14 Pros and Cons of Working for KFC

When it comes to choosing a job, it’s best always to know what type of benefits and drawbacks it has.

KFC is an establishment that has been around since 1952 and has become one of the biggest fast-food joints.

So, if you want to apply or work for them, you should know what they offer.

Below, we’ll walk you through the different pros and cons of working for the company.

Additionally, we will also provide you with adequate information so that you can succeed in maximizing your benefits during the interview process.

So, let’s get to it!

Table of Contents

Pros of Working for KFC
Cons of Working for KFC
14 Pros and Cons of Working for KFC – Summary Table
Should You Work for KFC?

Pros of Working for KFC

Working at KFC has a large handful of benefits.

While KFC is still a fast food company, they do their best to provide workers with some benefits other places do not.

Below, we’ll summarize the benefits and pros of working at KFC.

1. Flexible Hours

Similar to other fast-food jobs, KFC is flexible with its shifts.

You can work with their scheduling if you need to work on specific days or hours.

This is ideal for candidates still in high school or attending university.

Aside from that, you can either pick up the morning or night shift.

You won’t be penalized if you need to cancel and can easily change your shift to a different day.

The only thing you will need to keep track of is that you’re working a minimum number of hours, or else they will reduce you to part-time.

2. Paid Time Off & Vacation Time

After working for the company for one year, you will be offered paid vacations and PTO.

For paid vacation, most employees only get 37-40 hours per year.

However, this is only for full-time employees who work 40 hours a week.

If you work less than 40 hours, you won’t be eligible for PTO or vacation time.

So, it’s best that you keep this in mind. Your location might not honor this, as the store’s owner determines this.

Before applying, check to see if they offer these benefits.

3. Free Meals

Per shift, employees will get a free meal from the establishment.

They will have to consume it on the premises.

Otherwise, they must pay for the food they take from the location.

Each shift is generally four hours, so you can get up to two meals if you work the full day.

However, meals are limited in some areas.

Some establishments only provide free meals to managers, while employees must pay $3 to eat what they want.

On the other hand, some stores allow employees to eat a free meal of up to $5 in value.

4. Employee Discount

Aside from free meals, employees will also receive an employee discount.

This covers a 50% discount on food items purchased from the store.

However, employees must order from the store that they work from.

They must also purchase the food while they are on duty.

Before getting excited, one must know that the discount can vary by location and job title.

Some employees might have a higher discount while others will be lower.

Be sure to check with your store location beforehand.

5. Bonus Program

KFC employees will gain access to a bonus program after six months.

The program is designed to provide an average annual of $2,185.

The bonus is based on the job title and your time there.

For a general manager, you can expect a $4,000 annual bonus.

However, for an assistant, you can expect only $2,000.

Some employees won’t be able to get any bonus pay, as it’s designed for full-time employees and only specific positions.

6. Holiday Pay

Employees get holiday pay for federal holidays at KFC.

They also get a Christmas bonus and extra pay.

When employees work on holidays, and they can expect a minimum of a time and a half.

Although, some past employees have mentioned that their holiday pay isn’t always available at every location.

Some KFC franchises are closed on holidays, so employees cannot get holiday pay.

7. Development Program Access

All employees must go through KFC’s structured orientation and training programs.

The training generally lasts a week to a few weeks.

Once completed, employees will be able to work on their own.

Aside from that, KFC also has connections for university business management degrees.

Spending on your location, you might be able to get into a university to move up into the company.

However, this isn’t always guaranteed, as some locations have reported no mentorship or development programs.

Cons of Working for KFC

Aside from the benefits, there are also drawbacks.

Before applying at KFC, you should also know what others say about the job and what t lacks.

Below, we’ll cover the cons of being a KFC employee.

1. No Dental or Health Insurance

For crew members, many have listed that no dental or health insurance is offered.

For managers or other job titles, they were offered full benefits and health and dental insurance.

So, it’s best to ask before you apply for the position.

Aside from that, this is also location-based.

Some plans even included vision and disability coverage.

You won’t have any medical coverage if you are a line cook, cashier, or shift manager.

Also, medical coverage for certain job titles is only offered if you work at least 40 hours a week.

These hours are not always guaranteed.

2. No PTO

Some employees have stated they don’t get paid time off after a year of working for the company.

The positions that generally don’t offer are cashier, fast food attendant, and some shift managers and supervisor positions.

However, assistant managers, team leaders, and customer service representatives have stated they gain PTO.

Since there is some variability, you should ask when applying for a position.

Otherwise, you might not get any PTO or vacation time.

3. No 401(k) Contributions

Most positions at KFC do not have any 401(k) contributions or retirement plans.

So, if you plan to apply, you must account for this.

During some positions used to previously offer these benefits, employees report that they are no longer being offered this benefit.

From what we could gather, KFC might offer these plans after working with the company for over a year or more.

However, this is not always the case.

4. No Sick Leave

One of the biggest drawbacks of working at KFC is that you don’t get sick leave.

You must use the PTO days accumulated throughout the year if you are sick.

The company could let you go if you choose not to do this.

KFC has strict regulations for missing shifts, so you must get a doctor’s note.

Even then, the company may not be able to help you.

If you feel like you will miss a shift, schedule with your shift manager so they can find someone to fill in for you.

5. Low Pay

KFC is considered a low-pay job in the United States compared to other jobs.

Some states even pay as low as $8.00 per hour, which is very close to the federal minimum wage.

If you want to get more out of your job, you shouldn’t apply.

Even for shift managers, you can only expect to make around $15 to $18 on average.

Unless you plan to become a general manager, then we don’t suggest applying if you can’t afford to make low pay.

6. No Maternity Leave

If you are expecting a child, don’t count on KFC to provide maternity leave.

Most locations will not provide maternity leave to anyone who isn’t working higher than a general manager.

If you are pregnant, you will also not be given time off for visiting doctors or rescheduling.

Even after the child is born, KFC employees report that shift managers have little control over providing extra days off.

If you work full-time, you will be reduced to part-time or let go if you can’t cover your normal shifts.

7. Fast-Paced Environment

Working at KFC is hard work, and you will only be making minimum wage or a bit more.

Depending on your experience, the fast-food world is exhausting and has long hours.

If unprepared to meet pressure and orders, you will not enjoy working at this establishment.

In addition, there is no room for mistakes, and you will likely be working side by side with a Tacobell establishment.

Plus, you may also end up working around hot oil and grease, which can add to the pressure of working fast and may lead to injuries.