Frustrating Experience in a Toxic and Poorly Managed Environment - Cook SSP Group Employee Review

Great team members and make money depend on the season

management aren’t on site all the time due to managing multiple locations.

The employee meal discount is genuinely helpful since bringing food into the airport or buying it from outside is difficult. Many hourly employees are friendly, supportive, and hardworking. Most frontline managers try their best and often go above and beyond despite the pressure they face.

Senior leadership in the Northeast region operates with intimidation, ego, and favoritism, creating a toxic and unprofessional environment. Schedules are changed constantly with little notice, and employees are expected to work long, exhausting hours without regard for work–life balance. When employees speak up about burnout or need to call out due to exhaustion, they are often targeted instead of supported. Union employees frequently earn more than the supervisors responsible for managing them, which creates tension and undermines morale. Promotions are based on personal relationships rather than merit, and nepotism is widespread across multiple levels of leadership. HR functions more as a disciplinary weapon than a neutral resource for resolving issues or supporting employees. The overall culture is retaliatory, inconsistent, and not aligned with ethical or sustainable business practices.