrible management. They did not believe in teamwork so no one helped out the cake department. No one helped with cake orders or communicated that a special order was taken. Even if a decorator was in the store at the time. So there was no structure. I worked at this location 3 times within 15 years and this last time was the worst time of them all. So horribly ran. I watched one of the managers fire a 15 year old girl from the team window with customers outside and inside the store. So, that gives you hindsight to my opinion on the management at Cleveland Dairy Queen. 

The culture of the workplace became very social media based. If that’s what that question means. All my boss wanted us to do was take pictures of our cakes so she could post them on Instagram. & she would take tiktoks of her cakes and post them online as well. 

The management style/culture definitely has become more about quantity and not about quality at this specific Dairy Queen which has been really hard for me to personally watch because I take a lot of pride in my work and my job. As for management, I suggest to anyone who is looking for a job with opportunities for advancement NOT to go to this company (Cleveland Dairy Queen). Reason being, many unkept promises. I was told upon hiring I was hired as a cake decorator. After having some serious medical issues which required an ambulance call while on the clock, I then got my hours cut to the extent that my benefits were no longer covered because I didn’t work at a fast enough pace for them anymore. Because of my medical issues. 

My suggestion would be- that this job would be most suitable for a younger person. If it is a decorator, I would say young adult. Part time for sure. I wouldn’t even try to be a manager unless you can handle instability and inconsistency, drama, and horrible communication. As for a crew member, working up front, teenager or young adult as well. You would be working any shift. But if you’re okay with that, go for it. You have to keep in mind though that there is a lot of inconsistencies in that as well and a lot of the managers don’t know what they are doing and we’re not trained properly. But they all think they know everything. 

Something I do believe I learned from working for this franchise is that I took a lot of negativity from some horrible managers. I wish the owner of this company really knew what was going on and had more involvement in his company and didn’t have such immature people doing things for him. I think if he knew what was really going on, he would be very unhappy. I am not the only one who got treated poorly. I am the third decorator that left in less than a year. Along with a huge turnover in front crew members as well. I learned that no matter how hard you work or try, sometimes it really isn’t good enough. The phrase “do the best you can”? It doesn’t always work. I wish it did. But it doesn’t. I don’t want to tell people “don’t work at Dairy Queen”. Dairy Queen was my first job. I have loved this brand since I was 15. There is a reason I came back to working at Dairy Queen. I just had to leave because they didn’t give me the hours I needed to live off of. I feel it’s necessary to warn people of what they are getting into if they are looking to be a manager, cake decorator, or anything of the sorts. 


When I first started the job, there was A LOT to learn within the 1st day or two. When they first start you off, they familiarize you with the ice cream section of the menu. This mainly being blizzards, cones, sundaes, and the like. You learn how to build up the signature look of DQ's cones and ice cream balls with the curls. But those weren't the hard part. It was the blizzards. Learning to make those was pretty scary to me because with this being my first job ever, it was very new to me. First, you fill the cup up with ice cream then you put in the desired ingredients for the blizzard, all the blizzards and what's in them are mapped out for you on the walls. Then you hold the cup and collar, which is a little paper ring that extends the height of the cup to help blend and hold in the ingredients, and smush it onto the blender shaft. And boy was this scary at first. They start you at the speed of 70 (0-100 speed) and you're supposed to turn it up to 100 while you're blending. But I wasn't expecting the thing to be so fast, so as soon as you turn it, if you don't have a solid grip on the thing, it jolts the cup and everything right out of your hand and flings ice cream and candy all over the place. This was called exploding a blizzard and happens more times to some people and less to others. Thankfully I only exploded one or two. As worked progressed, I eventually mastered my blending technique. But man do you blend a lot of things. You won't go a day without blending something, so I guess it's good that they start you there. Seven months may not seem like a very long time at all for an employee but for me, while balancing school and everything, looking back I realized just how far I've come from when I first started. The typical day at work consists of preparing food for customers constantly and when you're not actually making food or taking an order you're scrubbing the dried ice cream off the machines and counters. There is never a time that you are sitting and doing nothing because there is ALWAYS something to do or be doing even if you do it 50 times a shift. My views on fast food have dramatically changed after being an employee of a fast food chain. There is a lot that happens behind the counter and many times, customers do not get this and cause frustration throughout the crew. We always joke that people really shouldn't p*ss us off because in the end, we are the ones making the food that you eat, and we can do a lot with that power. At the DQ that I worked at, most of the employees were under 25, except for 2 managers that had been working there for over 35 years collectively. So It was a good work environment to be in when you're a 17 year old kid because you have no problem talking to your co-workers. The hardest part of the job would probably be when it gets really busy because there is always something that you should be doing and it can get stressful extremely quickly. But I believe that the most enjoyable part of the job is when it's pretty slow. Not because there isn't anything to do, trust me, there is always something to do. But when it's slow you get to talk to the customers more than you would if they are in a line and you have 10 more people behind them. Its nice to be in drive through with everything clean and organized and have the occasional car pull through to give yourself something to do but not slam you with orders. This is also the time to get to know your co-workers more and have conversations with them while everyone is working. It's a very team based job and communication with your co-workers is key to enjoying the job.

A typical day of owning and working at my Dairy Queen usually starts early in the morning with the cleaning/sanitizing process of the ice cream machines and equipment. There is heavy lifting involved and machinery that needs to be disassembled daily and then reassembled.  This is so important to the quality of the ice cream we serve daily and is closely monitored by a testing lab hired by Dairy Queen of America.  The rest of the day for me involves texts and phone calls from employees as well as customer service. Keeping an immaculate store is crucial.  We make all of our own cakes and take special cake orders to accomodate everyone.  There is also the responsibility of keeping track of inventory and ordering as necessary.  I do my own bookkeeping and I keep very organized records. I can compare year to year by just looking through my computerized records that I keep in Excel work books. The work is very rewarding yet extremely demanding almost 365 days a year. Owning, operating and managing a very busy Dairy Queen on a daily basis has given me a wealth of knowledge beyond anything I could have ever imagined.  I learned how to deal with all different types of personalities, specifically with my employees.  I must admit that it is one of my very strong points as a manager.  The hardest part of my job has been getting a successful schedule together so that I  always know a shift is covered.  My customized schedule keeps everyone  happy which makes for a happy work environment.  I do change the schedule according to personal needs seasonally since most of my employees are teenagers with changing schedules.  It is a tedious job and I would love to share the details with you in person.  The most enjoyable part of my job has been interacting with all of the employees over the years.  Most do stay while in high school and leave when time for college.  Most of those college students do return when home for the summer when I need a large staff to rely on.  I must admit I really enjoy the bookkeeping part of the business since I enjoy working on my computer for a good reason.  Customers are always pleasant and do compliment me often on the cleanliness of the store and the staff I have chosen to work for me.  There is always going to be a difficult or unhappy customer from time to time that I do have to deal with, accomodate and find a way to have them leave on a happy note.  Overall I think management of the store falls into all of these categories and that is what I enjoy most about owning a Dairy Queen Franchise.

There are a lot of issues with this place that I could go over. The first and most apparent is the management. With the exception of the one that interviewed me. The management treated male employees like trash, as well as some of the female staff. Their incompetence lead to employees needing to sweep up months of built up leaves and grime with a small broom snd dustpan in 99+ degree weather, during the hottest part of the day. I do miss one of the managers, but working occasionally with her was not worth the trouble. 

I wasn’t properly trained in many areas, and left to do tasks or work with machinery that I didn’t even know we had. Including a dangerous can opener that wasn’t designed for the absolutely massive cans of gelatinous Queso dip they were using it for. 

Kitchen staff aside from me weren’t particularly helpful or nice. They treated me like an idiot when I didn’t know something because I wasn’t trained. 

The one nice manager and the only male employee working with me on occasion made an otherwise miserable and exhausting work day quite enjoyable and fulfilling. They were both very kind and helpful/accommodating. The problem is I worked with them once every couple of weeks. 

The front counter ladies and gent were also very nice, but I rarely got a chance to interact with them. 

Often times nightcrew wouldn’t do dishes, leaving me, as the only non-production line kitchen staff member to do the work of two people. They never got reprimanded  I however got reprimanded for ‘being too slow’ despite needing to do extra work. 

 I would be sent home early frequently because they didn’t have anything else for me to do. But they wouldn’t let me go home when I got a concussion and passed out in the walk-in trying to move heavy boxes stacked above my head, while standing on a slippery grate with a few inches of foot space. Luckily when an ambulance was called when I suffered heat exhaustion and passed out in the parking lot they let me take a day off.

Some of the health code violations there were appalling. Particularly in the kitchen and walk-ins. Dangerous conditions and sweeping dropped food under the grills to be ‘cleaned’ later. 

I finally quit not because of seeing so many terrible things in such a short span of time, but because they withheld paychecks. 

They kept paychecks in a locked drawer, and wouldn’t let me get two paychecks I was owed when I asked. This prompted me to quit. I finally got my paychecks when my mother threatened to bring it up to the DoL. 

After I and another male employee quit, over 3/4s of the other staff quit within the span of five months. An almost complete turnover of their workforce. I’m honestly glad I got out of that place before I got too deep into it. I don’t know if the situation has improved since June pf 2018. 



A typical day at work involved clocking in at your designated time and setting to a task list that is normally required of all employees on any given day. Shifts generally last 4-7 hours and end when you are told to go home. Between these tasks you will take orders at either the drive through or the front counter. Drive through employees will receive orders and take money/hand out food. Front counter employees are expected to greet customers with a smile and take their order. Employees are encouraged not to  shift between drive-thru and front at any time in order to maintain register-counting accuracy. There is usually one given cook making food at any given time.

As a counter employee, you will be expected to know how to make each type of icecream. Learning and memorizing all of the different mixes can be a long learning curve for some people, but asking other employees is always an option if you forget. If you have worked long enough, you will be expected to know how to fill in as a cook when absolutely necessary. 

The hours are on a fixed schedule but can be flexible depending on your manager. Usually a fill-in is required for you to take time off for something unrelated to health or your wellbeing. Part time employees generally earn 15-26 hours a week, but this depends greatly on the employee and the amount of staff at hand.

As Dairy Queen is an early entry job, the coworkers and their attitudes can vary greatly. In my personal experience, some coworkers expressed a desire to cooperate and provide excellent customer service, and some did not.  

The heaviest load of being a Dairy Queen employee comes down to food rushes. As all meat is supposed to be well-cooked, meals can take up to seven or eight minutes to get out the door. This can occasionally make rushes a nightmare for employees who still have a set task list to accomplish. If you are a night shift employee who receives a rush after a football game before you can accomplish all of your tasks, you might be in for a closing shift that can last until 2-3am. 

The most enjoyable part of being a Dairy Queen employee is, of course, the environment. You work in a diner-like atmosphere that serves ice-cream and great food. Dairy Queen usually has regular customers, and older couples love to frequent it. If you're the type of person who enjoys seeing other people/children happy, you might enjoy being the one who hands icecream out to people.

Working at Dairy Queen was a challenging experience that taught me a lot about patience, professionalism, and knowing my value as an employee. A typical day involved taking customer orders, preparing food, cleaning, restocking supplies, and helping keep the store running smoothly. I took pride in doing my job well and often stayed overtime to help the team get caught up, clean, and restock for the next day. I wanted to make sure things were done right, even when others didn’t step up to help.
However, no matter how hard I worked, it often went unnoticed and unappreciated. I spent countless hours going above and beyond — staying late, covering shifts, and doing extra work to make sure everything was in order — yet management never recognized those efforts. Instead, I watched new employees come in and be hired at higher pay rates, which was discouraging and hurtful. It made me feel like my dedication didn’t matter, even though I played a big part in keeping things organized and running.
The management and workplace culture were also inconsistent. Communication wasn’t clear, and there were moments that felt unfair and unprofessional. Some employees were treated differently than others, and it created an uncomfortable and unequal atmosphere. I did my best to stay focused, remain kind, and continue showing up with a positive attitude, but over time, it became clear that the environment wasn’t supportive or respectful.
Despite the difficulties, I still took valuable lessons away from the job. I learned how to stay strong under pressure, how to maintain professionalism when others don’t, and how to work hard even when my efforts aren’t recognized. I also learned that I deserve to be in a workplace that values dedication, fairness, and respect — one where everyone’s effort is appreciated equally.
The hardest part of the job was putting in so much effort and care without ever feeling valued or acknowledged. The most enjoyable part was the few genuine connections I made with coworkers and customers who appreciated my kindness and consistency. Even though it wasn’t the best environment, it showed me the kind of worker I am — dedicated, reliable, and willing to go the extra mile.

It was a very old school DQ.  There were cockroaches behind the counter where the ice cream products are made. The manager was so unprofessional. She would take other people’s breaks to go outside to smoke for sometimes over an hour more than one time during an 8-10hr shift. Would do absolutely nothing. She didn’t train me like she did the rest of the staff when they first started working there. I learned both the ice cream side and food side registers (as they were on different sides, different parts of the store) one side you ordered ice cream, the other side you ordered food. I learned what wen into every item on my free time. They had flash cards for blizzards ect. However I was not given the cards so I learned as I went. I started out working 5 days a week 8-10 hour shifts slowly my hours and days would go down along with many others because the manager couldn’t get along with anyone the turn over rate was insane! Finally my hours were so little it wasn’t worth the 30 min drive. Eventually I decided I was going to quit. I was never fired however when I let them know I would be leaving and I was looking for another job they decided to keep me on as staff but on the schedule my name would be there but I would have 0 hours. This was after I said I would be leaving when I found another job, basically putting In my two weeks. Fully intended to work for the next two weeks they just cut my hours after that to 0 and never heard from them again. I was not the only person this happened to. Someone who was not leaving at all got their hours down to 0 also but was never fired. Just left her hours on the schedule blank. 

The bug issue was so nasty. The amount of roaches behind the counter made me never want to eat DQ again. There were more than just roaches. They were also in the storage shed where the cups, forks, spoons and anything that wasn’t frozen. People would lock you in the freezer as a prank and huff the whip cream cans. The freezer was not once cleaned while I was there either.

We did NOT get a discount on food or drinks. If we wanted a drink while working we had to pay for the drink because “the cup costs money” the only food we were allowed was when the store closed before throwing away old food they didn’t sell we could choose to eat Day old food. Anything else you had to pay full price for.

I would NOT RECOMMEND TO WORK HERE!’

Dairy Queen is a great place to work, even through all the struggles we have endured the past few years. About six years ago we lost "the boss" and his wife was left to run the business in his absence not knowing much about the business aspect. She and I have worked together to determine the needs of the business and keep it running for the last six years. We have had our share of bumps in the road but have worked through them and have learned along the way. Although DQ does not offer benefits, there are great perks such as: higher wages than other local restaurants, half price meals and discounts on the cakes.

My typical workday consists of me opening the doors, turning off the alarm, turning on the lights, and then working on my usual set-ups for the day. Some typical set-ups include: cleaning machinery, defrosting and cleaning freezers and coolers, placing orders, making and decorating cakes, discussing the events/problems of the previous day with the owner, prepping food and making sure everything is clean and in proper working order before opening the doors for business each day. I open the restaurant and instruct employees on work that needs to be done. Sometimes, I duscuss issues from previous workdays with employees and coach them on ways to handle situations differently. I cook over the lunch hour either by myself or with the help of another employee should the need arise. I train, interview and direct employees on proper behavior, portioning and other areas of need. At the end of the shift, I take a report and count the tills to ensure accuracy. I speak with the owner before leaving and we address any questions or concerns with one another. I also speak with the employees to instruct them on orders, changes, or price differences. I also ensure that everyone who is supposed to be there is present and accounted for before I leave. My favorite part of the day is coaching the employees and helping them determine how to better handle a situation. The hardest part of my job is trying to accomplish all of the tasks that I feel should be accomplished in a day.

I understand that Dairy Queen is a franchise so this is not the experience of everyone who worked at Dairy Queen. But this was one of the worst job cultures I have ever experienced.
CONS:
- I once had a medical incident at work, without going into details I was crying in pain FOR HOURS.  I was told I wasn't allowed to go home. It was a traumatic experience. As far as I can recall nobody was ever sent home from shifts for medical or personal reasons despite the severity. (The GM was not there so it is possible the shift lead didn't feel at liberty to decide to send a scheduled employee home).
- Work meetings often involved management calling out employees by name.
- Management had clear favoritism and would often pander to their favorite employees.
- You could buy food for a discount on shift, but even if you didn't have a chance to finish eating your food (you had to eat while there were no customers in the store) you wouldn't be allowed to take food home.
- Management would occasionally be passive-aggressive when communicating in person and over text.
- The pay was low for the work you were expected to do, and you would make better money at similar jobs in the area.
- Management had surveillance at all times and would review auto and video to bring up issues with employees.
PROS:
- I did meet some cool coworkers while working there.
- You were allowed to eat free ice cream while on shift.
- The work was enjoyable, and mixing the ice creams was fun. If I had worked at a store with a better culture, I would have liked the job.
- The change of the menu kept the work fresh as you would have new items to make every season change.
It could be an enjoyable job for those looking for a part-time job for short-term, or a first job. I would visit the location you are applying at,  and make sure you vibe with the management. Having Dairy Queen on my resume did get me positions later because Dairy Queen employees did have a good reputation with the hiring manager of another fast casual food service job. 


My Typical work day at the local Dairy Queen would be working the dinning room and drive thru as a cashier. Dinning room daily duties where cleaning the lobby and restrooms, stocking the lobby tables and under the counter, taking the orders to each customer. What I learned from this job was plenty of customer service treats for carry to each job you could do in the building and at other jobs. I had plenty of regulars that only came while I was working. The Hardest part of the job would be the busy days when the parking lot was full and the roads surrounding the building was full as well. Your coworkers was your work family and we treated each other very well and helpful to one another. The Management is like anywhere some were good others/other was terrible. The hardest part of my job was discovering a manager stealing from the safe. This manager was not liked by most all the customers. I was fired because of the manager stealing to save herself. I was also sexually assaulted by a crew member who had done the same to six other under age girls. He only got suspended for a week or two. Later he was fired for working at another restaurant. The owners are a pleasure to work for however they do not listen to their employees as much as they should. I feel their business would do much better if they wouldn't believe every little thing told. They honestly could have been sued if I would have told my parents about being assaulted while I was under age. However I loved my job there and trusted it would have been handle correctly. Which nothing was ever handled correctly with a lot of the things I witnessed while working for this employer. The most enjoyable part of my job was pretty much everything. I enjoyed my crew members, cleaning the lobby spotless, the regular customers I had were so delightful, and being able to get most all days I would request to be off, off. Great place of employment regardless of the negative outcomes within the work place. I personally was let go for something that was not true but things happen for a reason and all is good.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Crew member 1282 salaries reported	$13.20 per hour
Shift leader 381 salaries reported	$15.62 per hour
Assistant manager 263 salaries reported	$16.81 per hour
General manager 113 salaries reported	$53,059 per year
Manager 50 salaries reported	$18.29 per hour

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