Is Restaurant Associates a good company to work for?

Restaurant Associates has an overall rating of 3.9 out of 5, based on over 712 reviews left anonymously by employees. This rating has decreased by 10% over the last 12 months. 71% of employees would recommend working at Restaurant Associates to a friend and 74% 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 12% over the last 12 months.

How satisfied are employees working at Restaurant Associates?

71% of Restaurant Associates employees would recommend working there to a friend based on Glassdoor reviews . Employees also rated Restaurant Associates 3.9 out of 5 for work life balance, 3.9 for culture and values and 4.0 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 61 reviews)); "Great people to work with" ((in 41 reviews)); "The pay is good and reliable." ((in 37 reviews)); "Great leadership and systems in place to succeed." ((in 18 reviews)); "staff is great, laid back and easy" ((in 10 reviews))

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

"Poor management; corner" ((in 35 reviews)); "Managers are horrible, they look for a reason to fire you before you get into the union" ((in 19 reviews)); "Long hours and you pay for parking" ((in 15 reviews)); "Little to no work life balance" ((in 14 reviews)); "Long hours are expected, sometimes no support." ((in 11 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

3.9

71% would recommend to a friend

(683 total reviews)

Ed Brown

73% approve of CEO

74% 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 3.9 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

5.0

Dec 11, 2021

Thumbs up

Anonymous employee

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Growth potential, senior leadership exposure

Cons

No real cons so far

Restaurant Associates Response

4y

We appreciate you taking for taking the time to leave a 5 STAR review! and highlighting our strengths of Growth potential and Senior leadership exposure. We strive to provide a culture where associates feel they are valued and have growth opportunities. From the top down our commitment is to our associates. If you have any further feedback, please email us info@restaurantassociates.com

5.0

Sep 1, 2021

Great place to work

General manager

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Great work life balance Part of a great team and supported Given the flexibility to run the business how you like within reason

Cons

Working with business client does have added pressure of 2 bosses or more and balancing to meet everyone’s expectations A lot is expected- need to be adaptable to change

Restaurant Associates Response

4y

We are appreciative that you took the time to share your positive experience with the RA Family. We are especially happy to hear of your confidence in being part of an inspired environment not only around food but in promoting a collaborative culture. Thank you for your advice, R/A has committed to a 3 year Cultural Transformation Strategy with DEI partner Reframe. We are commitment to make this priority and actionable focus in alignment with our People Matter Strategy.

5.0

Aug 17, 2021

Happy to be here

Executive chef ii

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Great leadership and the freedom to be creative. Working with R.A is like working with close family.

Cons

Its hard to pick many negatives out. Corporate dining can have its speed bumps at times, but having a great team keeps the flow moving in a positive way. More room to move it up and build my career.

Restaurant Associates Response

4y

Thank you for rating R/A a 5! and taking the time to provide such a thoughtful review. We appreciate your input and are so happy to hear how much you are enjoying being part of the R/A Family. Our leadership strives to promote our CARE Culture. We intend to continuing growing our associates as we re-build coming out of Covid. did you know we fill 67% of our openings with internal promotions annually? Please continue to let us know how we are doing -to help you "climb the ladder!" email us info@restaurantassociates.com

Viewing 655 - 657 of 683 Reviews

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Jobs at Restaurant Associates

DISHWASHER (FULL TIME)

DISHWASHER (FULL TIME)

DISHWASHER (FULL TIME)

DISHWASHER (FULL TIME)

DISHWASHER (FULL TIME)