Is Restaurant Associates a good company to work for?

Restaurant Associates has an overall rating of 3.7 out of 5, based on over 712 reviews left anonymously by employees. This rating has decreased by 14% over the last 12 months. 66% of employees would recommend working at Restaurant Associates to a friend and 69% have a positive outlook for the business. The best reviews about Restaurant Associates have been left by employees working as General Manager , Executive Chef and Assistant General Manager .

Does Restaurant Associates pay their employees well?

According to anonymously submitted Glassdoor reviews, Restaurant Associates employees rate their compensation and benefits as 3.7 out of 5. Find out more about salaries and benefits at Restaurant Associates. This rating has decreased by 13% over the last 12 months.

How satisfied are employees working at Restaurant Associates?

66% of Restaurant Associates employees would recommend working there to a friend based on Glassdoor reviews . Employees also rated Restaurant Associates 3.7 out of 5 for work life balance, 3.7 for culture and values and 3.9 for career opportunities.

What are the top reviewed jobs at Restaurant Associates?

Executive Chef (35) , General Manager (34) , Butler (25) , Cook (21) , Director (20) , Cafe Manager (19) , Manager (19) , Sous Chef (18) , Catering Manager (17) , Line Cook (13) , Chef (12) , Assistant General Manager (11) , Food Service Director (8) , Regional Director of Operations (8) , Catering Attendant (7)

What are the pros of working at Restaurant Associates according to real employee reviews?

"Great benefits and the company encourages growth from within." ((in 64 reviews)); "The pay is good and reliable." ((in 41 reviews)); "Great people to work with" ((in 38 reviews)); "Great leadership and systems in place to succeed." ((in 19 reviews)); "Good work life balance with an abundance of jobs in the more traditional Mon" ((in 14 reviews))

What are the cons of working at Restaurant Associates according to real employee reviews?

"Poor management; corner" ((in 37 reviews)); "Managers are horrible, they look for a reason to fire you before you get into the union" ((in 20 reviews)); "Long hours and you pay for parking" ((in 14 reviews)); "Long hours are expected, sometimes no support." ((in 10 reviews)); "Incompetent staff, both upper management and low level employees are super apathetic and are just there for money." ((in 7 reviews))

What are employees saying about Restaurant Associates layoffs in 2026?

Explore Glassdoor’s employee reviews to understand what current and former employees are saying about Restaurant Associates layoffs and their outlook for job security at Restaurant Associates in 2026.

What are the top reviewed Restaurant Associates locations?

New York , Washington , Boston , Kennett Square , Cambridge , Philadelphia , Atlanta , Wilmington , McLean , Chicago , Jersey City , Weehawken , Hyde Park , Ann Arbor , Knoxville , Kennet Sq , Richmond , Leesburg , Clifton Park , Los Angeles , Baltimore , Tysons Corner , Bound Brook , Newark , Princeton , Trenton , Blacksburg , Arlington , Lorton , Albany

Restaurant Associates reviews

3.7

66% would recommend to a friend

(683 total reviews)

Ed Brown

68% approve of CEO

69% positive business outlook

Company ratings over time

Ratings trend for the last 6 months (683 reviews)

Ratings by demographic groups

Race / Ethnicity

Gender

Sexual orientation

Disability

Parent or family caregiver

Veteran status

Restaurant Associates has an employee rating of 3.7 out of 5 stars, based on 683 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The Restaurant Associates employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Restaurants & Food Service industry (3.7 stars).

Reviews by job title

683 reviews

2.0

Oct 8, 2020

A lot of work no significant pay.

Catering manager

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Good food in most units and good 401 k Match

Cons

They constantly do contracts knowing that they can't meet clients expectations by offering high quality services but unable to afford the services. After they get the contract and open a unit they start firing staff and overworking the staff that they keep. They constantly add responsibilities to staff with no pay raise, its all take it or leave it.

Restaurant Associates Response

5y

Thank you for taking the time to provide feedback. Because taking care of associates is at the heart of our core values, we strive to ensure our associates have equal access to growth and development opportunities and to provide a competitive salary. We encourage you to provide further feedback, so that we can better understand your individual concerns, please email us info@restaurantassociates.com

5.0

Oct 8, 2020

5 Star Employer

Cafe manager

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

RA is an exceptional company to work for. Excellent corporate leadership. Lots of opportunity for growth and advancement. Wonderful training programs. Innovative food programs. Focus on safety, hospitality, and diversity. Great benefits.

Cons

None that I can think of.

Restaurant Associates Response

5y

We are so excited that you have chosen Restaurant Associates and took the time to let us know that your experience is 5 star! We are especially happy to hear that your experience exemplifies our Core Values of CAREing for our People that are at the heart of what we believe in. We strive to promote a collaborative culture of CARE that engages our teams through enthusiasm and excitement around the business. Thank you for all you do. If you have any further feedback please email us info@restaurantassociates.com

5.0

Oct 8, 2020

Growth and self improvement

Cafe manager

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

I've been with RA for about 2 1/2 years, I can honestly say that is has been the best experience working here. I started as an intern and I was always given opportunity to learn and grow. I was then prompted to cafe manager shortly after. RA has so many resources when it comes to your growth and improvement. Everyone works as a team. If you looking for yourself to grow this is definitely the company to work for.

Cons

I haven't had any cons yet and I wouldn't plan on it.

Restaurant Associates Response

5y

We are so excited that you have chosen Restaurant Associates and took the time to let us know how excited and connected you feel as being part of the R/A Family! We are especially happy to hear that your experience exemplifies RA's hospitality vision. When we CARE, we Connect, Anticipate, Respect and Exceed. Please continue to let us know how you feel info@restaurantassociates.com

Viewing 352 - 354 of 683 Reviews

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Jobs at Restaurant Associates

WAITER/WAITRESS (FULL TIME)

FOOD SERVICE UTILITY (FULL TIME)

CATERING ATTENDANT (ON CALL)

Culinary Intern, Restaurant Associates / Boston, MA