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 13% 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 68 reviews)); "The pay is good and reliable." ((in 39 reviews)); "Great people to work with" ((in 39 reviews)); "Great leadership and systems in place to succeed." ((in 20 reviews)); "Lots of overtime, great team to work with" ((in 11 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 18 reviews)); "Little to no work life balance" ((in 13 reviews)); "Long hours and you pay for parking" ((in 12 reviews)); "Long hours are expected, sometimes no support." ((in 10 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

5.0

Mar 10, 2023

Good Job

Catering attendant

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

I have worked different locations under RA and they are top notch in my opinion. They will always have work but you need to be willing to work hard. I enjoy working under them.

Cons

Hard work you will feel very exhausted after a long day. As far as a work/life balance there isn’t much of a balance.

Restaurant Associates Response

3y

Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and experience about R/A. and you think of of all of as Top Notch! We also appreciate you taking the time to provide thoughtful advice that can continue to make us a better organization. We care very deeply for our associates and always looking for ways to improve. If you have any further feedback please email us info@restaurantassociates.com

3.0

Mar 9, 2023

Good Starting Cook Job

Line cook

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

- Lateral movement around the company - Plenty of locations worldwide to transfer to - Diverse group of people working in the kitchens - Great to start your career out

Cons

- Getting a promotion is difficult - DOH inspections are constant - Managers expect employees to fall on their sword if something goes wrong with inspections, even if it is not the employees fault or even their station.

Restaurant Associates Response

3y

Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and experience about RA. 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; We are continuously reviewing and making improvements striving to ensure our associates have equal access to growth and development opportunities.

5.0

Feb 9, 2023

Great place to work

Manager

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Great company to work for

Cons

No cons to report to

Restaurant Associates Response

3y

We are so excited that you have chosen Restaurant Associates and took the time to let us know that your 9 years with the RA Family has been so positive. & Congratulations! We are especially happy to hear that your experience exemplifies our Core Values of Caring 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

Viewing 130 - 132 of 683 Reviews

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Jobs at Restaurant Associates

FOOD SERVICE UTILITY (FULL TIME)

CATERING ATTENDANT (ON CALL)

HOST/HOSTESS (FULL TIME)

DISHWASHER (PART TIME)

DISHWASHER (PART TIME)