sous chef

assistant manager

deputy manager

head chef

general manager

Las Iguanas

Review of Las Iguanas: A Comedy of Errors

When I joined Las Iguanas, I was ready for a vibrant team atmosphere. Instead, I found myself in a scene straight out of a sitcom where chaos reigns and everyone is slightly unhinged.

Imagine this: you’re a bartender on a Friday night, and the management has decided that one bartender can handle the crowd of a thousand. As I’m attempting to juggle flaming cocktails while balancing on one foot, I can't help but think, “Is this a bar or a circus?” The expectations here are so unrealistic that I half-expected a marching band to come through, just to add to the chaos.

The management? Oh, they’re the stars of the show. They thrive on passive-aggressive comments like it's their main form of entertainment. “Hey, can you do ten things at once while blindfolded? Oh, and don’t forget to smile!” They have a unique talent for finding faults—if only they could find a way to actually staff the place properly.

Then there’s the team dynamic: picture a reality show where everyone gossips about each other while trying to dodge the latest “who did it” blame game. Trust? You might as well look for a unicorn in the kitchen.

In summary, if you're looking for a place where you can get your cardio in while mastering the art of multitasking under pressure, Las Iguanas is the place for you! Just don’t expect any of that “team spirit” nonsense—unless, of course, you count the spirit of survival.

Welcome to Las Iguanas, where your shifts are as long as a telenovela, and your sleep schedule is a myth. Here, the motto seems to be “Sleep is for the weak” and “Coffee is a food group.”

You’ll find yourself starting your day before the sun has had its morning coffee and ending well after it’s gone to bed. If you thought you could sneak in a catnap, think again! You’re expected to bounce back with the enthusiasm of a puppy who just spotted a squirrel, even if you’ve just survived a 12-hour shift that felt like running a marathon in flip-flops.

And just when you think you’ve got a handle on your schedule, they’ll hit you with the classic move: “Here are some hours you can’t work!” It’s like a game of musical chairs where the music never stops, and you’re always left standing.

So if you’re looking for a job that comes with a side of extreme fatigue and a sprinkle of chaos, Las Iguanas is your dream destination! Just bring your own energy drinks and maybe a sleeping bag for those “short” breaks.

Positive Work Environment: A welcoming and inclusive atmosphere where employees feel valued, respected, and supported by management and colleagues fosters a sense of belonging and motivation.
Clear Communication: Transparent communication channels between management and staff ensure that expectations, feedback, and any changes in policies or procedures are effectively communicated, minimizing misunderstandings and fostering a sense of trust.
Fair Compensation and Benefits: Competitive wages, along with fair and consistent policies regarding tips, overtime, and benefits such as healthcare, paid time off, and employee discounts, demonstrate the restaurant's commitment to valuing and investing in its employees' well-being.
Opportunities for Growth and Advancement: Providing avenues for career development, such as training programs, mentorship opportunities, and pathways for advancement within the organization, motivates employees to excel and fosters loyalty and commitment.
Work-Life Balance: Offering flexible scheduling options, adequate rest breaks, and reasonable working hours help employees maintain a healthy work-life balance, preventing burnout and promoting overall well-being.
Safety and Hygiene Standards: Strict adherence to safety protocols, sanitation guidelines, and proper training on handling food and equipment not only ensures the well-being of employees and customers but also instills confidence and trust in the workplace.
Recognition and Appreciation: Recognizing and celebrating employees' contributions and achievements through praise, rewards, and incentives boosts morale and reinforces a culture of appreciation and teamwork.

A typical day at las iguanas is fun an enjoyable as customers are different everyday which help you to interact with people from other backgrounds and get in touch with different cultures.

Along my time at las iguanas I have learned how to provide high standards of customer service as well as control inventories and report the shortages to the manager. Also, I have learned how to establish priorities and deliver results.

During 5 years working at las iguanas I have worked with several managers with different management leader ship skills which has helped me to improve my skills in terms of service, management and how to deal with financial activities such as forecast sales and planning rotas.

One of the most amazing things that I enjoy of working at Iguanas is the staff. During my time at las iguanas I have worked with people from different backgrounds and cultures and I have to say that all of them made me feel comfortable in the workplace. We always help each other in order to deliver results and meet the costumer standards.
 
The hardest thing of working at las iguanas is that we don’t have a routine. Is very hard to plan your week as we don’t know when we are working. 

The most enjoyable part of the job is the friendly environment which make you feel as at home and the support from the managers where are always helping me to improve and in my job.

This is the worst managed restaurant I've worked in so far, and it's a shame because the people there are some of the nicest people I've worked with. I asked for between 15 to 25 hours in the interview, made it clear I had little to no bar experience and was apprehensive about taking the role due to lack of experience. I was assured that the training is very detailed and I won't be on my own making drinks until I was sure about what I was doing. This didn't happen. For the first 2 weeks I got the hours I asked for. After the second week I was getting 6 to 10 hours. The training had a lot of online moduals but in terms of actual hands on learning, everyone says something different and there is seemingly no communication. Everything I was told in the interview didn't match what actually happened and had I know what the job was actually like before accepting I wouldn't have wasted my time. The one good thing was the people. Everyone I worked with was amazing both in terms of working on a team and in being genuinely lovely people. I really hope I can work with some of them again just not in this environment.

Negatives  
- Had to complete lengthy online training in my own time and was not paid to do so!
- Had to pay for and provide my own equipment (bottle openers, lighters). 
- The company used to take 3% of what you made in sales. So if you took around £700 you would have to give that back (obviously) plus £21. This was supposed to come from your tip money. The worst part in it all is that once a table from head office came and they didn’t even tip!
- Kitchen staff have little to no respect for female team members. I wouldn’t  dream of being spoken to this way and leaving it unreported, especially now I work in a professional environment. 
- No support for staff wellbeing. I once had a panic attack at work and received no support. The company should have referred me to some kind of mental health service.
- Sometimes expected to work though my lunch if really busy.

Positive 
- staff Christmas do had £15 budget per head (still doesn’t make up for the tip money they took from me).
- Friendly floor staff
- The food was actually good so people didn’t complain much about the quality. 
- Good tips 
- Did actually turn tables away when we were super busy.

Overall one of the worst jobs I've had in my career. I was lied too since day one told I would be getting 40-50 hours a week but after a month my hours were dropped to 20 and then dropped further 2 weeks later.
Wasn't given the correct training at the begining and and have been basicly guessing since then. Was also told ide be starting as a kitchen assistant and then after a month of helping out with that ide be moving into the kitchen as a chef which never actually happened because they hired teenagers as kitchen porters and then fired them when they realised they couldn't stay late to do closes. In general I hated prety much everything about this company and then they forced me out by lowering my hours down to 6 per week despite hiring me as full time employee which in the end forced me to quit. They've also done that to 6 other people that I know of and probably many more that I don't know about. I hope people avoid this place for there own sake

I made a decent wage but had to work all the hours that god sent. 
Weekend work was understandably expected but the only time I ever got to see family on a weekend was if I used my holiday entitlement. 
Most of the time you were issued with a rota for your forthcoming week on a Sunday which I found very disrespectful to the staff. How can you plan you week properly? Therefore family and friends always having to wait to the last minute to make arrangements with you. 
Very, very busy place. On a Saturday on getting a half hour break on a on 10/11/12 hour shift which is probably illegal. 
All management worked hard alongside team at the busy periods although they were lacking life experience to deal with more everyday people situations requiring basic communication and disciplinary skills. 
Most of the team were hardworking, friendly and compassionate people. 
Apart from the above mentioned I mostly enjoyed working here but remember it’s part of a massive corporate machine who really don’t care about the individual. They will take but never give back when you most need support 


The general manager bullied all her staff and pushed everyone out. Even customers left reviews about her she was that awful. Was happy to drive you into the ground and treated everyone like dirt. She had no respect for anyone. All staff felt under valued and treated everyone like slaves back in the olden days. She cut down my hours so I couldn’t pay my bills. I was always there on time, came in when people were sick did long hours and then she accused me of hiding away from customers and not doing my job and cut down my hours to be spiteful so I couldn’t pay my bills. How can you do that when you are serving people cocktails working your butt off on the seafront where it’s busy 24/7? Not possible.  Even a manager left and most of her team went elsewhere and quit. There’s no chance of progression and happy to just use you to how they want and not care about your feelings. They’re constantly hiring as they keep loosing staff and don’t treat you with the equality and respect you deserve. So happy I quit!

Everyday you would have a list of things you would need to have done, this would also make the day run more smoothly if done before its completely open.
I learned a lot at Las Iguanas and loved all the managers there, I also loved the team of people I worked with as they were all so different and make each other feel welcome.

The culture at Las Iguanas was mixed, this made it more enjoyable and interesting as the restaurant had people of different cultures and some which were closely linked with the restaurants theme, and so this helped a lot as they had their own personal view on things and helped with the punctuation with some of the menu items.

The hardest part of the job was handling the busy restaurant when short staffed, as everyone was stressed and we had to just deal with it.

The most enjoyable part was feeling like you were part of a family, everyone joked around and was there for each other when needed.

A typical day at work involved cleaning the restaurant and making sure all the tables were perfectly laid ready for customers. The day is filled with serving customers, cleaning tables, and making sure items are stocked up. This job taught me to how to better my customer service skills in unexpected situations such as customer complaints.
This was my first full time job so adapting to the hours was something I had to learn. The management, kitchen, bar, and floor staff all had to work together to provide efficient service and I really enjoy the atmosphere of the place, I looked forward to almost every shift. 
The hardest part of the job was weekend shifts and dealing with large parties coming in one after the other, but this taught me how to work well under pressure and quickly without making mistakes. 
On the other hand, my favourite aspect of the job was meeting new customers everyday and experiencing something different every shift.

Top Job Titles	Average salary
Sous chef 56 salaries reported	£14.13 per hour
Assistant manager 15 salaries reported	£32,133 per year
Deputy manager 27 salaries reported	£34,001 per year
Head chef 20 salaries reported	£41,125 per year
General manager 19 salaries reported	£45,895 per year

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