cook

food service worker

grill cook

barista

caterer

Eurest

So for context, I worked as a barista for Amazon. They have a free drink a day  program for their employees, which means that depending on which cafe you’re assigned to is either really busy or really slow. I ended up at one of the busier cafes. Let me tell you that the free drink program makes a lot of these customers very entitled and rude. There are also barely any slow days at this location, so I was almost always coming back home from work completely exhausted.   I’d say the busier cafes leave their employees with a higher chance of burnout than at a regular cafe where the customers have to pay for the drinks.

On the upside, there were some great people that I got to work with during my time here. It was nice to be shown the ropes of barista work by them and to get a better understanding of food service in general. It was also fun to work on the espresso machine, even if it could get overwhelming during the busier times. Another great thing about being a part of the team was the drink competitions. We would be paired off into teams and told to make drink that could potentially be featured on the monthly specials menu. These competitions helped me learn more about drink prep and about pairing different flavors. The direct manager was also very nice and very reasonable.

I can’t say the same thing about upper management, though. The switched out one of the directors about a few months into my employment. It is normal for this place to frequently change out managers, but I didn’t end up liking the one we got. She was out of touch with what the customers wanted or needed and also out of touch with the employees. She made changes that she thought would benefit the cafe, but it just ended up being detrimental to both the customers and employees. For example, she required that the Alexa speaker be close to the register area and justified it by saying that the music would travel through the cafe better. Unfortunately, it just made being on register harder. I found myself asking customers to repeat themselves, especially the ones who spoke more softly. I felt like I couldn’t ask the upper manager to have the speaker moved somewhere else because she didn’t listen to any of my coworkers feedback about the changes she made. She was also the reason why we were understaffed a lot of the time. Apparently, she thought it was a good idea to send some of the employees off to different Amazon locations during the day, even though we worked in one of the busiest cafes. What was worse is how she went about doing this. I was one of the employees who was sent off to another location. She made like me being sent to this location was a temporary thing until they hired a new employee, but I ended up having to go there up until a few weeks before I quit. I wouldn’t have had a problem with it if it was another cafe, but it was one of the small markets that only had drip coffee. The problem is that I signed up to be a barista, and this wasn’t a place where I could do barista work. So I don’t appreciate the lack of transparency in regards to her and how it has caused us to be under staffed. The customers already have attitudes, and she was just inadvertently making them worse. There are many more things that she’s done that show that she’s not a good manager, but it would make this review longer than it needs to be.

Overall, I enjoyed getting the barista experience and getting to know my coworkers. I just didn’t enjoy the Amazon work culture or the management. If you value your energy and sanity, do not work as a barista for this company.


My time as a “Customer Ambassador” was definitely not what I signed up for.

My original role involved fulfilling mobile orders on the Eatify system, cleaning up my area, and handling various small tasks, with the understanding that I would occasionally assist at the hot food bar. The scheduled hours were 7 AM to 3:15 PM, which worked well for my availability. However, it quickly became clear that a typical day would involve much more than that. I was increasingly assigned to the hot bar, which eventually became my entire primary role.

In the hot bar position, I was frequently expected to stay until 3:45 PM or even 4 PM due to cleanup, a time commitment I had clearly communicated I could not make. Despite telling management multiple times and repeatedly requesting to be reassigned back to my original Customer Ambassador duties, my concerns were completely disregarded.

The main thing I learned at this job was how to navigate the Eatify system and the hot food bar, the latter becoming my full-time responsibility despite it conflicting with the role and hours I was hired for.

Management was a major issue. Micromanagement was constant, and whenever I went to them for support, it was because I felt completely overwhelmed working the hot bar alone, a situation they had created by ignoring my availability and concerns. Even basic needs like using the restroom became uncomfortable, with management closely monitoring movements in a way that made the environment feel hostile.

It also felt like I was punished for having an issue with a coworker. Afterward, her workload was dumped onto me, leading to my permanent reassignment to the hot bar, while she was moved to an easier role in the back. Experiences like this made it extremely difficult to feel comfortable raising concerns to management because it felt like retaliation rather than problem-solving.

Ultimately, my employment was terminated. This happened after two call-outs during my probationary period. For the first absence due to illness, I provided a doctor’s note. For the second absence due to a seriously ill family member, I texted a manager, unaware they had also called out that day and failed to inform anyone else of my absence. This led to the mistaken belief that I had no-called, no-showed.

Despite the first absence being excused and the second one being miscommunicated due to management’s own disorganization, I was fired. It made it clear they did not view me as a person with a life outside of work, just a body expected to show up no matter what.

The hardest part of the job was being stuck full-time on the hot bar, despite my original agreement stating it would only be occasional. Cleanup alone often made me stay late past 3:15 PM without any attempt from management to fix the scheduling conflict.

The only real positive was not having weekend shifts, which allowed for a consistent Monday-to-Friday schedule.

Overall, my experience was disappointing and ended poorly. It felt like a bait and switch. The role I agreed to, mobile orders with occasional hot bar help and a 3:15 PM departure, was completely disregarded. Management created a negative environment where speaking up felt useless and even dangerous. Being fired over two call-outs, one of which had a doctor’s note and the other a communication breakdown, solidified the feeling that I was seen as disposable.

If you value clear communication, respectful leadership, and having your agreed-upon role and schedule honored, I would strongly recommend looking elsewhere.

When I originally started for compass group in 2015, I was given a 9-5 set schedule as I was told in the initial interview before I was hired. Then after a few months the general manager at the time changed my hours to 11-730pm knowing I didn't have a ride home and really didn't care I was taking public transportation as a woman. After a while I complained about being the only one closing as there were 2 other cashiers who could have closed but refused because they had sob stories that they couldn't close because of this and that. So they stuck me with the closing shift when I had originally been told the cafe was only open till 5.then I transferred to Intel and it was even worse. I was promised a cashiers job but when I got there they stuck me in the back of house doing the hydronated waters with little to no support in finding all the ingredients as well as preparation for 12 different waters. I had to make 12 different waters while being yelled at to make sure all 12 waters outside of the kitchen were constantly filled without any help. I asked the general manager to transfer me to another cafe where there would be available cashier jobs but he said there weren't any. Turned out he lied. There were numerous cashier jobs available on the Intel campus. I was working my butt off doing a two person job with no help so I walked off. I tried to collect unemployment but wasn't able to do so. I've been out of permanent work for nearly 4 months with only doing temp jobs here and there. This company is no good!! Beware!! These people will work you to death for pennies. They overwork their staff and they are dirty when it comes to certain employees. I had one manager tell me that the company doesn't fire you. They just make it hard on you so you will eventually quit. Never again will I work for this company!

DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME HERE. WORKED AT THE CHARLES SCHWABB ON LINCOLN IN AZ. For barista position. Within a short time of hiring i needed to make an HR report on someone due to inappropriate joke, and it went downhill from there. No direct retaliation, but the environment felt colder and I was slowly made to feel like an outsider by management. About a month after that, I got COVID and was out of work for a week and a half. After running around with no insurance trying to figure out where to get a clinical test to prove I was COVID negative since i had called out more than three days (due to still being in my probationary period), mamagement eventually just stopped texting me back, leaving me to communicate what's going on to the ether. Eventually a new management was hired and I thought there was hope. The situation was taken over and I had the impression that things were a little better and I was going to have better support. Unfortunately not, because they had a problem with me having a migraine so severe I couldn't see or sleep. I had to call out on a Friday and texted management, and got radio silence back. On top of the micromanaging and lack of growth once hired on, it's essentially a trap. Management will be very kosher at the beginning and make things look very appealing! As a barista, the idea of working no weekends and holidays was too good to be true. Working in an office, helping the same people everyday, creative freedom in the end were NOT worth the absolute dread i started to face at the thought of going back to work. It all felt very high school after a certain point, and I don't suggest anyone put themselves through this mentally and emotionally draining experience.

I come in at 4:45 am to take all the temps of the coolers and freezers. I turn on all equipment including filling serving wells with water. I cook sausage gravy, oatmeal and cream of wheat on the stove. I cook bacon, sausage patties, sausage links, cinnamon rolls, scones, muffins, and biscuits in the oven. I reheat gravy and biscuits in the steamer. After making sure all foods are at the correct temperature I pan all foods and wrap those needed then placing them in the warmers until service time. I also prepare bread for toast and obtain the correct utensils to be used for correct portioning. Then have my line set up by opening of service. During service I use customer service skills plus I use written communication skills so the cashier knows what to charge. In between customers I prepare outtakes such as pudding parfaits, cottage cheese cups, hard boiled eggs and fruit cups maintaining paperwork as I go. Once my outtakes are completed I seek other things that I can do in the time I have available. I also prepare omelets in an action station in front of my customers. After service is over I clean up my stations making sure to properly date everything and put things away.

After my lunch break, I help out with the deli and serve deli during lunch hours. We create wraps, 12" subs and 6" subs along with sandwiches and the special of the day, which may be a sandwich or a wrap maintaining paperwork as I go. Depending on the day is what I do next. Either I go home after making sure everything on deli is stocked and ready for the next day or I put all the food away dating everything before going home.

The work I did as a cook was relatively easy and enjoyable, the customers were sweet and I loved my coworkers. 
However there’s quite a problem with the current management team here. They have their good moments, but oftentimes they have unrealistic expectations and no compassion for our lives. When a big change happened and many people quit, the management team expected the rest of us to take on all that work and do the jobs of multiple people at once. They weren’t willing to reduce serving capacity to not overwork us. 
On another note, the company has a strange and strict policy on attendance and “naughty points”. Any time you can’t make it to a shift, whether it be illness, childcare issues, or even a car crash, you will get an “occurrence point”. If you get a certain amount then you’re fired immediately, no regard to your circumstances. And on the other hand, you can get points for bad behavior (which is reasonable), but the management team never gave “points” when needed. I had multiple coworkers who notoriously were harassing people or refusing to work and they never received punishment. To sum up, they gave “points” to people who don’t deserve them and never gave “points” to people who do. 
If you want to work here, go for it. You might have a great time and enjoy it, but if you work with the management team I had then you will be met with endless frustration and question whether a job is worth your sanity. 

•	Coordinates, schedules, and supervises assigned operations to achieve goals within budgeted funds and available personnel; and plans and organizes workloads, shifts schedules, and staff assignments. Coordinates work with other departments, staff, and contractors, reviews progress, directs changes in priorities, and schedules as needed to assure work is performed in a timely and efficient manner according to appropriate guidelines, procedures, and legal regulations.
•	Assigns, supervises, and evaluates the work of assigned staff; advises, assists, and trains subordinates as necessary; initiates and implements disciplinary actions; conducts performance appraisals of subordinates; participates in the selection of new employees, and makes recommendations regarding the transfer and termination of subordinate employees.
•	Assists in the overall administration and management of the division/program on a regular basis; assists in the preparation of the division’s/program’s budget; assists in the development and implementation of the division’s/program’s goals, objectives, and short and long-range plans; and assists in administering personnel rules at the division/program level and recommends resolutions to grievances and other personnel issues.
•	Develops and maintains systems and records that provide for proper evaluation, control, and documentation of assigned operations. Prepares reports and correspondence as required.

When you work at a cafe, you shouldn't go in expecting a stress free environment. You should never go in expecting your manager to see eye to eye with you. But you can always expect to meet great coworkers. Your coworkers will always carry your day in a cafe, because when you work in the food industry, customers come in a variety of shapes. If you have adequate staffing, you can always expect your day to go smoothly, but if you don't, expect to have the worst moments of your life. I've unfortunately got to experience the worst moments of my life since being with Compass. 
The only positive thing I've learned is learning how to be efficient with what little they give us.
Compass was not communicative nor willing to take feedback. Depending on your manager, your experience with Compass will vary vastly.
Workplace culture can vary based on whoever is one the banking side of the cafe. If they're open minded and progressive, expect a very kind work environment. If they're entitled and see themselves above you, expect to only get along with your fellow baristas.  
The hardest part of any cafe are rushes that you have to deal with. When you have a set team of people with designated spots and tasks, you can achieve this. If you do not, you will be broken by these rushes.
The best part of the job is the coworkers, its always the coworkers.

Mon-Friday was a plus. Lots of post work free time.
Hardest part was 0 guidance in a new kitchen, with a menu I was never explained or told. Literally programming the menu still first day we opened. It was frantic and confusing. So if you're going into a kitchen just opening, hold on tight for a potentially bumpy ride.
Overwhelming selection of food products, not enough people to manage a kitchen that size and most product was tossed to the bin end of the night. Management seemed stressed 100% of the time but do what they can to make it work. Higher management seemed to have 0 care or idea the kitchen was hemorrhaging money and product, Though not bad people, friendly.  However often concerns raised fell on deaf ears.
Work place culture was wonderful, though clients rarely rotate out and you become familiar with the people you make food for. It becomes easy to remember preferences, allergies, and other things for the day to day. The repetition of doing said tasks makes learning skills very nice for those who might not be familiar. Plus, my manager on site was someone with years of experience to learn from. Very worth the time. 
It's a good place to get experience and Iearn some kitchen techniques. They do hire some wonderful and skilled people, but you will be tired and you will not make much money. I would recommend it for anyone with a strong willpower, and a desire to further their kitchen skills. 

I find that my work place is very pleasant but challenging. I can have input towards my tasks and supportive supervision. My supervisors are fair and encourages me to do better. My work is hard but I enjoy it. I have to maintain the salad bar and it can be tedious but it's a challenge to keep food there that the customers are pleased and satisfied. Try to maintain high standards but also staying within companies policy. My work station must remain clean at all times for sanitary reasons and to prevent spoilage and contamination. Must check products daily to be sure that food has not expired and is presentable. My attire is very important because no one wants to eat food from an unkept staff members. I must check temperature of food and salad bar to prevent spoilage and maintain safe temperature so bacteria can not flourish. Maintaining a pleasant attitude toward customers and staff helps to have a pleasant atmosphere and makes day better. Customer service is very important because we represent our company and it is important to be extremely aware of our rules and policy's. Safety is a key part of our work place. Being aware of possible accidents and preventing them by observing basic rules and regulations helps prevent accidents. Also managing my time effectively helps to have a productive workplace.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Cook 60 salaries reported	$22.11 per hour
Food service worker 80 salaries reported	$26.34 per hour
Grill cook 15 salaries reported	$17.03 per hour
Barista 26 salaries reported	$20.09 per hour
Caterer 31 salaries reported	$25.18 per hour

Working at Eurest: Company Overview and Reviews

Eurest

Eurest Ratings

Popular jobs at Eurest

Salary Satisfaction

Job Seeker Tools

Employer Tools

Browse

Stay Connected