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 65 reviews)); "Great people to work with" ((in 40 reviews)); "The pay is good and reliable." ((in 37 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 15 reviews))

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

"Poor management; corner" ((in 36 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 13 reviews)); "Incompetent staff, both upper management and low level employees are super apathetic and are just there for money." ((in 9 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

5.0

Aug 17, 2021

Great People, Amazing Leaders!

Director of food services

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Really is a Big Family!! i am going on my 15th year now and i have never felt out of place. from hourly associates to leadership everyone is always willing to help you grow and make each other better

Cons

i have nothing negative or bad to say about RA or leadership, keep up the good work!!! i am only writing because i have to get at least 20 words

Restaurant Associates Response

4y

AHHH. This is just so nice and thoughtful. Thank you for sharing your story of your journey. 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

5.0

Aug 17, 2021

Great Place to Work

Director

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Very FOOD forward company. The upper management is great. My peers are caring and diligent. The hourly team members are heard are just as food focused. All around great place to work. The company is very dedicated to having a diverse team. They strive to be ahead of the curve with culinary trends, hospitality and HR.

Cons

Zero. Nothing negative to say. If there is an issue and you bring it to someone's attention, it is handled professionally and quickly.

Restaurant Associates Response

4y

We cant wait either! We are so excited that you took the time to let us know that your 8-10 years with the R/A Family has been so positive. We are especially happy to hear of your confidence in R/A’s leadership; We strive to promote a culture that engages our teams through enthusiasm and excitement around the business. Thank you so much for taking the time to let us know that your experience has been so positive. See you at the Annual Meeting!

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 268 - 270 of 683 Reviews

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