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 69 reviews)); "Great people to work with" ((in 41 reviews)); "The pay is good and reliable." ((in 34 reviews)); "Great leadership and systems in place to succeed." ((in 18 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 33 reviews)); "Managers are horrible, they look for a reason to fire you before you get into the union" ((in 19 reviews)); "Little to no work life balance" ((in 13 reviews)); "Long hours and you pay for parking" ((in 13 reviews)); "Staff are being payed bare minimum and often work long hours above average 9" ((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

3.7

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

Feb 16, 2022

You Are Appreciated

Director of dining services

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Very Safety oriented workplace. Second to none Training & Development programs Senior managers and executives treat you with respect and dignity.

Cons

More strategic communication. Our workplaces are very different. Some messaging to a big unit won't always apply to medium or small accounts.

Restaurant Associates Response

4y

Thank you for taking the time to provide such a thoughtful review. Our leadership strives to promote our CARE Culture. And further appreciate your thoughtful advice that can continue to make us a better organization. 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

Feb 16, 2022

Great place to work!

Director

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Great people Fun environment Fantastic upper management

Cons

No ability to work from home

Restaurant Associates Response

4y

We appreciate you taking the time to share your experience of over 20 years with the R/A Family. We are especially happy to hear of your confidence in Leadership and our Passion around creating an inspired environment not only around food but in promoting a collaborative culture that engages our teams through enthusiasm and excitement around the business. If you have any further feedback please email us info@restaurantassociates.com

5.0

Feb 16, 2022

Best of both worlds!

Executive chef

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Great benefits Competitive pay Creative Freedom Easy access to upper management Opportunity to learn and grow

Cons

Sometimes there are a lot of channels to go through for decisions to happen

Restaurant Associates Response

4y

Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and experience about RA. We are excited that your first 1-3 years with us have been so positive. We strive to provide a culture where associates feel they are valued and have growth opportunities. If you have any further feedback, please email us info@restaurantassociates .com

Viewing 253 - 255 of 683 Reviews

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Jobs at Restaurant Associates

DISHWASHER (FULL TIME)

DISHWASHER (FULL TIME)

FOOD SERVICE WORKER (FULL TIME)

DISHWASHER (PART TIME)

DISHWASHER (FULL TIME)