kitchen manager

assistant manager

chef

line cook

head chef

Greene King

You sign a 48 hour contract but in the entire time I worked there I never done less than 50 with 60 hours being the average week. The assistant manager has to do the closing shift on literally every shift while the general managers rarely work evenings. You rarely have team leaders either it is cheaper to just use you so when the general manager is off which is actually a lot you are on your own. There is opportunity to progress but you need to give up your one day off if you get it to work towards it. On rare good weeks you might get 2 days. 

There is no support for assistant managers from general managers you just take the blame for anything that is wrong in the pub. There is no recognition I never got a thank you from anyone for weeks I worked 65-75 hours. The rotas are awful, your hours can generally be set as an assistant manager as you will be put on 5/6 closes a week so you always know you will be in but team rotas get cut on Monday for that week even though head office praise themselves for giving teams 3 weeks of rotas where general managers make them up and change them the Monday the weeks start then he sends them in whatsapp groups and people obviously have problems as they cant do certain shifts which is where you will be expected to cover and just run short, don't even think about saying no you will be threatened with disciplinary action if you wont work for free. When you do get a day off don't bother trying to enjoy it you will get harassing messages from your general manager in the morning about how incompetent you are and then that you are required to cover someones shift. You are free labour after you do 48 hours, they will use you as free labour. 

The best part of working for Greene King is the guests, you can get really nice regulars but a lot of complaints because of waiting times due to being understaffed all the time, something you are blamed for when they write to head office, not that you can blame them when they treat the customers nearly as bad as the staff. A lot of the food some of which is expensive at menu price is boil in a bag or chuck in the microwave. You are not able to actually be a manager that is not what Greene King want you are the bartender, the waitress, the host instead of being able to manage properly so you are always behind on stuff that needs doing as a manager such as stock counting because you are stuck behind the bar or doing a waitresses job, if you don't get the stuff done you're in trouble so usually you have to start even earlier, do it in your "break" or do it all at midnight. Greene King do not allow labour budgets for food prep, counting stock or admin, kitchen managers have to do their actual jobs in their own time too. If a contractor comes in you cant deal with them because as I said you are in a team members role. Oh and forget taking your breaks you will get 3 hour breaks put on the rota to make it look good on team hours and your general manager will change it if you clock back in to make himself look good but you cant leave the pub and you are expected to deal with complaints, vouchers, contractors etc because there is no other manager to cover your break.

Night Porter starts at 11pm so functions, weddings will still be in progress. Secure building as best you can, not all doors lock, some will still be in use. Check equipment for the shift, mobile phone, keys, hoover, fire alarms, doors, function sheets, wedding plans, etc.Chat with the duty manager to get an idea of the day, any problems you're inheriting and what's planned for the next day. Find out if there are any incoming late check ins.

Set to cleaning areas that are clear of guests, restaurant etc. Hope you like hoovering :)

Once areas like the ballroom & bar are clear of guests you can lock the remaining doors. Then start clearing down glasses, rubbish, crockery, decorations, tables and chairs.

By now most of the remaining staff will have been working a LONG day which may even have included a split shift so will pass as much of their work on to you as they can, watch out!

Make a plan as to the next days functions, table layouts, items needed and the most efficient way to move items needed / not needed to limit walking. 11km per night when I tracked it, honestly!

By now if you're lucky you're alone and you can steam ahead. If not there will be staff on site drinking. Though this limits you it does mean that any customers still on site can be left to be watched by the staff and you can crack on.

By 3am you should have cleared most big functions like weddings and have hoovered the entire hotel main site. You should be well on the way to completing the gathering of items needed for the next function. If it's a wedding you'll need to check you've enough cutlery, glasses etc. You never have enough hehe!

By 4am you should have enough time for breakfast! If not it was Xmas, there was never enough time at Xmas!

Mop all hard floors, clean yourself up and set to getting the breakfast bar setup. 6am to 7am you should be nearing the end of the setups, putting out the milk, juices etc and by now you should have a chef to chat to!

If you're very lucky a manager will arrive before the end of your shift and you can leave. If not you wait with no idea when you can leave and you wont get paid for it....

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Best part of it is working alone. Second was one of the chefs, he made being there great! Some of the staff were nice and trustworthy.

Worst parts. Other staff loading their work on you and always being able to do so. Not having ANY fire training. Direction in general was very lacking so if you can't think on your feet you may not like it. Planning for most functions is on you, table layouts etc. Getting equipment repaired, forget it. Cheapest hoover bags made life great fun. Finding the hoover was sometimes an hour or more....

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A great eye opener for sure :)

As an employee at Greene King I am proud to say that I have had an overall positive experience working with this company. With a rich history in the hospitality industry and a strong commitment to delivering exceptional customer service Greene King has established itself as a reputable and successful organization.

One of the aspects that sets Greene King apart from other companies is their emphasis on employee engagement and development. From the moment I joined I could feel the genuine care and support provided by the management and the HR team. They maintain an open-door policy encouraging employees to voice their opinions concerns and ideas. This inclusive approach fosters a positive work environment contributing to team spirit and overall job satisfaction.

Another commendable aspect of working at Greene King is the emphasis on training and development. The company recognizes the importance of investing in its employees and provides ample opportunities for personal and professional growth. Whether it's through their online training modules workshops or comprehensive mentoring programs Greene King consistently encourages employees to learn and excel in their roles.

The company also shows dedication to promoting work-life balance which is crucial for employee well-being. I have found that Greene King understands the importance of time off and offers flexible scheduling options to accommodate personal commitments. This flexibility greatly contributes to employee satisfaction and helps create a positive work-life balance.

In terms of work environment Greene King strives to maintain high standards. The company encourages a culture of teamwork support and respect. I have witnessed colleagues supporting each other during busy and challenging times creating a harmonious and cooperative atmosphere. The management team is attentive to the well-being of their staff and goes above and beyond to ensure a safe and comfortable work environment.

However like any workplace there are still areas that can be improved. Communication at times could be more consistent and transparent. While efforts are made to address this enhancing communication channels between departments and ensuring information flows smoothly throughout the organization would provide employees with greater clarity and engagement.

In conclusion Greene King is a company that values its employees and takes pride in creating a positive and supportive work environment. From providing ample training opportunities to fostering work-life balance the company demonstrates genuine care for its employees. With ongoing efforts to improve communication I believe that Greene King has the potential to become an even stronger workplace in the future.

The Chase Gate, Cannock. 

This team were the most unwelcoming team I was ever a part of. They were very clicky and very stuck in their ways, so much so, that every time a new member of staff came along, they were horrible to them!
They would leave new members of staff out, talk about them, upset them and generally not include them, but use them as a dogs body for what they needed doing, knowing any new staff member eager to fit in and do well would go along. 
There is no adequate training whatsoever. They expect you to know where everything is, how to do everything psychically, and with eyes in the back of your head.
It’s ridiculous. In one month alone I saw 4 new members of staff come and go, because they couldn’t deal with the team. 
Luckily, I stuck it out but only because I needed the job.
But that was laughable too because I got paid incorrectly on several occasions.
You’re paid minimum wage and expected to on one shift a week every week - run the pub by yourself for an hour whilst the only other team member on with you, goes on break.
Yes. You’re expected to somehow, be on the till taking orders, running the food from the kitchen to the tables and also clearing the tables.
And trust me. For the hour you’re alone trying to juggle and do that? It feels like a year. 
The team have a WhatsApp group. 
A gossip chat basically.
Where on several occasions offensive language and comments were made that amounted to bullying of employees. The manager was included in this. Pictures of a member of staff were posted and this could be read by the staff member who fell victim because they were also in the group chat. 
The manager was too pally with her staff members. Too pally with her kitchen staff and the assistant manager and the team leads - which then rendered them useless. Because they had little respect for her to do the job well and throughly. They just barked orders at the rest of the staff that they treated like skivvys.
The waitresses and bar staff in this pub are what are the credit and backbone of it. They work like slaves to keep it turning over. But they can’t cook the food as well as serve it?!
The food was 7 times out of 10, inadequate and sent back to the kitchen by the customer.
Instead of actually fixing the problems at the root - which was the kitchen management - the manager would just hand out refunds like they were raffle tickets to solve the issue and please the customer.
Members of staff are promised the opportunities to progress but they never amount to anything or will do, because the management team and team leads already in the roles are friends with the management and won’t get replaced because they’re favourited.

I appreciate the opportunity to contribute to the team, I feel compelled to address some significant issues that have negatively impacted my overall job satisfaction.

Payrate:
I must express my dissatisfaction with the current payrate. It falls significantly below industry standards, making it challenging to meet basic financial needs. Despite putting in considerable effort and dedication, the compensation provided does not align with the responsibilities and expectations associated with my role. The current payrate does not seem to reflect the hard work, dedication, and responsibilities shouldered by some employees. Many are working tirelessly to contribute to the success of site, and it is disheartening to feel undervalued in terms of compensation. A fair and competitive wage is crucial for the well-being and motivation of the workforce.

Discrepancy with Company Income:
Also the substantial income, profitability of the building and the success and growth of the company are commendable, the substantial gap between the earnings of the company and the compensation provided to workers raises concerns about fairness and equity within the organization.
I understand that businesses need to be financially successful, but it is equally important to ensure that the hardworking individuals contributing to that success are fairly compensated. I believe that addressing this pay disparity is not only a matter of fairness but also crucial for maintaining a motivated and satisfied workforce.

Stressful Work Environment:
The work environment has been consistently stressful, impacting both my mental and physical well-being. The high-pressure atmosphere, lack of understanding and defective equipment have created an environment that hinders productivity and job satisfaction.

Quality and Sustainability of Goods:
There have been ongoing concerns regarding the quality and sustainability of the goods delivered to customers. The emphasis on delivering quality products appears to be compromised, and this compromises the company's reputation. It is essential to prioritize the consistency and sustainability of the goods to maintain customer trust and uphold the company's values.

I believe it is crucial for the management team address these issues promptly and comprehensively to the highest levels. A more competitive payrate, a focus on creating a supportive work environment, and a commitment to delivering high-quality and sustainable goods are vital for the long-term success of the company and the well-being of its employees and customers.


Working for Greene King was my first ever job, so I didn't have any expectations or standards. However, now that I have a different job, I have realised how badly I was treated whilst working for Greene King. As they are a chain company, it would be unfair to say that every single restaurant/pub manager treats their staff poorly. I worked for the Spinney Hill in Northampton.

There were some definite positives for working for this company, especially personally. For example, it was good for me to gain experience of what it would be like to work in a pub/restaurant setting, it's safe to say that I would not like to do it again, but I wouldn't know that if I had never worked at the Spinney Hill. Another positive was the atmosphere. At a pub there is obviously lots of music, laughs and silly drunken people, so it was mostly a lively atmosphere to work in which motivated me. 
Another benefit was that we could get money off of food and drinks at work.
I understand that the Spinney Hill have new management and some new staff and that the staff are treated better by management ever since.

However, there were more cons than there were pros. For example, the pay. Considering how hard you have to work whilst working in a pub/restaurant, you do not get paid anywhere enough as you deserve. The majority of the time you are practically running around trying to get food and drinks to guests whilst also trying to maintain a clean and safe environment for the guests to enjoy. One day during the summer I was collecting glasses and I was working as quickly and as hard as I possibly could and my manager kept pushing me to work faster and faster which was frustrating, especially as I was only being paid £4.05 an hour! It is so much hard work, however, this can be seen as a positive-  I was rarely ever bored at work. 
Another negative was how poorly I was treated at the Spinney Hill. First of all, I was I was obviously going to make a lot of mistakes. When I made these mistakes, I was often mocked and corrected in a sarcastic way by supervisors which made me feel stupid.
There was also a lot of bullying and slagging staff off at the pub that I worked at. Staff were constantly complaining about each other behind other's backs which left me thinking "I wonder if you say the same things about me to other people".

Overall, it was a positive learning curb working for Greene King, however, I would definitely not recommend as no one deserves to work for minimum wage, especially with the extent you are pushed at.

There’s a lot of things that I could say about Greene King.
Some things they do well, others ( the actual work) drains the life out of you.

Pros:

• Wagestream app to stream your income ahead of payday, good for emergencies or extra spends in any given month 
•  Flexible schedule and usually staff are quite understanding when it comes to swapping shifts or days off and approving holiday etc.
• They were a great company to work for during lockdown and treated employees fairly 
• Introducing new team member benefits and employee discounts, friends and family discounts, discounts on gym or gift cards etc. 
• Employee assistance programme 
• They used to have a debt consolidation scheme too that you could pay out of your wages 
• Recently introduced a virtual GP service 

Cons:

• I have almost 7 years with the company and they make some very questionable hiring decisions, I have worked across all the roles you can hold within a pub establishment and it never ceases to amaze me how much stress and toxicity can result from questionable upper management hiring
• Drained the absolute life out of me, no work life balance, no job satisfaction, no support 
• you get handed the keys with minimal training  apart from their legally complying online tippy tappy stuff, and are expected to sink or swim.
If you swim, they proceed to drag you down even more.
Ever think you’ve hit rock bottom? Well, boys and girls we’re about to go even lower - I have never been treated so appallingly across multiple roles in my entire working life.
Why did I last so long, you wonder? They sometimes do offer another good pro in times of need like accommodation.
I couldn’t afford to live on my own ( con of the job) so I lived above one of the establishments paying rent. Readily available for work at any given time with never ending responsibilities. And then, several years in I have been made aware that the other cohabitants were in fact not charged for rent. I felt “ treasured”.
• Working here long term aided my body in developing a chronic illness due to the stress and lack of support in a managerial role 
• likewise stressed coworkers that have no one else to take out their stress on so proceed to pass it onto you 
• targets, targets and more targets - if you do well one month, well this time next year expect to have to surpass it at stellar levels otherwise you might potentially get handed a PIP, therefore GMs have developed their own ways of cutting corners and indoctrinating staff into cheating the systems 

I could go on and on about this, but you need a different kind of skill set to survive in hospitality. 


From my personal experience, working for the company started out great, I began to move up to more responsibility and started getting more and more opportunities. However, after 3 years I have reached a point in life where I need to move up and the management, as friendly as they seem, have promised me more and more and given nothing. They have admitted to me directly that they do not want to work for someone younger than them, even though I am more than capable for the roles I have tried for. I fear they have been unfair to me because of my age, and so I am looking to move on as soon as possible in order to move into a career prospect.

My job security is low and I am in constant fear of 're-structuring' and being pushed out.

A day at work can consist of physical labour setting up equipment (bars) for various events, or driving to a location and building a bar, running the bar and then dismantelling a bar and returning to base. Late nights and long days!

I have learned more about business than I thought I ever could, I am confident in all areas of marketing as a result and my knowledge of events is impecable. I have incorporated my skills into my own evening work in live sound and gig promoting.

The hardest part of my job is dealing with the management! I am supposedly well respected, and I show full respect to the management, however I have no trust anymore and mentally dealing with that is hard. The work I do is hard to most, however I am a grafter, and I work hard and make sure I get things done efficiently! I have to deal with other peoples mistakes and have found myself saving a lot of people from getting in trouble, fixing their mistakes, and I get offered no credit for it. The management struggle to plan anything in advance or with common sense and so everything is last minute and I am expected to just be available and ready to execute lots of things at once, which I am happy to do, however I again get NO credit, yet the management get a lot of praise.

There are a lot of perks to my job and the pay is great, however nothing is guarrenteed. I enjoy working events, and meeting a wide range of people/characters and I do have fun while working! 

I still like the job, the company and the people I work with, however on the whole, my experience in the company has taken a bad turn and my opinion is bias. I would still recommend working for many areas of the company.

Arriving at work, I set up the kitchen FOH side. e.g. making sauces are out, lemons are cut, coleslaw is made up. Weve recently given dessert to the BOH team members however FOH used to have to be in charge of all the preparation for this therefore make sure all the chocolates are filled, enough food products are in the fridges and also screens turned on in the kitchen. Making my way through to the bar I have to make sure there is ice in the ice bucket, the coffee machine is turned on, the glass wash has been cleaned and turn it on. Throughout the day when food order come through I have to make sure sauces are prepped for specific meals, check backs on tables are complete and tables are cleared and re set. Cutlery has to be put through the wash once a day (usually in our quiet period) and polished so that we have a full rack of cutlery for the night shift, and any other prep in the kitchen to be done too. When closing I have to consider HASSAPs for food that is out, making sure everything is in dates, putting menus backs out, all tables are wiped, the front and back garden is swept, and all the cutlery is washed and polished ready for the next day. Usually there is bar closer and a floor closer FOH side. The close has to be so that everything is prepped for the morning enabling whoever comes in doesn't have to.

Here I have gained many skills working with all different types of people including guests and employees. I have worked my way up through to management and have been able to gain knowledgeable information about the company. I have been able to gain skills in leading small teams and training new employees in FOH job roles.


The team I currently work with are fantastic. We are a small team, however all work extremely hard and pull through on our busy shifts. There is plenty of structure within this job which indicates the building of this business. 

The hardest part of the job is our busy shifts where we have to pull together as a team and get the food out, tables cleared and set, and keep the guests happy. When there is a rush it can make us stressed and sometimes be run completely off our feet. However this also is part of what makes the job enjoyable knowing its been a successful night for the pub itself.

My typical working day was to arrive at the pub for 8:30am set up the bar and restaurant area. Then go over to the office reply to the daily emails received from the area manager, head office, customers and delivery companies. Then depending on the day I either had to place food or liquor orders or sign them in, sometimes both at the same time. Then I would cash up the tills and start the till systems up all before 10am. Then I would tidy the pub build the fire's for the evening, puff up cushions, organise menu's, arrange display of newspapers and magazines etc. 

When another member of front of house staff came in I then had to take the banking for the previous day to the bank.

When I returned I had to complete a set of line checks (10 daily). Once a week we had to complete and MOS where we counted all the liquor stock in the building but this I only had to help with as the general managers did this when they where there. On Sunday nights and Monday morning a complete food count had to be completed as well as the end of week process the general managers again when they where there would do the food count but it was down to me to input it on the computer. When the general managers went on holiday it was down to me to do all of these job's as well as my other responsibilities. 

When the Chef went on his break I then had to go into the kitchen and continue with the food cheques he had or with the prep work he was doing. After his return the other staff members would have there breaks. Then around 7 o'clock I would take my 30 minute break.

The bar closes at 11 o'clock then I had to lock the building down, count the tills and re float them to £300 and declare my figures on the system. After all this and the close down cleaning I would leave about 12:30 - 1:00am. 

I thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of this job even the long hours and long weeks. Everyday working in the pub was a different day, different people, different stories of course we had regulars who you build a rapport with. But my managers where generally lovely people who helped me in becoming an assistant manager and pushed for me to get the money I deserved for the job I was doing. My staff where all very good hard working people, who knew that everything they did well was rewarded with praise.

Top Job Titles	Average salary
Kitchen manager 36 salaries reported	£25,435 per year
Assistant manager 17 salaries reported	£27,166 per year
Chef 34 salaries reported	£14,693 per year
Line cook 7 salaries reported	£13.35 per hour
Head chef 9 salaries reported	£26,111 per year

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