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 66 reviews)); "The pay is good and reliable." ((in 40 reviews)); "Great people to work with" ((in 39 reviews)); "Great leadership and systems in place to succeed." ((in 20 reviews)); "staff is great, laid back and easy" ((in 11 reviews))

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

"Poor management; corner" ((in 32 reviews)); "Managers are horrible, they look for a reason to fire you before you get into the union" ((in 18 reviews)); "Long hours and you pay for parking" ((in 14 reviews)); "Little to no work life balance" ((in 13 reviews)); "Long hours are expected, sometimes no support." ((in 9 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

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

4.0

Dec 11, 2017

Chef Director

Chef director

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Diverse Network of Professionals, Clear and achievable goals, Senior Management actually knows what your going through since they went through the same.

Cons

Extremely tight budget constraints occasionally tie your hands. Growth happens too quickly (not sure if that's good or bad)

Restaurant Associates Response

8y

Thank you for 10 years of service with RA. We appreciate you taking the time to provide positive feedback on your experience and at the same time recognize some of the challenges we can occasionally encounter. We would encourage your ideas, please email us info@restaurantassociates.com .

5.0

Dec 11, 2017

Enjoying the Challenge

Service director

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Autonomy - I am given the tools I need to succeed as well as the ability to use all of my skill set on a daily basis. Growth - The opportunity to grow is tremendous. Your peers and those above present an environment where your wins are acknowledged and celebrated. Innovation - The company is always seeking new ways to move forward.

Cons

The hiring process can be long.

Restaurant Associates Response

8y

We are excited to hear that your first year with RA has been so fulfilling. We also appreciate you taking the time to provide thoughtful advice that can continue to make us a better organization. From the top down our commitment is to our associates. If you have any further feedback please email us info@restaurantassociates.com

4.0

Dec 6, 2017

Good Place to work

General manager

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

very respectful to employees and pays well

Cons

can take too long to get hired by the company

Restaurant Associates Response

8y

Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and experience about RA. We are excited that your 8 years with us have been so positive. We strive to provide a culture where associates feel they are valued and have growth opportunities. We do take a bit of time in our hire process to ensure it’s a win-win for our candidates for a long term career. If you have any further feedback, please email us info@restaurantassociates.com

Viewing 559 - 561 of 683 Reviews

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Jobs at Restaurant Associates

FOOD SERVICE UTILITY (FULL TIME)

SETUP SERVER (PART TIME)

HOST/HOSTESS (FULL TIME)

HOST/HOSTESS (FULL TIME)

CATERING ATTENDANT (ON CALL)