Applebee’s is a popular casual dining restaurant with locations across the country.
In fact, nearly every city and most towns have, if not several, Applebee’s locations.
When it comes to working for Applebee’s, reviews are mixed.
Some employees really enjoy the job, while others have few good things to say about this career choice.
Table of Contents
Pros of Working for Applebee’s
- No Experience Required
- Paid Training
- Servers Get Tips
- Flexible Schedule
- Learn New Skills
- Good Coworkers
- Interacting with Customers
- Cross Training
No Experience Required
According to Applebees, 1 year of experience in food service is preferred.
However, it’s not required.
If you are willing to learn, there’s a good chance that you can find a job at Applebees.
It’s a great first job, which can give you valuable work experience.
It’s also a good way to get into the food service industry, if you don’t have experience in this area.
Paid Training
Another benefit of working for Applebees is that they provide paid training.
This is very important, because some restaurants don’t provide proper training.
You’ll learn everything you need to know to do your job correctly, before you are expected to work on your own.
You’ll only get paid minimum wage for training, but at least you are getting compensated.
Servers Get Tips
Whether this is a pro or a con is debatable.
In some ways, it’s both, which is why you’ll find it mentioned in both the pros and cons.
Tips provide immediate gratification.
You are able to go home with money in your pocket at the end of every shift you work as a server.
It also motivates you to work hard.
How much money you earn, depends, at least in part, on how good you are at your job and your work ethic.
Many servers enjoy this, because it gives them motivation and a sense of control over their earnings.
Flexible Schedule
This varies some based on the location, but generally, Applebees is willing to work with you on your schedule.
If you are currently in school or have another job, this is very important.
It’s also key if you have family responsibilities, which means you need to be at home at certain times.
Learn New Skills
Many employees mention that they enjoy learning new skills while working at Applebees.
If you are a hostess or server, you’ll gain customer service experience.
If you work in the kitchen, you’ll learn how to prep food and cook many different dishes.
Working at Applebees will also teach you time management and how to work as part of a team, regardless of your position.
The skills you gain while working at Applebees can benefit you throughout your life.
You’ll use them in your personal life, as well as your career, no matter your career path.
Good Coworkers
Applebee’s employees frequently mention enjoying working with their coworkers.
Employees are typically friendly and nice, which makes working there more enjoyable.
It’s also part of Applebee’s culture.
The company is very team oriented, and try to hire employees that have this value as well.
Getting along with coworkers has several benefits, including increased productivity, employee retention, and employee satisfaction.
Interacting with Customers
Many front-line workers mention this as the biggest benefit of working at Applebees.
They say that they love getting to know their customers.
Hosts will spend a little time with each customer that comes in during their shift.
Servers won’t interact with every customer, but they have much more interaction with guests seated in their area.
They can take the time to talk with the customers.
These chats can be very enjoyable.
Both hosts and servers get to interact with a wide variety of people.
This can be beneficial in future careers as well.
As the workplace becomes more diverse, it’s important to be comfortable interacting with people who are different than you.
Cross Training
Not all employees at Applebee’s are cross-trained, but many are.
This can make you more valuable as an employee.
You may also be able to pick up more hours, because you can work in different positions.
It can also prevent you from getting bored or burned out, because you won’t always be doing the same thing.
Cross training also allows you to learn more valuable skills than simply working in one position.
Cons of Working for Applebee’s
Working for Applebee’s certainly has its good points, but it also has some downsides.
Let’s take a look at the cons most mentioned by employees.
Cons of working for Applebee’s include:
- Low Pay
- Poor Tips
- Poor Management
- Difficult Customers or Staff Members
- Side Work
- Unpredictable Schedule
- Difficult to Get Time Off
- Stressful
Low Pay
How much you make at Applebee’s will vary greatly based on your position and your location.
However, one of the most common complaints from employees is that they aren’t paid well.
In fact, an Indeed survey revealed that only 28% of Applebee’s employees agreed or strongly agreed that they are paid fairly for the work that they do.
This is a very low rate.
Poor Tips
This is where we take another look at tips.
Many servers state that they make minimum wage or less when tips are factored in.
This is because servers aren’t paid the standard minimum wage.
There’s a separate minimum wage set for tipped employees, because the majority of their pay comes from their tips.
The minimum wage for tipped employees is supposed to be equal to or more than the minimum wage once the wage and tips are added together.
However, this isn’t always the case.
The minimum wage for tipped employees is often as low as $2.25 per hour.
Of course, tips are also unpredictable.
Servers at some Applebee’s locations get generous tips, while employees in other locations get low tips.
Tips also vary based on the hours you work, how busy the day is, how many customers are seated in your area, and the amount of side work you are required to do.
Poor Management
Like any workplace, management has a big impact on what it’s like to work at Applebees.
Many employees state that they have great managers.
Others rate their manager as average, stating that they don’t handle busy times well.
However, other employees have a horrible experience with their manager.
This can make working there a negative experience as well.
Difficult Staff Members or Customers
Anytime you are interacting with people, you’ll find a mix of positive and negative individuals.
Customers have expectations when visiting Applebees, and can become angry if these expectations aren’t met.
Coworkers can also be difficult.
The most common complaint is lazy coworkers.
However, some employees mention rude employees or even coworkers that steal their tips.
Side Work
Servers are expected to do side work, which can vary based on the location.
This can include doing dishes, cleaning areas other than tables, and making rolls of silverware.
Side work is part of the package of being a server, no matter where you work.
However, you aren’t getting tipped for side work.
This means that you are performing side work for very low pay.
If the side work can be done along with your regular duties, this isn’t a big problem.
However, it’s an issue if you have to spend a lot of time before or after your shift doing side work.
Unpredictable Schedule
The flexible schedule that is a pro for many employees can also be a con.
This is because your schedule at Applebees will likely be unpredictable.
Hours usually vary from one week to the next.
Some employees mention that the schedule changes in the middle of the week, because other employees will be absent.
It’s common for the schedule to be made on Sunday, with the work week starting on Monday.
This gives very little notice ahead of time.
You will be expected to work weekends, and some holidays as well.
Difficult to Get Time Off
This will vary somewhat based on management at your location.
It’s also affected by whether or not there are enough employees.
If you need time off, you may be expected to find someone to cover your shifts.
If you can’t cover the shift, it can be counted as an absence which can affect your job.
Full time employees receive paid time off at most locations.
However, employees say that getting this time off is nearly impossible.
No Breaks
Employees are often expected to work their entire shift without a break.
Legally, you are entitled to a 30 minute break if you work an 8 hour shift.
However, there’s no break requirement for shorter shifts.
16 Pros and Cons of Working for Applebee’s – Summary Table
| Pros of Working for Applebee's | Cons of Working for Applebee's |
|---|---|
| No Experience Required | Low Pay |
| Paid Training | Poor Tips |
| Servers Get Tips | Poor Management |
| Flexible Schedule | Difficult Customers or Staff Members |
| Learn New Skills | Side Work |
| Good Coworkers | Unpredictable Schedule |
| Interacting with Customers | Difficult to Get Time Off |
| Cross Training | Stressful |
Should You Work for Applebees?
If you enjoy interacting with people or cooking, Applebees can be a good place to work.
It’s a great way to gain experience and skills that are beneficial long after you’ve left the company.
However, you’ll need to be prepared to deal with difficult customers or team members, unpredictable hours, and low pay.
Whether the pros outweigh the cons depend on your personal needs and preferences.
