surveillant du service alimentaire

directeur de restaurant

serveur au comptoir

cuisinier

teneur de livres

Dairy Queen

As a preamble to this review, this is based off of a location in South Calgary that I worked at. This location was owned by a couple that owned a secondary DQ as well, and my experience here may differ from those who had better management and different policies.

The location I worked at was awful and managed by the worst people imaginable. 

The average day here consisted of arriving to my 3 hour shift for the lunch rush a couple times a week, being given the same position at window every single day, and then waiting for my shift to end.

I was hired by a manager with part time training hours that were supposed to turn into full time hours. The manager who hired me left on medical leave, and I was never given full time hours by the other two managers, despite asking multiple times. I struggled making minimum wage for a hilarious 9-12 hours on average a week when I first started, then I managed to get a few more hours during the summer. I quit late in the year after my lack of hours and money caused me to be unable to take care of my health, and the impetuous demand made by the managers to prove my health concerns despite shoving prescriptions and hospital paperwork at them meant nothing. So I left.

There are ZERO chances for moving up. What chances there are will be given first to the store owner's girl-crazy nephews, both of them work there on weekends or when they don't have school. The SINGLE evening I worked at this company, the nephews attracted a group of girls from their school to the store, and they wouldn't leave FOR 30 MINUTES because they were busy talking to the boy's, who, despite working there, refused to do any actual work so long as the girls were around. So the rest of us had to close up.

If you do manage to get this raise, it's only $1, and there are no other promotion opportunities that are present here. Unless you're slimy enough to get to be a manager. They drive mustangs. :)


Problem 1: This branch practiced the widespread practice of "cut-bag". For those who don't know, this practice involves the following:

-The vanilla ice milk used to make the yummy ice cream treats comes packaged in a bag with a plastic nozzle that attaches to hoses that suck the milk up into the machine to freeze it, and then comes out the dispensers. There are two bags hooked up to the machine at once, so that both dispensers can be used simultaneously.
-Before rushes, the machine is opened up to assess how full the bags are. If they are less than half full, the bags are put back in the cooler.
-Once enough of these half-bags have accumulated in the cooler (usually a few days to about a week, depending on how busy it is), we open them up to smell check, throw out the ones that have gone rancid, and then combine the rest into a single bag through the use of cutting the bag, ergo the term "cut bag".
-Then we reattach it to the machine to dispense out ice cream.
-This happens over and over and over again, and we likely re-use and mingle old, disgusting mix with new mix, and it's the most disgusting thing ever. Whenever I got ice cream, I always made sure the bag was a fresh bag, and not one of the cut bags.
-This process is always hidden from customers, and whenever we are notified that a health inspector is coming by, we always quickly throw out the bags.

Problem 2: The store managers held a meeting on a Saturday once, it was the only meeting I ever went to, and the only meeting that was held in the 7-8 months I worked there. In the meeting, the managers asked us to start making the famous $6-$7 meal deals like garbage, so people would stop buying them. They literally said for us to skimp on toppings and make them sloppy so that people no longer bought them, in the hopes that it would drive customers to purchase their more pricey meals, without understanding that by doing this, they'd simply drive customers away from visiting the store in the first place.


Pros:
-Flexible hours
-They have to pay you minimum wage
-Good fast food experience
-Meals are half off, limited to one a day only if you worked that day
-People you work with are usually friendly

Cons:
-Hours are always part time unless you're a cook or a manager
-No regard for simple human decency
-You will never know how to use a coupon here because it's confusing as heck
-No benefits 
-No room to move up in the company
-Management is garbage and needs to be replaced
-Store owners are whiney about revenue and rude to communicate with, but then give no incentive for their employees to actually do their jobs properly
-Practices disgusting food handling habits and is very suspicious and shady

I am a quick learner and very independent. After my first four months I was promoted to supervisor in September 2009, it is very rare for such a new employee to get promoted that quickly but I made it possible. As a supervisor my responsibilities were to assign work to the employees and explaining how it should be done to meet my expectations. Also to ensure that the employees are working correctly under their job description. As a supervisor, you evaluate staff performance during the probationary period (first three months). If you have any concerns about an employee’s performance during probation you contact the assistant manager on shift. Furthermore, a supervisor is responsible to count and balance the cashes during the day or at night. I would oversee the process while simultaneously ensuring food and ice cream quality, customer service and that the cleanliness standards are maintained throughout the shift. Finally, the key responsibilities of a supervisor is evidently keeping customers happy and adhering to the safety standards of the restaurants. 

In June 2010, I began training new employees all while maintaining my role as supervisor. Therefore I would have some shift where I was specifically a supervisor and other shifts where my basic duties were to train. As a trainer I am responsible for properly showing the techniques on how to make the ice cream products and treat. Most people think it’s simple making an ice cream cone or a sundae, but it is quite difficult as there is a specific weight for each size and each product must had the signature curl at the top. In addition, I am responsible for the outcome of the employee if he is not properly trained it is clear he will not become the best employee as he was not shown properly. I would also teach the employees on how to use the cash and punch in orders.  

I remained a trainer for as long as it was required, every now and then to help out with new staff. In May 2013, I was then promoted to assistant manager, all while still helping with trainees. As an assistant manager I am accountable for everything that happens at the workplace. I am the main store key-holder, I am responsible for the store safe: to get cash and change for the register drawers before the restaurant opens. I approve time records and request for time off, I make sure there are enough workers to handle busy periods and I may also send people home during slow periods to keep labor costs down. I make sure the supervisor is maintain his or her responsibilities, if the supervisor is unable to resolve a complaint it is immediately brought to my attention where I help the employees address and resolve the wide variety of concerns and complaints. I have the authority to dismiss an employee if it is well justifiable and their performance is problematic. In addition, my responsibilities include such activities as developing my staff, mentoring, motivating individually and as a group; understanding and supporting diversity; and establishing an effective team. 

Personally, I appreciate and value every day I have worked at this restaurant. Considering this was my first job, it has taught me to grow and mature, and develop skills I didn’t even think I had. I became a leader, someone who was valued and appreciated all by mentoring, encouraging, supporting and defending my staff when needed. Finally, I learned the importance of communication and treating people respectably not only with staff but especially with customers.

The process to get a job here is quite simple and quick.  There was an advertisement online on kijiji for part time positions, and at the time i had really needed a job and already heard that Dairy Queen was a great place to work at from peers.  So I quickly emailed them my resume, and asked for consideration for the part.  Within 3 days I had received a call where I set an interview day, gotten an interview and email asking to work.  The management at my location is wonderful.  I have had nothing but god experiences so far, and the workers who trained me did a very good job as i got the hang of things fairly quickly.  The hardest part about this job is working grill on a very busy day or during a rush as it is a tight space back there, and you are essentially working alone ( not to say that if you need help you aren't given that).  You do need to be able to handle stress in that position and stress upfront as well when making treats on a busy day, and be able to work fast and multitask.  But with that you are always working with your co workers making it so much more enjoyable.  I myself am on cakes, so I just get to relax in the back, finish up any orders, decorate cakes and when someone is on break I go up front and help there so my shifts are quite easy.  For a better visualization In list form i'll describe to you my typical day.

Saturday 10:30 - 3:30 (typically unless asked to stay and help)
-punch in at 10:30 prepared and ready to work
-take note of how many original and blizzard cakes needed to be decorated
-take note on the cake inventory in the freezer
-take note in how many of the various cakes is needed to be made to refill the freezer after cake shift (give note to chill members so they can prepare and make those)
-take icing bags out and prepare work place with the turntable and wet cloth and putting an apron on to keep uniform clean 
-decorate any orders and pay close attention to details with colour and writing
- decorate how ever many original cakes to your own creativity 
- decorate blizzard cakes with corresponding toppings
- when someone is on break help out in the chill area
-when someone needs help in the grill area help out
- keep work area cleaned
- whenever someone comes into store and needs a note written on a cake, you are responsible for writing typically
-clock out after 5 hr shift, possibly longer if you are asked to stay
- receive your discount on food and drinks to take home or eat during shift

When I started here, I needed a job that had flexible hours for school. From looking at working there over the counter, I figured I could get by. I was sadly disappointed. The management there are completely under qualified for the positioning, as there is no WHMIS or health and safety training on day one. I was completely shocked that we did not do this, as we work with equipment that requires training and should be provided. Especially for adolescence staff we have that go to high school. Neither did any management staff have basic first aid training. None of the management staff cared enough for basic work ethics, or business integrity. As it promoted poor staffing morals throughout the store.

I was then promoted to shift leader, based on my skills and work ethics. I personally thought that I could make a change. I was indeed, mistaken again. One of the biggest issues was management was so dysfunctional, as the owners partner in business, completely ran it to confusion and treated staff member poorly. It was like being in a circus, treated like dancing mice to be stomped on by the elephant in the room.  You can guess the elephant in the room. The advice passed around, by management, no words of a lie "Not to care, it's only Dairy Queen", as they can check the lastest on social media during work hours.

I personally had enough of the toxic work environment, as I learned enough of how not to run a business and it mentally pained me to fake another smile. My final moments of walking away, was being accused multiple times of stealing smaller size work shirts, to a point I took off my work shirt to prove, it was indeed a large. Just because for months, I've been asking for a smaller right fitting shirt to look more professional. Then was aggressively told it was okay to mis-treat one customer, to make another customer happy, as it all came down to money in the end. In returns to walking away, I literally walked away. It was the best thing that working there ever gave me, was to walk and never give a moment of my time to the business ever again. 

In my short, although what felt too long of an experience there. Do not work there unless you are absolutely desperate, and have a strong mentality. It's a perfect fling for highschool students, as they'll come to realize it's like a bad prom date, waiting for the last song to end, to leave to the actual party.

I made the mistake of taking this job as my first job, that's for sure. I was only there for a few weeks but it was getting nowhere and I felt like it was impossible to advance as my 'training' consisted of a couple 5 min walkthroughs of the store with the manager who did go into detail, but not enough to remember permanently since it was only for five minutes lol. A week later they booked me again and I clearly couldn't remember everything since I'd only worked once before, so I tried to do what I could. However, they expected me to find work they had only mentioned once before and in the correct order  and made me take orders they have never taught me to do before. I once had over 5 blizzards to do after having worked there maybe twice before and was expected to do it on my own. They only helped me when I was really struggling and they felt like it.  I made lots of mistakes and I'm aware of that, especially since my memory is already bad, but I was genuinely trying to recall a bunch information I'd been given in five minutes a week before for orders that had to be done correctly and quickly and on my own after a couple days of shadowing the manager. There was also so many snide comments/ raising voices at me by the manager and especially the owner when I couldn't remember things or  if I didn't do it the way they liked/ fast enough, lots to my face but also a few behind my back, (things like use your brain, I can't babysit you, think for once) but I guess I was considered an inefficient outsider. if you have bad anxiety like me or have not worked in fast food before, not the best place to work as there is no time for them to train you or for you to ask questions. As far as having anxiety, this is definitely not the location, as the management is only close/ friendly towards those who have been there for like decades, and will constantly make comments about you, which was actually the worst part for me as every movement I made I was afraid I'd be yelled at or just get in trouble if everything want correct so yeah pretty anxiety inducing for me, which makes people perform worse obviously. I'd often go home crying from fear of the owner lol.

Even though my time employed with dairy queen in Ponoka was short it was memorable. It gave me my first steps into the customer service industry. I had just moved to the town and had gotten hired to be a cashier for the front. My daily activities included maintaining my workspace to be clean and presentable for when customers came in, clean dishes and equipment that were used, wipe down blizzard makers, mopping floors, tidying bathrooms, topping up supplies that were needed for making ice cream, as well as stocking any materials needed during the day, the manager was great and always tried her best to meet any employees needs, normally working in a fast food restaurant like dairy queen you would think it was fast paced as most of the time it is, but due to the town size and how small it was we only got customers slowly throughout the day. sometimes it would be dead for a while which meant other duties that the manager would find for us to do. luckily for me most of the customers that did come through were from out of town, so i did get to practice my customer service a lot while being there, since it was normally slow it gave me opportunities to gain close relationships with regular customers that did end up coming in daily or weekly etc. which is always important in any customer service industry, i wouldn't say there was any (hard parts) or struggles with this job as duties were pretty simple and easy, an unhappy customer would  of been probably the biggest challenge but there were always way around that to make them happy again! The most enjoyable part of the job definitely would have been, getting to meet all of the towns people that lived near by that would come in on a regular basis, they always enjoyed coming in and seeing a friendly face they could recognize and have sweet short little conversations with to make they're day!

Arrive at work on time, punch in on computer, scan the restaurant to see what needs to be cleaned or what garbage's need to be changed, do the tasks, when there is no work to be done, find work to be done, if there are no customers, read the list of duties and pick one, just to keep busy. If you work 4+ hours, you may take a break when the shift manager gives you one or ask to take one when it is not busy, Punch out, on your break, which lasts 15 min, you get whatever food you want to eat and sit at the back "break table", clean up your mess when your 15 minute break is over and return to the front cash, punch back in, when you are done all your assigned duties for the night, you will ask the manager on duty to check your area (drive thru, front..etc) and if your area is clean the manager tells you you are ready to go, you punch out and wait for your ride, or drive home.

I learned that at work you can make mistakes, but if you make too much, you risk your employment being terminated via e-mail. The management at Dairy Queen i found to be unacceptable, the shift managers on duty spent most of their time at the back on their cellphones rather then looking over the trainees/employees and doing their job. The head managers were friendly. I had the best team at Dairy Queen, everyone was nice, except for a few, everyone soon became friends and often spent time outside of work with one another, a job is a great way to meet friends. The hardest part of the job was the short hours and minimal shifts, the last 5 months of my employment at Dairy Queen I recieved 1 shift a week, which usually lasted 3 hours or so (thats a $60 paycheque!) while others, with similar qualities got 4 - 5 shifts a week lasting about 4 - 8 hours (thats close to $100 more then i made!). The most enjoyable part of the job was the customers you got to meet, and the experiences and memories you gave them just by putting on a happy smile and being polite and patient while taking their orders.

A typical day at Dairy Queen would mean arriving each morning around 8 am ( my scheduled hours 9am -5pm); I would check the overall appearance of the business, to ensure that the closing staff did their job correctly and make note of changes/ corrections to be addressed. Communicate with Day Staff as to what is necessary for food prep., store cleaning, ordering of supplies, etc. to ensure all tasks are set in an organized manner. All Company Standards must be met on a daily basis and this was my responsibility. Review previous daily sales and prepare bank deposits. Continuously monitor and work with the staff to achieve good customer service. 
The best part of being a Manager is having your team totally respect you; I believe that when you work "side by side" with your employees, praise and encourage them, plus do some of the unpleasant tasks yourself, you can create a wonderful staff. I also earned their respect by accommodating their work schedule around their important personal activities (dance, hockey, soccer, base ball, etc.) Having employees that can still participate in their hobbies while juggling a work schedule, makes a happier worker! A great Manager or Leader should interact with his/her staff so they know that you are approachable.
The hardest part of the job was unreasonable customers. Trying to control irate people can be frustrating when "the customer is always right"! 
As a Manager, I learnt that you can "make or break" someone's day. An upset customer can quickly have their mood turned around when you show compassion and great service. An employee with low self esteem can build confidence with a great Leader. Being a Manager at Dairy Queen was an awesome career.

A typical day consists of serving customers, doing cleaning jobs, making product to sell. I also do the order twice a week and inventory at months end. I would also do some grill work if need be. I have learned a great deal from this company. I ran the store for 2 years doing everything from scheduling, making sure store was up to health and safety regulations to hiring and firing of staff. The management/owner is difficult at times and changes his mind constantly about what he wants and how he wants it done thus confusing me and the employees and how to proceed with certain things.My co-workers quite hionestly are the main and most often the only reason i am still there. Most of them are personal friends of mine and they work well for me and respect me as thier manager. The hardest part of my job is the fact I am on my feet all day, I have to work 6 days a week for the most part and still do not get 40 hours a week. We are open year round but because of the business we are in the winter months are slow and hours get worse. The most enjoyable part of my job is the fact I am comfortable with the knowledge and know what i am doing and i think i do it well, also i love going into work to see my fellow co-workers, but honestly i do not enjoy it as much as i used to and things are changing and for me i need more. I am approaching 50 and i want a full-time position 5 days a week that balances my work with family time, especially at this stage in my life that balance is important. I am not getting that now and i feel like i live at my place of business and less at home. I believe i have learned enough and have the skills that would benifit any company who is willing to hire me and train me. I am loyal and eager to start the next chapter in my life.

My typical day at DQ, where open at 11am  busy starts at 12nn till 3pm.  This is a challenging job that I worked with which I learned how to make an ice cream cake and all lines of ice creams / blizzard that we offered . At DQ I do all the sides of station , ill do kitchen, drive thru, blizzard station and office as well. we had 3deliveries we had to do in a week , GFs, Canada Bread and Saputo as per rotation. My typical job routine are;  inventory, sending orders, sorting some paper work like accounting and purchasing stuff.
Taking care for cake orders by phone or walk-in guest  to make sure that they got their order right and on time  and to assured them all the details or information needed by the guest are well served and right.
 
workplace culture same as other restaurant we are all adjusting and helping each other to build connections and work as a TEAM, different nationality had diff, culture as well I make sure that I always respect and listen to each other . It is a learning process but in the end of the day no matter what situation we encountered ( STORE), I'll keep myself humble and professional at all times. RESPECT is the best  way of engaging / communicating to one another.

hardest part is if we encountered customer complains, as a CREW / Employee We are the one who paced all the consequences no matter how worst is scenario is,,  Nobody's perfect  it happens as a human error , as a TEAM we commit and correct  ourselves even though its not my fault still as supervisor our job is to rebuild the trust of our valid customers and to re assured them that got the best services possible we had. Customer is always right, if we feel humiliated that is the hardest part of my job

enjoyable part is we learned to be more professional  and friendly ,

Top Job Titles	Average salary
Surveillant du service alimentaire 390 salaries reported	$20.78 per hour
Directeur de restaurant 243 salaries reported	$32.81 per hour
Serveur au comptoir 154 salaries reported	$16.68 per hour
Cuisinier 38 salaries reported	$18.31 per hour
Teneur de livres 9 salaries reported	$27.94 per hour

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