Wingstop is a fast food company that serves up hot wings.
They have 12 signature flavors.
According to the company, their best flavor is their people.
Do they really value their employees?
Is Wingstop a good place to work?
Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of working at Wingstop.
Table of Contents
Pros of Working at Wingstop
According to employees, there are quite a few pros of working at Wingstop.
These include:
- Free or reduced meals
- Flexible hours
- Friendly coworkers
- Laid back atmosphere
- No experience required (good first job)
- Learn new skills
- Stable hours with overtime opportunity
Free or Reduced Meals
Like many places that serve food, Wingstop offers free or reduced meals to their employees.
This is convenient because it makes it easy and inexpensive for employees to eat while they are on their break.
Some locations offer free drinks for all employees, and free meals if you work a full shift.
Others offer free food to everyone, regardless of their scheduled hours.
A 20% discount on food when you aren’t working is also pretty common at Wingstop.
Flexible Hours
One of the best things about working for Wingstop is that the hours are flexible.
You can base your schedule around your personal preferences.
Are you a night owl or an early bird?
You’ll likely get scheduled for these shifts.
It’s even more important if you are in school or have another job.
Wingstop typically gives priority to those who must have certain hours off due to these commitments, but seem willing to work with anyone on their schedule as much as possible.
Friendly Coworkers
Most Wingstop employees mention friendly coworkers as a benefit of working there.
According to Chron, positive relationships with coworkers increase employee productivity, retention, and satisfaction.
While it’s unlikely that you’ll like everyone you work with, there’s a good chance that you’ll enjoy working with many of your coworkers, which makes the workday more enjoyable.
Laid Back Atmosphere
Most employees say that Wingstop has a laid-back atmosphere, rather than strict rules and expectations.
If this is your style, you’ll enjoy working at Wingstop.
Of course, this will vary based on your location and the management at your store.
However, the overall company culture seems to be fairly relaxed.
No Experience Required
Wingstop has two entry-level positions for team members.
Guest Service experts are responsible for interacting with employees.
They take orders, handle payments, and answer the phones.
Flavor experts work in the kitchen, creating hot wings.
They don’t directly interact with customers often.
Instead, they focus on fulfilling the customer’s orders.
Previous experience in these positions may help you get hired, but it’s not required.
This makes Wingstop a good choice for a first job.
Learn New Skills and Gain Experience
This is another perk of working for Wingstop, particularly if you have little or no work experience.
Even if you have previous experience, chances are you’ll gain some new skills while you work.
Guest service experts gain valuable customer service skills, which can help you throughout your professional and personal life.
Flavor experts learn how to handle kitchen duties, including running fryers.
Both positions allow you to learn time management, communication skills, and how to manage stress when working in a fast paced environment.
Stable Hours With Opportunity for Overtime
Full-time Wingstop employees typically enjoy steady hours.
It’s common for fast food restaurants to schedule you for varying hours.
You may work 20 hours one week, and 40 hours the next, based on when you are needed.
However, Wingstop employees say that their hours may vary slightly, but they typically get a reliable number of hours each week.
This makes it easier to manage your finances because you know what to expect.
They also say that overtime is available if you want it.
Cons of Working at Wingstop
Wingstop does offer a lot of positives.
However, there are also some downsides.
The cons of working at Wingstop include:
- Fast-paced
- Stressful
- Poor management
- Immature coworkers
- Low pay
- Demanding work
- Lack of breaks, long hours
- No direct deposit (some locations)
- No benefits until 1 year of employment
Fast Paced
Some employees love the fast-paced environment of Wingstop, but others aren’t a fan.
When working at Wingstop, things are usually slow or really busy.
To work there, you need to be able to keep up with the pace and unpredictability.
Stressful
Along with the fast pace comes stress.
It simply comes along with busy times.
You’ll feel pressure to get tasks completed very quickly and efficiently.
Like the fast pace, some people thrive under this type of stress.
It brings out the best in them.
However, not everyone copes with the pressure well.
If you have difficulty with high pressure or stressful situations, Wingstop may not be the best place for you to work.
Poor management
Poor management is a common complaint employees have, across all workplaces and industries.
One reason for this is because no matter what job you have, you’ll encounter some members of management that really shouldn’t be in the position.
Some “bad” managers don’t do much of anything.
They don’t provide the leadership needed to keep the workplace running smoothly.
On the other end of the spectrum are managers who are too authoritative.
Even though Wingstop is usually pretty laid back, an overbearing manager can give you a very different experience.
Some Wingstop employees say that they’ve even been berated or verbally abused by management.
This seems to be the exception to the rule, but it does occur.
Immature coworkers
You’ve read about the benefits of great coworkers.
Unfortunately, like managers, not all coworkers are charming or even professional.
This is particularly true at Wingstop, because there are many younger employees.
52% of employees are between 20-30 years old, but 38% are 20 or younger, with most of these employees being between 18-20.
Of course, being young doesn’t automatically equal immaturity or rudeness.
However, employees at this age are more likely to have trouble getting along with coworkers than older employees.
Low pay
Wingstop employees frequently mention that they feel the pay is too low for the work that they do.
Entry level workers usually make $12-$14 an hour, with shift leaders making about $15.
This is comparable to many similar fast food companies.
However, it’s still reasonable to feel that you should receive better pay, particularly if you are good at your job.
Demanding work
Working at Wingstop can be physically demanding.
Kitchen workers may need to lift heavy boxes of food or other items.
The kitchen can also become hot, due to the fryers.
You’ll also spend hours on your feet.
While front line workers don’t typically lift heavy items, they are on their feet for long periods of time.
They are also expected to move quickly, and may walk from one station to another often.
They may also deliver food to customers waiting at tables.
Lack of breaks, long hours
Fast food companies are not required to offer frequent breaks.
Under the law, it’s assumed that you have the opportunity to grab a drink or use the restroom while on the clock, so they don’t have to give you a break every couple of hours.
They do have to give you a lunch break that is at least 30 minutes long if you work for an 8 hour shift.
However, you can legally work 6 hours without a single break.
Hours usually aren’t extremely long at Wingstop.
However, there may be occasions when they are short-staffed and you are asked or told to stay past your regular shift.
These days can be long.
No Direct Deposit (some locations)
Some Wingstop locations may offer direct deposit, but some don’t.
If you want the convenience of direct deposit, this is certainly a con.
No Benefits Until 1 Year of Employment
On the plus side, Wingstop does offer benefits to full-time employees.
The downside is that you’ll need to work there for a year to be eligible for them.
Benefits vary by location, but can include paid vacation time, medical and dental insurance, and education reimbursement.
16 Pros and Cons of Working for Wingstop – Summary Table
| Pros of Working at Wingstop | Cons of Working at Wingstop |
|---|---|
| Free or reduced meals | Fast-paced |
| Flexible hours | Stressful |
| Friendly coworkers | Poor management |
| Laid back atmosphere | Immature coworkers |
| No experience required | Low pay |
| Learn new skills | Demanding work |
| Stable hours with overtime opportunity | Lack of breaks, long hours |
| No direct deposit (some locations) | |
| No benefits until 1 year of employment |
Should You Work at Wingstop?
Wondering if Wingstop is the right place for you to work?
There are a few things to consider.
If you want a job with a flexible schedule, Wingstop is a great choice.
Most employees find working at Wingstop enjoyable and have likable coworkers.
The job allows you to gain valuable experience and skills, which is particularly important if you don’t have a lot of job experience.
However, the job is fast-paced, stressful, and physically demanding.
The pay is average for the industry, but it’s far from lucrative.
You’ll need to be prepared for these realities if you want to work for Wingstop.
Should you work at Wingstop?
If the positives of the job are important to you, and you can handle the negative aspects, absolutely.
If you don’t feel like you can cope with the demands of the job, it’s not a great fit.
