cuisinier

restaurant manager

server

line cook

serveur au comptoir

East Side Marios

If you're a young person, and looking to gain primary experience, whether you're looking to have a career in the restaurant industry or you want to gain the necessary skills for post-secondary education and the workplace, then by all means, aim for a placement at East Side Mario's. 
Most of the time, restaurants under the Recipe Unlimited franchise can only offer part-time work for a heap of employees because employing an individual full-time means they owe them benefits such as vacation pay, sick pay, medical / dental insurance, etc. It's harder, but not impossible, to get work full-time; you would probably have to work there for a certain amount of time and/or be really good at your job until they upgrade your placement.

I personally only lasted for a seasonal position as a host (nope, not even managed to be moved up to expo). If you are placed as a host, buckle up for a tough ride and be prepared to do a lot of dirty work. On the social hierarchy scale at East Side Mario's, the host is pretty at the lowest of it. :/ Management and coworkers often expect a whole ton from you when you are already busy trying to fulfill customer service, and that can easily be for reasons outside their control, because working in a restaurant environment is fast-paced and hectic, and it can be difficult for some individuals to manage if they cannot work well under pressure. It's definitely challenging when you haven't figured out how to take that amount of pressure without losing your own sanity (it's a real rollercoaster for my folks out there tackling mental health issues). Working in a franchise comes with the risk of dealing with awful management (although you may get lucky with having understanding managers). The location I worked at had three general managers; the two main supervisors and the owner, as well as other supervisors who would look after the restaurant when the three mains were away. An East Side Mario's will likely have more than one manager, and these individuals could be very different, so you will need to be diplomatic if you are working with a difficult manager. 

With our current situation with COVID, it is a necessity to keep restaurant hygiene in top shape. Hosts are most required to maintain the cleanliness. You have to perform bathroom checks every 30 minutes; be prepared to do a disgusting job, because often times, you are instructed to use the same cloth soaked in D10 solution as you use to wipe the tables. Under their laws and regulations, it's acceptable to use the same cloth because it sanitizes these surfaces (in bathrooms, you have to clean the high-touch points such as door handles, toilet/urinal handles, sink handles, etc. and you have to check your name off to ensure that someone monitored the bathroom). You are welcome to wear gloves when sanitizing and disinfecting the restaurant (I started wearing gloves when in the disinfection process). A checklist is often provided for the host so they can ensure that all the tasks have been completed before the end of the day and/or they leave their shift, which also includes wiping the glass on doors and display case with Windex, organizing the host stand, sanitizing high chairs, sweeping the front of house as well as the smoker's area, etc. On the plus side, if you're young and have been reluctant to do deep-cleaning before, picking up these responsibilities helps you get ahead, because when you have your own place in the future, you most likely will need to deep clean your home. 

There is little job security within a franchise like this, because these establishments hire a lot of new people season after season. I wasn't able to get a single shift one week because my location had brought in a lot of newbies for the first week of school, and later I got a call from the management later telling me they couldn't keep me anymore. Sum up, there are little guarantees you will keep your job, so have a back-up plan in case your establishment may have to let you go. Don't fret if they do; you are able to gain quite a bit of background restaurant experience as well as being able to master your workplace skills when you already had a placement there, and if all else fails, there is always a better place for you.

Working for a franchise and working for a corporate organization both have their advantages and disadvantages. Here are some pros and cons of each:

Franchise:

Pros:
1. Independence: Franchise employees often have more autonomy and flexibility in their day-to-day operations compared to corporate employees. They may have the opportunity to make decisions and implement strategies specific to their franchise location.
2. Entrepreneurial Spirit: Franchises offer individuals the chance to operate their own business within an established framework. This can be appealing to those who want to be business owners but prefer the support and guidance of a larger organization.
3. Established Brand: Franchises benefit from the recognition and reputation of an established brand. This can lead to increased customer trust and foot traffic, which may result in higher sales potential.
4. Training and Support: Franchisors usually provide training programs and ongoing support to franchisees and their employees. This can be beneficial for individuals who are new to the industry or lack business experience.

Cons:
1. Financial Investment: Franchisees typically have to pay upfront fees and ongoing royalties to the franchisor. This can be a significant financial commitment that may limit financial flexibility and profitability.
2. Limited Decision-making: While franchises offer some level of autonomy, there are usually strict guidelines and procedures that franchisees must adhere to. This can restrict decision-making freedom and creativity.
3. Less Control: Franchisees must comply with the policies, products, and services set by the franchisor. They have less control over pricing, promotions, and changes to the business model, which can be frustrating for those who prefer more independence.
4. Reputation Risks: If a franchise location faces negative publicity or performance issues, it can impact the entire franchise network. Franchisees may face challenges in overcoming these reputational risks, even if they are not directly responsible.

Corporate:

Pros:
1. Stability and Security: Corporate jobs often provide more stability, including benefits, regular pay, and potential career progression within the organization.
2. Resources and Expertise: Corporate companies typically have access to more extensive resources, including research and development, marketing, and operational support. This can result in better tools, training, and technologies for employees.
3. Clear Structure and Policies: Corporate organizations usually have well-defined structures, policies, and procedures in place. This can provide clarity and guidance for employees, making it easier to navigate their roles and responsibilities.
4. Networking Opportunities: Working in a corporate environment allows individuals to connect and collaborate with a diverse group of professionals, expanding their network and potentially opening up new career opportunities.

Cons:
1. Limited Autonomy: Corporate employees often have less control over decision-making processes. The decision-making power may rest with higher-level executives, which can lead to a lack of influence and creativity in certain roles.
2. Bureaucracy: Corporate organizations can be bureaucratic, with multiple layers of management and lengthy approval processes. This can slow down decision-making and hinder innovation and agility.
3. Office Politics: Larger corporate environments may be prone to office politics and internal competition, which can create a less enjoyable work atmosphere and affect career advancement opportunities.
4. Less Entrepreneurial Freedom: Corporate employees generally have less opportunity for entrepreneurship or owning a business within the company. They may have to follow corporate strategies and initiatives rather than implementing their own ideas.

Ultimately, the choice between working for a franchise or a corporate organization depends on an individual's personal preferences, career goals, and risk tolerance.

Working for Eastside Mario's usually consisted to the start of a slow night during this time I would check up on my section e.g., making sure my tables are clean, tables are set and a general cleanliness of the surroundings. Afterwards checking and assigning side duties to all other servers. Side duties for servers are separate duties to serving but that benefit the work for all as a team, these would include keepings all the hutches clean, re stocking utilities throughout the entire restaurant, cleaning and sanitizing counters, these duties are assigned first thing before starting my shift but are not actually done until after your shift. Unfortunately they're not paid for.

Even though the hours are not great, I believe and most servers who have had the chance to work at any Eastside Mario's and made it over the initial training would acknowledge  that there is no restaurant in Canada as demaning and fast-paced as this one. It does not involve a few steps of common service where you take an order and simply deliver it to the table. It involves 26 steps of service that you deliver to each table regardless if it's busy or not. Audits and secret shoppers are done on a frequent manner to ensure performance of service, service involves basic serving skills but the "all you can eat"program, meaning; ensuring every table's drink is always full, delivering all you can eat bread, salad and soup to every guest in every table at all tables on top of taking regular orders throughout their entire dining experience from beginning of the shift to the end. Eastside's has given me an experience and improved my skills of patience, fast production and being able to literally work under pressure.

Management consisted of two owners, GM and a manager. Friendly and somewhat polite. Not consistent with rules and equality.

Coworkers were all friendly but a common pattern existed; the majority of them students, with limited availability, always rushing throughout the ending of their shift. They would also come and go due to the high volume and the fast-paced of the environment. In four years at the restaurant only four employees remained working myself included, over twenty employees came along and left.

Hardest part is to literally ensure you're providing all 26 steps of service to each table even when you're understaffed, no excuses were pardoned if this wasn't completed and the constant pressure of being friendly and smiling regardless of insults, terrible incidents involving disappointments of the guests.

The best was the overall relationship of the entire staff, the team work and while it was very fast-paced that same reason was also a positive factor because you did not feel time go by. The shift would go by in a flash and you got to meet many new people everyday and hear their lovely stories.

A typical day at work consists of Monday, Tuesday, and Friday where I work at lunch and dinner time. I come into work and organize all reservations, ensure the tables are all clean and set. As customers arrive for their meals I organize where to sit them according to what servers are set in what location of the restaurant.

Working for the restaurant I have learned about patience, customer service, and having to work in the retail industry. When working at a restaurant, during meal times, the restaurant becomes extremely busy and lineups can become extremely long. When this occurs, customers may complain and you are being asked to do several things at once. The only way to deal with these high demands is to have patience and be patient with the customers by explaining to them their situation and any problems that have arose. As well you need patience with the employees because everyone is running around at full force and asking everyone favours and workers become stressed when it is extremely busy, therefore you must be patient with your co-workers. Customer servive is key because without customer satisfaction, the business will not excel. You must ensure that the customer is satisfied and that you are doing everything you can to make things run smoothly in order to prevent customer dissatifaction. In the retail industry, management becomes your voice and therefore you must do what they say even in you do not necessarily agree with the decision they have made.

I have learned to work well with my co-workers by always being friendly and understanding when others need help or are very busy. Stress level increases in the restaurant when it is extermely busy and therefore you must learn to forgive and forget because certain situations may cause anger, but when the rush is over, everyone forgets about the previous situation and we all begin to have fun and work together once again.

The hardest part of the job is when there is a waiting line at the door and we must organize large parties when all the tables are full. We have to sacrifice sitting a table when there is an empty one and wait for the table beside it to leave in order to sit the large party. This can cause customers to become frustrated and the larger parties to wait for long periods of time, but you have to offer alternatives while they are waiting and attempt to keep all customers calm and organized while at the door even when you have servers asking you for favours and managers demanding multiple tasks from you.

The most enjoyable part of the job is when customers tell you that you are doing a good job. When you connect with a family at the restaurant eating for dinner, they communicate with you and a lot of the time we joke between customers and have fun. For example: one table is right beside the door, therefore when we sit them they are always surprized and we usually say "sorry for the long walk". This gets the customers relaxed and already laughing. I love connecting with the customers because you always learn something new.

Interviewed for a “FOH manager, work 4 days a week!” In Cambridge. 

Met with 2 of the owners and it was fantastic! We had great conversations and I had high hopes. 
Was told they have some managers/supervisors starting some training so if I wanted to just “get in” as a server so get to know the store, I’d be developed ASAP. 
I mentioned I wouldn’t mind an arrangement like this as long as I had hours to rely on as I need a full time spot and this was totally understood in the interview. 

Was advised one last owner was on vacation but would meet/call me when they got back. (Would be 3rd meet for interview. When they called they offered me a server spot and to come for an orientation that week.  

I reiterated in my orientation what my expectations were with the company and made it extremely clear what the outline was throughout the whole process and was very encouraged that this was the way it was going to be and there was no discrepancies. 

Fast forward a week my hours got cut from 35-ish to maybe 15. 
When I brought this up it took talking to about 3 different people before I was able to get more hours but they had it fixed by the next week. 

With that being said, nothing was discussed about moving up or how I was doing with the path or anything however was interviewing others for the same spot. 

They pretty much got me in with a promise of management (I have many years experience) and was very eligible and snaked into keeping me as a server which felt really off. 

Now time for the let go: 
Thursday I went out to eat and ended up getting food poisoning and was sick for 13 solid hours on Friday which I had called in for naturally. After that was over with I caught a bit of wind and went to pick up my work pay cheque since there’s no direct deposit.  

I didn’t realize because I had never battled food poisoning before but my ribs, stomach, and whole body hurt from the 13 hours of flexing so I decided it would be best just to take one more day to recover, especially since I can’t even laugh with a guest (for tips) without feeling pain in my whole body. 

That apparently crossed a line and they messaged me under the “FOH manager” messaging thread to let me know I’m showing lack of concern for dependability but I’m knowledgeable and fun to work with and therefore not continuing with my employment. 

The management here are friendly when they need you to do things for them but clearly abuse you this way. 

The turnover rate is ridiculous here and they have a “plan in place” to get the store up to where I needs to be but I can assure you, they’re at a stand still and continue to run the restaurant in a demented way. Because the GM and owners are very close friends it’s like a gang and they will only look out for each other and the rest of the employees (who aren’t related) are just numbers who can be replaced. 

Not worth your time, effort, or tears. Management was the worst I've ever seen; from utter laziness and disorganization to not paying employees and shady/illegal practices, the lack of professionalism was shocking. Schedules would come out late and without any consideration of staff availability, employees would be blacklisted, bullied and reduced to tears, management would withhold tips and you'd often find money missing from your paycheque. 
Managers would arrive hours late to shifts, while employees were chewed out for any arbitrary thing. Here's the kicker. When you arrived on time for your shift, you'd be forced to sit by the bar for hours and not allowed to punch in for your shift (and get paid) until a manager said so. That meant you could arrive for your shift at 5:30 and either be benched for hours OR sent home without pay. So either way, you'd lose wages and tips every shift. 
They also refused to pay employees for online training AND didn't train employees properly during training shifts. If you get injured on the job, forget about WSIB or compensation; they'll fudge the report and make sure you won't hear back from them.
The restaurant itself was in bad shape, too - decked with gross old furniture, and supplies and equipment were not much better. Hygiene was out of the question. Food was mediocre at best. Customers were almost always angry, irrational and rude. That being said, ESM is not exactly impressive in any of its aspects, so it's understandable sometimes. But the crowd only makes the job more stressful. 
Being a host is particularly difficult and nerve-wracking. Aside from your actual responsibilities, everyone else's neglected duties fall on you. 
(for a list of almost all job duties for a host, scroll down!)



Hosts greet and seat guests, take reservations and reserve appropriate tables, maintain a waitlist, answer the phone, restock host desk, bus, clean and reset tables, mop and sweep floors, clean and restock bathrooms, clean any other messes caused by customers or staff, take out garbage, organize the stock room, wipe down all cutlery, carry dishes out of the dish pit after washing, prepare condiments and butter, prepare to-go orders, attend customers/grab stuff for them, run food and drinks for servers, give customers their bill and process payments, wipe down all menus, put up chairs, and close down the restaurant. Basically everything and more.

A typical day at work at east side Mario’s as a hostess pretty much consists of running around the entire resteraunt while also trying to manage the door and flow of guests. You’re responsible for seating guests, bussing tables, helping servers with their tables, doing take-out orders, cleaning duties for the restaurant + washrooms and making sure even when stressed to present yourself as happy as can be for the guests and work environment.

well I can say it was good training for learning to manage your emotions in very stressful environments and adapting to different environments and situations and learning the flow of how servers like to run their food and not a bad first time restaurant experience.
 
The workplace culture id honestly say was pretty toxic time to time but wasn’t always bad and sometimes just depended on how insane it was but a lot of the people I met there are amazing people and made it worth working there but there were quite a few moments if not daily from some senior staff/management that would have no problem freaking out at you the second you inconvenience them or “double seat” them making it more difficult to do your job effectively and having them continue to rant about you to whoever will listen, and often times there were either never enough people or way too many to the point you can’t even move around. One of my managers were totally fine to work with but the assistant manager did from time to time get often passive aggressive with me and other staff members which was often a topic of discussion amongst the staff.

The hardest part of the job for me was just the amount of things I had to make sure I was keeping on top of and had to do while also managing my own stress, while also feeling like I did more work then I got paid for just considering tip outs would be every two weeks that would normally range from $60-$90 and sometimes on a good night $100-$110 while servers would be taking that home a night not needing to do nearly as much (in my opinion) but that could totally just be industry not this place in particular who knows!

The best part about working there was definitely a handful of the people I met and worked with, definitely a lot of amazing beautiful personalities there and they made the job a lot easier to deal with a long with the stress of the place.

I worked here as a hostess for about three months and really enjoyed it. Its a great first job for anyone looking to break into the restaurant industry. Adequate training and understanding management. Usually very very busy, the restaurant is often understaffed and things can become hectic. On the other hand, some shifts go by painfully slowly. It really depends on the day. Pretty basic tasks; cleaning tables, some bussing, keeping an eye on the bathrooms. Mostly I was dealing with customers which I enjoyed. Customers were mostly pleasant but keep in mind FOH staff get the brunt of their anger if they're unhappy. Managers are good about stepping in when customers are being unreasonable. Some office politics but they're easy to avoid if you keep out of it. They mostly come from spending so much time with the same people under stressful conditions. Waitstaff is helpful but expect you to adjust quickly. Some pressure on hosts because placing customers in the wrong sections can ruin a servers shift. You need to keep on top of those thing. People want to help you do well but no one will coddle you because their income depends on you being well organized. It's very different from other entry level jobs but that's a lot of what makes it fun. People are way more laid back here than other retail type jobs I've worked since. The main expectation is that you work hard and keep things afloat. Overall, I had a great experience at ESM even though the type of work doesn't particularly suit me. 
HOWEVER, I would not recommend this job to anyone who suffers with anxiety or has a difficult time multitasking. Things are very unpredictable and you need to be able to adjust to that quickly. Don't be like me who wrote on their resume "good with fast paced environments" just because it sounded good. You have to actually be good at those things or be willing to learn how in order to succeed at this job. If you think that environment would suit you, great! you'll probably get a lot of satisfaction out of the work. If you think that the environment would prove too stressful for you and you wouldn't be able to adapt I suggest you save your time and apply elsewhere. I personally became overwhelmed often due to the nature of the job and ended up quitting but I've known many people who enjoyed the work a lot because it was so busy. It really has to do with your personality. 

A typical day at work includes clearing, cleaning, and resetting tables quite often, pre-busing tables' dirty dishes, doing bathroom checks to ensure there are no shortages of toilet paper/paper towel/soap, greeting and leading customers to their tables and answering the phone. I definitely learned time management, due to the fact that I would often work shifts where there would be busy rushes of people, and how to efficiently clean lots of tables in short period of time. Another lesson that derives from that would be prioritizing tasks, especially, once again, at the busy peak hours of suppertime. However, a whole new can of worms would be learning to work in the service industry, being face to face with customers constantly, trying to help them as much as you can. Customer service can be extremely challenging at times, especially when there are impatient people whom you're dealing with. Overall, most of my co-workers treated me as equal and with respect, but there were a few who were rude, demanding and condescending on multiple occasions, but most of the time I would go home thinking it was a good shift because the working atmosphere often distracts from personal interactions. The hardest part of my job is likely the stress of trying to quickly figure out where to put a group of guests when the restaurant is busy, especially when it is a larger group of five or more adults. Trying to stay cool under pressure only works for so long and with the added task of dirty tables to clean everywhere, it can get to the point where it feels extremely overwhelming. The most enjoyable part of my job was being able to work with the people I became friends with, because they helped pass the time on shift a lot faster in comfortable environment where we have each other's backs.

-Shift hours can vary; sometimes a shift can last as long as 3 hours to some days an expected 3 hours shift can turning into a 5-10 hour shift (obviously depending on management, as well as employee availability) 

-Long periods of standing and walking; this is a known hazard within many workplaces so wear proper insoles and shoes (usually non-slips) that follow the workplaces H&S policies and procedures to prevent sore or swelling of the feet and back pain
-Repeated use of trays may cause some wrist pain    

-Varieties of guests with different personalities and cultures visit this family restaurant chain, knowing how to communicate with them appropriately and respectfully is very important to ensure optimal customer satisfaction

-Constant verbal communication between FOH and BOH is mandatory to ensure smooth operations
-Team work is one of the biggest part of this place- which involves a lot of strong communication- as a result, you build friendships and become a workplace family

-Proper execution of dishes from BOH to FOH is very important to ensure customer satisfaction and of course, a hot meal; assisting your Expo is necessary
-Serve multiple dishes to designated tables
-Monitoring side hutches and server station supply levels repeatedly and restocking when necessary 
-Monitor multiple tables of guests 

-Management is usually very flexible with employee hours

-The most difficult part of the job can be the table flip times, which makes this a very fast-paced stressful environment. 

For example, you can have multiple tables requesting multiple items and have issues/complaints all at the same time- which consumes time needed to tend all guests- this can be very stressful if not handled properly and effectively. Therefore, strong time management skills are required to manage multiple tables.   
 
-Ensure to always follow all health and safety procedures and policies while in the work place

Top Job Titles	Average salary
Cuisinier 52 salaries reported	$21.38 per hour
Restaurant manager 13 salaries reported	$52,208 per year
Server 28 salaries reported	$18.34 per hour
Line cook 24 salaries reported	$18.90 per hour
Serveur au comptoir 34 salaries reported	$20.39 per hour

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