team member

store manager

assistant manager

shift leader

cashier

Ritas Italian Ice

The job is simple. As a morning shifter, you are responsible for making all the ices for the day. Where I worked it was a store and not a stand, so making the place look presentable was also my job. There were some aspects I looked forward to: posting something creative on the store's Instagram page, drawing Ice Guy on the white board, getting x amount of tips. The rest of the job was pretty mundane if not stressful.

Most of the time, morning shifters work by themselves, and at the time the owner's appearances were sparse. The new owners are almost always there and answer phone calls quickly if I needed anything at all. But I was alone most of the time. Some people like having company, but I preferred doing everything on my own. I could do things at my own pace.

The nitty gritty of the job is just, in a word, sticky. You must make sure the ices are thouroughly pumped throughout the day or they will be harder to scoop, either too hard or too melted. The biggest mistake you can make is forgetting the the 3 S's. Scoop, scrape, smooth. It makes your life so much easier.

The mornings usually start out slow and pick up as people are just leaving school and work. You'll have the rare moment of having a line of 10 out the door, but it'll die off again. Sometimes this'll happen several times a day. Just remember the night shifters have this all night long every night. If that's your shift, good luck.

The bane of your existence, the first day of spring, will surely add a feather to your headdress. If your experience is better than mine, you'll have someone there to help you. Otherwise, forget all the rules and just scoop. SCOOP! Also wear gloves or your hands will reek of mango for 3 days. 

As the title indicates, this job is perfect for girls (or boys) in high school and college students with open mornings in their schedule. Also, all the free ice and custard you can eat while on your shift. Go nuts.

During my time working at Rita's in Cary, N.C., I encountered several issues that made me feel uncomfortable and unappreciated. Despite the company's emphasis on "respect, inclusivity, and inclusion," I experienced disrespectful behavior from some of my coworkers and felt that my concerns were not taken seriously by management.

Early on, I had a negative experience with a fellow team member who was rude and disrespectful towards me in front of customers. When I brought this up to my manager, I was disappointed by the dismissive response I received. I also felt uncomfortable with a new coworker who seemed to monitor and question my actions while serving customers, and despite raising this issue with my manager, the situation did not improve.

Furthermore, I discovered that a coworker had been promoted to a managerial position without the knowledge of most of the staff. This individual had previously made derogatory remarks, and I regretted not addressing this issue at the time. I also raised concerns about favoritism and a lack of professionalism among the team, but my feedback seemed to fall on deaf ears.

Ultimately, these experiences led me to resign from my position. I expressed my concerns to the manager, but unfortunately, I did not feel that my feedback was valued. This experience has highlighted the importance of creating a respectful and inclusive work environment, and I hope that these issues can be addressed for the benefit of the employees and the company as a whole.

The work was decent, I enjoyed serving most customers. Worked my way up quick to manager right before I left. The owners couldn’t communicate effectively, and the one enjoyed manipulation of employees. I handled the schedule making for 2 months and only had an issue with a stormer who honestly needed to be fired for multiple reasons including showing up high to the job. I also made sure the store was cleaned past basic health standards and that employees washed hands after handling any transactions. The owners only pushed for the most basic health standards and requirements. The fellow employees were decent, yet did not care for the job and became sluggish. When I didn’t close, not everything would get done how it really should have. I left because I was essentially told my work wasn’t valued, and that the actions of others was my fault. The owner would not let me use the electronic online system to set the schedule, instead I had to write it in pencil on a piece of paper “for all to see when they come in” despite having a floating weekly schedule- meaning no one knew their first day they were supposed to work unless I texted them their schedule, or told them if they worked Friday and Saturday. I did both for a fellow employee who decided to not show up despite requesting a double, as well as being told 2 different ways they were working that day. The owners then proceeded to talk bad about me behind my back for the fault of the other employee so I quit.

I work at Rita’s for a few months and the work itself was not bad. Scooping the water ice was pretty fun and I enjoyed making ice cream cones and talking to customers. However, I had written on my application and told my manager multiple times that I could never work on Mondays, but would consistently be scheduled for that day anyway. Every time the schedule would be released I would notify my manager and remind them that I was unable to work that day of the week, but nothing ever changed. After a while, my manger stopped giving me hours and eventually took me out of the staff chat. They never actually told me I was fired, but instead just “ghosted” me and I had to call and text multiple times to get any sort of response/explaination. When I finally got a hold of my manager he said that “I would always call out for one reason or another” even though I had told them from the very beginning that I could not work that one day. They then proceeded to tell me that they had decided to hire a college student instead. I am not impressed with how the management handled this situation at all. I believe that I at least deserved to be told if I was being fired (even if it was not for something I actually did wrong).

Rita's Italian Ice is an ideal option for job-seeking teens and young adults, especially students. Working with food requires strict attention and careful precision, as well as awareness of your surroundings.  Preparing water ice for eager customers on a hot summer day is satisfying and rewarding. Summer's peak gives way to an endless queue of orders split between three frantic windows. These chaotic evenings are well balanced by the typical leisurely pace of the morning and afternoon. Opportunities for relaxing are abundant on rainy days and during the beginning and end of the season. Employees are in charge of cleaning dishes and buckets, mixing ice, closing, and opening shop. They even prepare the registers in the morning. But most importantly is the customer service aspect of Rita's. My experience on Spruce Street was enjoyable in terms of customers. There were regulars with whom I became friendly and familiar with their "usuals". They tipped well and we made good conversation. The manager was interesting. He was friendly and relatable. We got along well and I was a quick learner. I left due to a disagreement between the two of us. All in all, it was a good job.

This was my first job and it is perfect for teenagers in high school. I was quickly promoted to be a manager. It's great for young adults to learn how to maintain a small work space and interact with customers. The culture is great because it is a small store and you work with everyone, it's like you're working with your friends. When there is down time or it is raining, it can be slow and it is like you're hanging out with friends. It can be slow depending on the weather but it's the perfect balance because it can get slammed busy with a line to the street on hot summer nights and especially for the first day of spring. A typical work day includes cleaning work stations, keeping toppings, ice, custard, and other products like straws, spoons, napkins, and dishes filled. As a manager, you must take hourly reads of the registers, make ice to sell, and train and delegate assignments to treat team members. The hardest part of the job would be difficult customers who are trying to get something for free but that would depend on your location. My store was located in front of an apartment complex. The most enjoyable part of the job is the job itself, it is an easy job and people are usually in a good mood when they are getting sweets.

Working at Rita’s Italian Ice has been a fun and fast-paced experience that blends customer service with a lively team atmosphere. From the first day of training, I felt welcomed and supported by both management and coworkers. The environment is upbeat, especially during the warmer months when the store gets busy and the line stretches out the door. While the rush can be intense, it creates a sense of teamwork that makes each shift go by quickly.

One of the best parts of the job is interacting with customers. Many families and regulars return throughout the season, and it’s rewarding to serve familiar faces and see how much they enjoy the products. The menu is simple to learn, and preparing the Italian ice and custard is straightforward once you get the hang of it.

Management does a good job of keeping expectations clear, emphasizing cleanliness, speed, and friendly service. Scheduling is generally flexible, which is helpful for students balancing school and extracurricular activities. Like any food service job, it requires standing for long periods and staying focused during busy hours, but the positive atmosphere makes it worthwhile. Overall, it’s a great first job that builds responsibility and communication skills.


A typical work day is a four hour shift. Whether it is morning, middle or night shift, I would begin with what needs to be done first and make sure things are where they should be. Most shifts (any of the three), I would have another treat team member helping me and we would work together, if and when needed. I learned responsibilities are important and you have to take them very seriously. Even a small mistake can make things difficult to keep the store running smoothly. My favorite part of the job was giving recommendations to new and old customers. The hardest part of the job, for me, was learning to make the ice. I improved the longer I worked there though. My boss was great. He was very encouraging and thought I was a good example for new treat team members to follow and learn from. The workplace was comfortable and safe and public. This store was near a movie theater so weekends were normally the busiest times, especially during hot summer days. A sign in the store even said "Pick up happiness."

My typical work day at Rita's Italian ice, I start off by opening the store and preparing the store with essentials to withstand all day at the store until the closing lead or one of the partners comes in. By doing so, I typically have to make ices for the day and extra if needed, I supply all the items needed to the team leaders to make their treats. I usually run the store by myself until a closing lead gets there, often times I have had guests during a rush hour, and I managed the treats, samples, customer service and the register all at once. Id have to say the most difficult part of the job would be assuring the flavors of that week. Usually we try to replenish at least one of each ice regularly. However, this system cuts from the more rare flavors we carry.

When I am closing the store, I am breaking down the store from when the opener set up the store. I am also inputting in the corporate system of the sales we made of the day as well as counting the bank as well as dropping the cash into the safe that we made in sales that day.

Rita's is honestly more of a place to work if it's your first job.  That doesn't mean it is a bad place to work but for someone older than 21 it is not ideal.  I started my Rita's career college.  I was 23 and at first I thought the job was fantastic, it was putting a little money in my pocket but as each season past it became more stressful, I found myself 10 years older than a lot of the staff there and it was a hectic environment and not just with customers.  A job is only as fun as you make it and as hard as I tried I found my job to be a chore, I loved working at Rita's I really did but when staff doesn't listen, shift leaders are calling you constantly and the store owner is having you do a billion things before you leave and there is a line down the road it's really hard to manage.  Again it was my first job outside of my work study and I have to say I am glad i had the chance to learn and grow and I did all of that at Rita's but the amount of stress that came with it in the end was unwanted.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Team member 27 salaries reported	$12.74 per hour
Store manager 4 salaries reported	$20.78 per hour
Assistant manager 1 salary reported	$20.50 per hour
Shift leader 10 salaries reported	$16.93 per hour
Cashier 1 salary reported	$10.50 per hour

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