assistant manager

sous chef

chef

general manager

deputy manager

Mitchells & Butlers

This company is disasterous. They happily pay the lowest legally possible amount and wonder why they don't attract decent staff. Any upselling incentives are a waste of time as they make no difference to you pay check (seriously, my team won an incentive and only got a box of sweets that the company was no longer allowed to sell due to sugar tax... try paying your rent with that! Because thats the thanks you get for increasing sales beyond targets). 

I was promised more training and possibly a promotion if I went to another restaurant in the chain for two weeks. Two months later, I've had to take managerial tasks on in this dive, and the actual manager himself hates my guts. But why wasn't he capable of doing those jobs? And why was I only on £7.38 an hour? Burgers were coming out frozen, mold on some food items... even the refill drinks machine spat out ants due to a hole in the back of the wall which exposed some foundations. I had to deal with the wrath of the public while the manager hid in his little air-conditioned office behind a computer as the complaints came in thick and strong... him no doubt chuckling to himself whilst watching me loose self-respect via the CCTV.
When I finally got back to my original restaurant of employment, I had my hours slashed because they had taken people on in my absence to the point where I could pay my bills, but I had to ask my  mum for food money because of how poorly I had been paid... just about £500. It was clear this company had zero concern for my personal life, even after all my collegues reminded me how thin I had gotten. Nothing is worse than going hungry to work in a place that serves food!

This company doesn't care about you or your bills... they dont care about how much they pay you and if you're eating or not. You're dispensable. They only have a finite amount of hours to give out anyway, and most of them get eaten up but people with contracts. The hourly employees then have to fight for the remaining hours... where are my rights in this matter? Where is my right to work and earn a decent wage? Not hanker around a restaurant hoping the manager will let me start my shift so I can pay my bills.

Mitchells and Butlers have already stated in their annual report how they dont want to give their staff the living wage, as its a risk to investors. They want more apprentices working for somewhere between £4-£5 an hour only to become qualified to fry a fish after 3 years. The laugh is when they fire these appentices and just hire more as soon as the apprenticeship is up to save paying them a full wage. Is it any wonder that this company has killed its customers in the past when they have a clear lack of regard for those enforcing their practices and hire kids to cook the food?

A typical day at work at a Mitchell and Butlers establishment required me greeting customers at the door with a friendly welcome and show them to a table with menus, upon where I would ask for their drink order. I would then go and prepare the drinks behind the bar. Once the drinks had been taken over I would politely ask the customers if they were ready to order starting with asking if they wanted starts promoting sales, if not I would go away and then go back. After taking the customers order and putting it into the till and making sure it has gone through to the kitchen properly I would wait for another customer, or help with preparing others drinks or taking food out for other waitresses if they need it. Delivering all drinks and meals to all customers with enthusiasm and a warm friendly attitude. During the time that the customers have their meals I would double check early on that everything is okay with the meals and if not then I have time to alter and correct any problems and offer the customers more drinks. When the customers had finished I would quickly and carefully clear the table and offer hot drinks or desserts to the table, again promoting sales. If they did not I would offer to get them the bill. When they have left I would then finish clearing the table to the require health and safety standards of the establishment. 

Working here I learnt to solidify my ability of working well in a team and adapting to working with all types of individuals. I also consolidated my eagerness of punctuality and leadership skills. 

Management was efficient with getting up rota's a couple of in advanced, they were also fair with personal issues and flexible with hours and allowing staff time off. 

Working at a Mitchell & Butlers the staff we're friendly and welcoming and made me feel at home straight away. They became more then just my work colleagues, they became my friends out side of work too. They were funny and helpful in and out of work. 

There wasn't really a hard part to my job, sometimes dealing with customers complaints was difficult but they were very rare that I didn't have to deal with them often, but when I did, I did it quickly and efficiently and the best of my ability and standards of the establishment. 

The most enjoyable part about my job was getting to work with amazingly, hard working, out going, sociable, funny, helpful, great team members everyday.

during my time at the old lane I have come to understand that work can be an enjoyable experience if people are will to put the effort in. by no means did this mean that things weren't taken seriously but there was a lot of praise when things went well and not many negative comments when things didn't a good example being a line broke free form a beer keg causing a loss of stock it was seen as an accident and not as a neglect of duties and so no punishment was given an example of praise and thanks for the hard work we put in includes such things as staff party's and sweets which may seem trivial but is taken in very good faith. an average day for me starts as follows first I get ice for both bars then I turn on the glass washer clean optics fridges and front and back bar rearrange furniture and glasses so that when the doors open for customers everything s where it needs to be. through out the day I will serve drinks as well as take food orders as well as general cleaning such as clearing tables and glasses. before the end of my shift I make sure that the ice is refilled tables are clean fridges restocked and the general presentation of the pub is how id like to come to. I do this because it shows that I care about my work mates and so they do the same for me when they are on a shift before me. it creates good vibes which in turn makes people want to work hard and so productively.i  feel that the management has been a bit hit and miss but the original manager was and is a fine example of a good boss. hardest part is to try and motivate people that simply don't want to work or be part of a team but usually they don't last long and so its not to taxing on my moral. what I really enjoy about my job is the customers and the people I work with such a varied spectrum of classes that when in side shrug off conventions and embrace each others company.. e.g. a business owner having a pint with a MacDonald employee.. overall I have enjoyed my time here immensely but I feel as I've been there for so long and not been presented with the right opportunities its time for me to strive for bigger if not better things.

While working at Mitchell & Butlers Harvester it's been a very testing time. My typical day at work consists of taking over tables from the last waiter/ess, cleaning that section they have worked, cleaning the restaurant, serving tables, serving bar, running food to tables and serving the wandering guests (usually enquiries as to the location of toilets, Salad Bar refills etc). When I'm working until the close of the restaurant (which can be 11/11:30), I close down the restaurant which a selection of 4 jobs (when there is four staff on floor, I do one, otherwise I can do up to 2/3 jobs in one night) which include restocking and cleaning the Dessert Making Station, Cleaning and Restocking the Dispense Bar, Restocking and Cleaning Highchairs and Dressers (where we keep cutlery and serviettes) or buffing cutlery. 

The in-house management are pleasant to work with and approachable. However, out-of-house management who oversee many mitchell & butler restaurants in the county are not as good and make decisions based on stats rather than experiencing the job first hand. This makes the job harder as staff try to meet standards set by phantom management, which isn't easy for a Restaurant with our set-up (mostly due to the architecture of the building). 

Most of the team are easy and great people to work with and they support you as much as you support them. However, as with any job, there are the few team members who you could do without. 

The hardest part of the job is sometimes working a 7/8 hr shift with no break, and coming home, sitting down and not being able to stand back up due to the sheer pain that is in your feet and ankles. This is due to constantly been on your feet and walking around at a face pace to keep up with the restaurant flow. 

The easiest part is when you get the compliments from guests and team members who thank you for the hard work you have put in, and sometimes are rewarded kindly by guests with a nice tip.

Progression is Obtainable within the company, upper management are keen to progress people and enroll individuals to take part in courses. The company have high standards of cleanliness and hygiene which is great to take further into your career progression and there is a system in place for all possible variables to occur while on the job. IT and HR support very good and quick to answer the phone. The downfall of the company is simply the tight budget given on staff hours. 
Management are expected to work 48 hours a week as per the contract but you end up being on site for 10-15 hours of the day 5 days a week and your not paid for your time on break which isn't really a break when your the only manager on site or if you have to go in early to line clean or stay on late from a busy Saturday night for example (December Christmas party's were the hardest). Its exhausting, they have recently changed the dinning times on the online booking system that siting times are only 1 hour and 15 mins with around 33 tables 154 seats (this is considered a small site). Flex budget for staffing only allows for 3-4 front of house staff including management and 3-4 kitchen team at a time. Most of the team are on anti depressants exhausted all the time and lack motivation and energy. Constant negative feedback from customers regarding service not being quick enough or things missing from plates. The teams are tired stressed and often distracted we rely so heavily on each other for our own sanity's suppose its nice to have such strong family like relationships with one another another con is your expected to cover other sites miles from your own site and recompensating for fuel takes months and months you may not even receive it. Job is great fun if your working part time 20 hours a week maximum. 

The only positive about working for Mitchell and Butlers was the people (customers and work mates). There were no guaranteed hours (sometimes I only had 5 per week for a part time position), the rota for the week was (on average) not out up until the week started, we were understaffed on busy nights and often asked to stay late during rushes because they had rota'd the BARE MINIMUM of staff for in most cases. 

The pay was also horrible (minimum wage) and you didn't even get free food on shift (you got a 50% discount which encouraged giving your paycheck back to them before you even got it), on top of this the 'clock in' system didn't even work most of the time which required staff hours being entered by hand (caused many problems with people not being payed for hours they worked). 

About my colleagues... many of them were nice, however as with any job you get the moaning, shouting 'I'm unhappy with my job and are gonna take it out on you' (I'm referncing a manager here) type, as well as people that act like school children on shift and hate you for no reason (one woman used to actively sneer at me and even tried to sabotage me on occasion, luckily she was an idiot and everyone was wise to her). But again you get this with every job.

Also, the job is exceedingly monotonous and dull, and don't even get me started on the entitled (usually) middle-aged women that walk through the door on a regular basis and allow their kids to treat the area like a rubbish tip and leave me to clean it up.

However I did enjoy complaining to other customers about these people, so that's a bonus :).

Overall, just don't work here. Find a more interesting, better paying and more fulfilling job that will allow you to wake up every day not dreading the shift ahead (yes, those do exist, take my word for it).

Genuinely one of the most demoralising places to work. The work is already hard enough (for minimum wage), yet you are pretty quickly reprimanded for standing still for a minute breather. In fact, you are very much discouraged from taking a break (if you do, you are met with "you haven't been working long enough"/"we're too busy"), yet they will happily deduct a 20 minute legal break from your wages despite you working through. Effectively eating into your already-minimum wage.

People who have worked there years and who are part of the 'popular' group can get away with doing pretty much anything (play fighting, chatting, playing on phones, throwing things at each other, etc), while new recruits are belittled and blamed for their mistakes.

Management feel it is absolutely fine for them to send you home after only an hour or two of work, or cancel your shift 20/30 mins before via text (or no warning at all!), but often refuse authorisations of shift swaps when you are unwell or need to be somewhere, even if another employee is happy to cover and WANTS the hours. Difficult and mean for no other reason than the fun of inconveniencing you it felt like.

Hard work is never rewarded, yet mistakes are publicly ousted to the whole team so everyone can have a gossip (gossip which often turned out to be exaggerated/untrue). Passive aggressive group messages are the replacement for just telling an employee directly how to improve. In the time I worked there (only a few months), around 10 people quit, maybe even more. Says a lot.

A typical day at work would be serving customers to their drinks and food and also helping them if they need anything. Also making sure the pub is tidy and all the tables are done by the end of the night and all glasses are put away, also that the doors are locked and the bar is cleaned. 

I have learnt alot from this job, i have learnt how to speak to customers if they are putting in a complaint, also to always smile when serving customers and talking to customers. Also how to work as a team and make sure everyone in that team is doing something and not just standing their clueless. 

Management are great, they are so helpful and if something is going wrong they will always help you put it right and not put you down. They are also kind and polite. 

My co-workers are also great, they are there for you to talk not just work with. They are helpful and kind and will help you if you are unsure of something. They are also polite. 

The hardest part of the job would be drunk customers in the pub it can sometimes be a hard job. If a fight has broken out we have to simply ask them to take it out of the pub, but it can end two ways. Either good or bad, because you could get seriously hurt, or they can listen to you and leave and take it outside. If they dont listen the police will be called. 

The most enjoyable part of the job would be meeting new customers everyday but also the regulars because they grow like a family and if you come into work on a bad day and are upset they will always be there to cheer you up some way or another.

typical day.
start at 6.30am turn on all machines and turn shaams on preheat, delivery arrives about 6.45 recive delivery and put away, meats need to be put in clear containers and label and date dotted and also frozen needs to be put away correctly an tidy. this all neeeds to be done by 8am so you can load the turkeys and ckickens and beef gammon and pork, you have to then start daily prep which includes peeling and chopping 15 sacks of potatoes ready to steam off for roasties and mash. stufing needs to be made and also batter. all this needs to be done by 10am so you can start cooking everything off ready for 11am as thats when the carvery starts. Between 10 and 11 you need to get veg ready roasties cooked and mash and stuffing cooked off, meats need to be prepped, pie cooked and chickens halfed and crisped, at 10.30 you need to cook all veg and put in black aga pots and put on deck with everytrhing else. at 11 everything needs to be on deck ready that includes gravy , meats,veg,yorkies,chips, fish, pie, mushy peas, curry sauce, beans.
as soon as you've finished this you then carry on cooking and replacing all customers eat, this is called backup and its the most demanding job in the kitchen as you are doing everything that involves cutomers needs.
usually i finish at 3pm but around 2 i complete all due diligence and kitchen cleaning roster i do this while still cooking all food for customers.
other days i carve for the customers and others i do washing up and starters and dessers. 
but mostly i do backup.

I was working at one of M&B's pubs in West End for about a year and it was alright to work there, the pay's is pretty much minium wage + tips and service charge (however they did remove the service charge from their tills system recently due to people complaining about the service charge) but the lack of respect from higher ups and manageral staff was shocking to say the least. 

They would talk to you in a very condesending manner and act as if though they were any better than you. Also, whenever a colleauge would be dealing with a difficult and sometime hostile customers, instead of backing supporting their staff and ensuring their safety they would pretty much not get involved and dash you under the bus. 

Also, one thing I would like to mention was  the constant inapproiate harrasment I and other colleauges (particularly female colleauges) would recieve from regular customers was very much regular (no pun intended), but even when we would complain about it and even the managers would witness it themselves, they would literally do nothing and even sometimes encourage these customers to come back.

In addition to that, they were not flexible with their hours in any shape of way. Even booking off a holiday was quite complicated. 

Overall, I wouldn't recommend working here unless you're really desperate for money.

Top Job Titles	Average salary
Assistant manager 17 salaries reported	£31,788 per year
Sous chef 6 salaries reported	£28,167 per year
Chef 6 salaries reported	£15.18 per hour
General manager 6 salaries reported	£47,100 per year
Deputy manager 6 salaries reported	£30,208 per year

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