assistant restaurant manager

line cook

general manager

restaurant staff

medical technologist

Primanti Bros.

I very rarely give poor reviews for companies, but this is one I cannot pass up. I started working for Primanti' Brother's back in January of 2015 not long after they opened up their Wheeling, WV location. They were the new restaurant in the area and as a server you tend to go where people are going to eat. I had been to a few Pittsburgh based locations before and always enjoyed the food, and overall experience of my visits. Needless to say I was excited about getting hired at this location.

The store GM who hired me was gone from the company about two weeks into my start there which always makes things a little more hectic. We had an interim GM filling in while the company looked for a full time replacement. That period of time was great because all of our management staff was fun to work for and they cared about their employees. Upon finding out our temporary GM wouldn't be getting the full time GM spot I, like many others were disappointed, but things went on. 

We got our new full time GM who was transferring in from a store around Pittsburgh, and immediately came in swinging. I know that there is a short odd period in the beginning when you get a new GM because everyone is feeling each other out and seeing how things are done on both ends. This GM from the get go was extremely disrespectful to employees and customers. As time went on it only got worse. When I finished up there in May of 2016 there was a handful of employees left from when I started. I know restaurants always have a high turnover rate for employees because of the nature of the job, but these people left solely because of the GM. This was conducive to just servers, bartenders, or cooks either. I have never had a server job where I saw such a high turnover rate for management in my life. I can think of no less than 8 different managers that we had there. They either left because they quit the company or requested to transfer to another location because they too did not like working for this GM. 

In my time away from the company I stay in touch with friends who have since left for these reasons as well. But the bad experiences don't just stem from employee to employee situations. There have been numerous times where I have personally witnessed this GM argue with customers in front of the store while we are busy on a weekend dinner shift. Regardless of whether the customer was right or wrong this is something that should never ever happen. It's a terrible look for the company as a whole. I've had plenty of times where my tables have been upset for long food times, wrong orders, being out of items, etc and it's worse than pulling teeth to get this GM out to them to try and correct the situation. Even when they would go out they would have an attitude towards the guests which was always very unprofessional. Many times I would have to go over myself and try to smooth things over after the GM had left the table.

Other than terrible people skills one of the other things that always bothered me was the hypocrisy of this GM. The biggest example of this which doubles as a huge health code violation is how this GM would get on the cooks, and food runners about wearing gloves when handling food. Of course that's how it should be for sanitation reasons. Nothing wrong with that, but when you yourself handle food in all different stages in the kitchen without using any gloves at all that is where there is a huge problem. I can't even begin to count the times I've seen food come back because it went out wrong and this GM would rifle through it with bare hands to see if the customer was lying. That in itself is absurd but that's another story. This GM would fix orders by doing just that, or even would prepare orders without gloves on even after coming back inside from a smoke break. I always said if customers could see how she was with their food that they would not come back and would complain to the corporate offices. There have been times where things like this have happened but they were few and far between.

The last big thing I want to hit on is this GM's terrible attitude and easily stressed mindset. I haven't worked for someone who couldn't handle the stress of their job. I know that restaurants are higher stress jobs, and that the GM has a lot of responsibilities that go unnoticed. I'm not knocking that by any means, but what baffled me is how this person got to that this job title in the first place. They never showed any signs of skills that would be required to be in that position. I mean how many GM's would make an interviewee come in at a certain time, and then have them wait for 4 hours before they came out and asked to reschedule because we were busy? Yes that actually happened and I felt terrible for the girl who was coming in. I mean you know the busy times of your restaurant so why would you even schedule this in the first place. The amount of unprofessionalism this GM shows on a daily basis is astonishing. If you can't handle high stress situations then you need to find a job that doesn't nurture that environment all the time.

Pleas don't get me wrong here, I am by no means speaking negatively of Primanti Brother's as a whole. I always felt that the corporate employees and employees from other locations where amazing. I feel like they take care of their employees very nicely as well. They have a great restaurant environment whether you're at a sit down style one or the diner style ones. The food is excellent, simple, and quick. I highly recommend that anyone who has never eaten at a Primanti Brother's before to go and try it at least once. They menu is diverse enough that even the pickiest eaters can find something they'll enjoy, and if you love beer then you'll enjoy the massive amount of beers available on tap, in bottles, or cans.  Plus it's a Pittsburgh tradition which is unique to the area. 

I just wish that I didn't have the experience working for the GM that I did. I hope that moving forward either this person changes their attitude towards the job or the company does what's best for them. I will still eat at Primanti's without question because despite my experience because I know it was isolated and not a representation of the company as a whole. I hope everyone who eats there has a great experience and will continue to come back again and again.

I started as a server and all was carefree and a good work environment, stressful at times due to strict alcohol guidelines among other thing, which is good. swapping and changing shifts was easy, at least at the location i was in. 

They sent me to travel to other locations to open and it was one of the best experiences i could ever ask for it was so much fun being a traveling all star and guiding others to succeed with the growing company.

Within 6 months i was promoted to a key player. Which involved schedule making, inventory assisting, posting inventory, running financial programs, overseeing staff, promoting the company and ensuring guest (or fan) satisfaction and increasing fan count, ordering product, resolving fan issues, following corporate guidelines and protect the primanti name. 
Pretty much an assistant manger position without the salary or benefits. but if you are good you can be promoted to the salary stage, but you really have to impress corporate, level of difficulty---HIGH. 

Being a college town, that was the average age range of workers, interviews were basically a screening of the basics and a personality screening. A perfect primanti employee is upbeat and self motivated and loves to enjoy their work. (Hint hint)

Balance of life and work as a key player was awful. although my GM was wonderful about giving time off, you really cant afford it without being salary. the shifts were either
9am-7pm (you got out at 7 if it wasn't to busy other times i got out at 9pm)
12p-10p (usually out on time)
or finally the 4pm to close which was 12 am (but if kitchen was behind 2am)
so working every weekend was a given holidays also,

A typical day at work was getting there on time, set the tables and get them ready for the restaurant to open. Then i waited for the customers to come in and greeted them. I proceeded to show them to their table, and then i took their order. 
I learned to interact politely with customers. I learned responsibility by coming on time to work and show respect to the leadership of the restaurant as well as the clients. Also i learned how to work on "Aloha," the computer system.
Regarding management, i learned organizational and leadership skills. I helped to clock out the employees and check the side work before they left their shift for the night. I also took care of the money at the end of the night, put it in the safe, and closed down the restaurant.
The workplace culture was great. Everyone got along great. It was very family oriented. Everyone worked together as a team and helped out one another.
The hardest part of the job was just trying to get all the servers out when it was very slow, and  handling  the clients and customers, when they had a complaint, and i was alone. However, it was resolved with help of everyone working together.
The most enjoyable part of the job was closing the restaurant. Everyone was reflecting on their night and just closing all together. Also helping out the customers and seeing how happy they were by the time they left.

A typical day at work would be coming in around 5 PM to an almost full bar area and greeting our regular customers. I'll usually start getting busy around 6 PM for dinner. I provide all of the bar drinks for the bar and the entire restaurant simultaneously while answering the phones and putting food orders in for the customers at the bar. I wash every bar glass by hand while still providing service to customers. I have learned so much about bar beverages, and I have learned to work more efficiently in a fast-paced environment and decision making skills. The management at my restaurant is amazing. Each manager has always been as helpful as possible for every need someone may have. They are great at providing you with any assistance you may need through a shift and have no problem answering questions along the way. The hardest part of my job would have to be when the restaurant is full - this requires me to greet, talk to, and serve each customer at the bar, provide each drink listed on each service ticket for the servers' tables, handle payment methods, answer our phones, wash bar dishes, and serve food. The most enjoyable part of my job would have to be being able to make each new customer a regular and providing them with excellent service to create memories they will remember.

The dishwasher position wouldn't be so bad if it was just washing dishes, but its so much more than that. You also have to cut potatoes. And constantly keep the sinks full of cut potatoes AND 3 barrels full.  And keep running them out to the cook. I have cut 400 pounds of potatoes on a slow night, it's way more on a busy night. You also have to sweep and mop the floors and all of the coolers. And take ALL trash and boxes out. Doing the regular dishes isn't terrible but the prep dishes are a nightmare and you have to clean the potato slicer and grease reclycler every night which is a huge PAIN. Management only helps out their favorite people. And most of the time they are just chilling in the office eating fries all day. One time I caught one watching a movie in the dark office. And you get no official break. You get free food but no time to sit and eat. You have to stand and take bites in between working in order to not fall behind. Also you are like the last one to get out because you have to wait for the cook and last minute customers dishes. Also personal opinion but I dont like the way the cooks and waiters just throw the dishes back on the counter. I know they are busy but be they could be more respectful about it.

Primanti Bros is a fun and productive workplace with a lively, team-oriented atmosphere. The fast-paced environment keeps employees engaged, and teamwork is key to ensuring smooth operations. Co-workers often form strong bonds, making shifts enjoyable and collaborative. The restaurant’s upbeat energy, sports bar vibe, and loyal customers create a dynamic setting that keeps work exciting.  Productivity is a priority, with efficient training that helps employees master multitasking, from assembling iconic sandwiches to delivering excellent customer service. Management fosters a balance between hard work and fun, encouraging employees to stay motivated while enjoying their roles. The experience helps workers develop essential skills in customer service, time management, and teamwork, all in a supportive and energetic environment. Whether working in the kitchen or front-of-house, employees find Primanti Bros to be a rewarding place to grow professionally while having fun with a dedicated and enthusiastic team.

The whole feel of the restaurant is very laid back.  It is a very fun place to work at with great guests and great people working there.  This place has taught me how to multi task for front of the house activities, and give multiple tables the best service that they have had.  I have also been able to enhance my memory working here, with recognizing the regulars that come in, what they drink, and on occasion what they eat.  This also includes knowing all of my own regulars, the food they eat, their drinks, their names, and the days that they come in.  Managers are very helpful and willing to help out staff and any problems that may occur during a guests visit.  The hardest part of my job is waiting for food that takes a bit longer than it should at times.  Even with that problem, I love working for Primanti Brothers.  It is a great experience that has led me to meet very helpful people, as well as make many regulars and create repeat visitors for their store.

I am required to wear a uniform that consists of jeans, non-slip shoes and a Primanti Brothers t-shirt. Depending on what position I am taking when going into work I am either a waitress or a food runner. As a food runner I maintain my station at the window in the kitchen and check peoples food orders to assure they're correct then take the food to the costumer. I clean up my space at the end of my shift and collect 1.5% of the servers sales as a tip. If I am working as a waitress I take the costumers food and drink orders and maintain their beverages and other accommodations they may need throughout their stay. At the end of my shift I am assigned a duty that I must complete before I can clock out. I must also make sure that the section I was assigned that evening is in top shape. The most enjoyable part of my job is my friendly co-workers. The hardest part of my job is the slow days where I make less than minimum wage and feel as if I could of done better.

My typical day starts out busy from the start, we prep everything fresh daily, have an upbeat pre-shift , some friendly competition and we get the ball rolling.  We are typically pretty busy, I am often in position, cooking, bar-tending as well as managing.  We continuously focus on labor and food cost, keeping those numbers low are very crucial in building this brand.  My days are often twelve hours long and I think that is the hardest part of my job.  I work between 60 and 70 hours a week and although I love my job, it has really killed any chance of a home life for me.  I am very passionate about the company itself and the people I have on my team.  My team is my motivation.  I went from being an assistant to a general manager pretty quickly I have learned so much and I am so thankful for the opportunity I was given.  I am however working on my degree in business management/marketing and it has been rough keeping up with the two.

This restaurant is the most unorganized poorly managed restaurant I have ever worked for ! It’s filthy and the servers here are lazy and not held accountable for anything . I felt like I worked at a zoo! The general manager spends most of his time paper pushing ! They other manager spent most of his time on facebook or cursing out employees ! At one point there was a rat found in the ice bin that they serve ice to guest and everyone just laughed about it . Cooks don’t use gloves .... most of the servers are TERRIBLE ! I would not recommend working here nor eating here ! You bring in about 20-50 dollars a day ! The turn over rate between managers/servers/cooks was ridiculous! Do yourself of a favor and don’t put yourself through this head ache. You have to host, expo, answer phones, serve, and do dishes for 2.83! Save yourself the stress ! This is a cheap poorly ran company.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Assistant restaurant manager 95 salaries reported	$63,100 per year
Line cook 12 salaries reported	$19.83 per hour
General manager 24 salaries reported	$73,958 per year
Restaurant staff 11 salaries reported	$15.27 per hour
Medical technologist 2 salaries reported	$15.50 per hour

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