Pros
Fast paced work environment if a motivated individual, so shift seems to go quickly. Keeps you physically active and in shape. Requires strategy and problem-solving skills to make tasks more efficient. Good customer base/clientele. Message of high values & ideals. Compensation is fair for department heads. Competitive benefits options (company stock/savings, health insurance). Company financials seem solid and well managed. Everybody needs to eat, so the grocery business model is a safe industry.
Cons
Management not always supportive. Often pulled off task and assigned something else - kiss your plan/s goodbye. Warm bodies to fill positions. Some coast through the day at a very slow pace. Low expectations of young partners. Responsible individuals are held to a much higher standard - inconsistent accountability standards. "Can you pass a drug test? You're hired!" Lack of pragmatism. Talent is often wasted on very basic tasks. Inefficient. Continually changing shifts make work/life balance challenging. Moderately to high turnover. Management that can't recognize a talented individual, if placed in a police line-up with the 3 Little Pigs. Hard to advance based solely on merit. Better than it used to be, but room for improvement. Strong customer service values often ignored. Some stores much better than others. Leadership that doesn't practice 10-foot rule, but preaches it to subordinates. Corporate leadership, seldom acknowledges customers when in retail operations. Retail operations turns focus to Corporate Leadership needs/demands/expectations, when they encounter a visit. Corporate leadership can be disruptive to customer service. Few follow "5 S" standards, making it a burden for those that do (stock carts/u-boats left randomly all over the store, dirty mop water left in buckets, mops?).