Does Smart & Final pay their employees well?

According to anonymously submitted Glassdoor reviews, Smart & Final employees rate their compensation and benefits as 2.8 out of 5. Find out more about salaries and benefits at Smart & Final. This rating has improved by 5% over the last 12 months.

How satisfied are employees working at Smart & Final?

38% of Smart & Final employees would recommend working there to a friend based on Glassdoor reviews . Employees also rated Smart & Final 2.8 out of 5 for work life balance, 2.8 for culture and values and 2.8 for career opportunities.

What are the top reviewed jobs at Smart & Final?

Cashier (106) , Sales Associate/Cashier (47) , Sales Associate (24) , Service Clerk (23) , Associate (19) , Assistant Manager (14) , Store Manager (12) , Front End Cashier (11) , Load Crew (11) , PIC (Person In Charge) (11) , Key Carrier (10) , Supervisor (10) , Grocery Clerk (9) , Overnight Stocker (9) , Store Associate (9)

What are the pros of working at Smart & Final according to real employee reviews?

"I have bee working as a cashier for 2 years and we have great customer service and hours are flexible." ((in 37 reviews)); "They will give you hours and you’ll meet some great people but the company doesn’t know what they are doing." ((in 37 reviews)); "Benefits are good." ((in 30 reviews)); "The customers are great and coworkers can be fun!" ((in 23 reviews)); "Employer has a flexible schedules." ((in 16 reviews))

What are the cons of working at Smart & Final according to real employee reviews?

"Low pay and vary hard to move upward in the company." ((in 53 reviews)); "One manager was terrible at managing" ((in 25 reviews)); "Blatant favoritism with certain employees, over looking poor work and moral ethics by management." ((in 23 reviews)); "No work life balance at all" ((in 13 reviews)); "30 cent raise when you know you deserver more than triple that." ((in 10 reviews))

What are employees saying about Smart & Final layoffs in 2026?

Explore Glassdoor’s employee reviews to understand what current and former employees are saying about Smart & Final layoffs and their outlook for job security at Smart & Final in 2026.

What are the top reviewed Smart & Final locations?

Los Angeles , Commerce , San Diego , Riverside , San Jose , Sacramento , San Francisco , Huntington Beach , Long Beach , Las Vegas , Palmdale , Chula Vista , Phoenix , Bakersfield , Visalia , Fresno , La Habra , Lakewood , North Hollywood , Pasadena , Modesto , Simi Valley , Salinas , Seaside , Encinitas , Fullerton , Northridge , Santa Ana , Danville , Oakland

Skip to content Skip to footer

Notifications

Smart & Final

Smart & Final reviews

3.1

38% would recommend to a friend

(772 total reviews)

David G. Hirz

36% approve of CEO

25% positive business outlook

Ratings by category

3.2

Diversity & inclusion

2.8

Culture & values

2.8

Work/Life balance

2.8

Compensation and benefits

2.8

Career opportunities

2.6

Senior management

Smart & Final has an employee rating of 3.1 out of 5 stars, based on 772 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The Smart & Final employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Retail & Wholesale industry (3.5 stars).

Ratings by demographic groups

Race / Ethnicity

Gender

Sexual orientation

Disability

Parent or family caregiver

Veteran status

Reviews by job title

772 reviews

3.0

Jun 11, 2024

Easy

Deli clerk

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Easy, good time management, clean

Cons

There is a lot of nepotism

2.0

Jun 10, 2024

Smart & Final

Pic (person in charge)

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Some of the best reasons to work for S&F, which aren't very many, are some of the people you work with. Granted, every job has its ups and downs with coworkers but I've definitely made amazing friends since working here.

Cons

The upward mobility is total crap. It took me 2 years to get a decent promotion and another 4 years to receive full-time. Anyone who works in corporate doesn't care about you but only makes you feel like they do. Most managers are also the same, but not all. The unprofessionalness here can be unreal. They harass you when you call out or need to a personal/sick day. They make you feel like you HAVE to give them a reason why and that is totally wrong and illegal. Majority of people who have been there 15+ years and work in upper management and corporate are only out for themselves. The amount of sexual relationships that go on inside the stores is also unreal. And if you're a manager participating in one, the DM's turn a blind eye. I've been here long enough to know and realize that there are more cons than are pros. It's extremely hard to receive full-time as well as promote within.

5.0

May 30, 2024

Good experience

Overnight stocker

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Good work environment and good management

Cons

No cons that I can tell

Viewing 64 - 66 of 772 Reviews

Top companies for "Compensation and Benefits" near you

Publix

3.6★Compensation & Benefits

ALDI

3.5★Compensation & Benefits

H E B

4.1★Compensation & Benefits

Trader Joe's

4.1★Compensation & Benefits

Jobs at Smart & Final

Service Clerk - 803 Bakersfield

Service Clerk - 362 Bakersfield

Service Clerk - 413 Higland Park

Service Clerk - 508 Bakersfield

Service Clerk - 315 West Los Angeles