It was OK...often disappointing - Crew Member Trader Joe's Employee Review

3.0
Jan 4, 2011
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Flexible hours 10% discount good food fast paced, which can be good opportunities to be a section leader/write orders (although this added responsibility will not always be acknowledged with a better raise)

Cons

--Predictable duties --Often poor management (no communication/too many control freak prima donnas/managers constantly being transferred) --Pretense to being open to communication --Cutting hours for crew members while giving massive raises to three tiers of management (we need to survive, too!). Money saved on payroll goes into managers' pockets. --Daily schedule that makes one feel like a robot --Very secretive company/lots of gossip, hurt feelings --Constantly changing the game rules/moving goal posts (i.e. once you start making over $14/hr they start nit-picking everything you do to keep from giving you a 50 cent raise, including lies). A union would not tolerate this. -- Difficult for bad performers to be fired. They will very rarely fire a manager unless it's for discrimination or harassment. Instead they get transferred to another store, perpetuating the problem. -- The customer is king/queen and can be as abusive as they want. Management will never help you. Often times blaming you for any problem.

Explore other reviews about Trader Joe's

5.0
Jun 8, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Excellent work environment and team.

Cons

Might not be a con for some but the job requires you to spend a lot of time on your feet moving objects so not recommended if you have any injuries or ailments.

4.0
May 27, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

-Great way to meet people, socialize, and learn customer service -Always tasked with different things every hour -Friendly crew who will always help you to learn and get better at your job -Get a slight pay raise every 6 months -No outside commitments and amazing benefits if you work full time (about 28 hours a week for every 6 months) -Will take time, but find your friend group, stay with them and have fun, you can't please everybody -Care for your body, do not overdo it with physical labor, its a retail job and you only have one fragile body for yourself, get help or insist about your pains

Cons

-Not many, unless you are stuck in a bad store with bad management -I had some good luck of working in 3 great stores, so YMMV -Sometimes can get cliquey like you are back in high school -Getting promoted up to store management may involve buttering up and being a "yes-person" -Care for your body, do not overdo it with physical labor, its a retail job and you only have one fragile body for yourself, get help or insist about your pains

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