cook

restaurant manager

cuisinier

prep cook

dishwasher

The Keg Steakhouse + Bar

At first I really thought the work dynamic would be nice, but the staff is cliquey, management won’t accommodate hours properly, they pick favourites to go home first, they say they go by the list of who came in first but that’s a joke. They intentionally pick the same people to close and will tell you it’s only fair you close but won’t rotate it, they force you as the closer to stay overtime even when it’s dead and past 10pm, they barely rotate jobs, so you’re typically in the same spot all month or longer because they’re selective, so there’s no room to actually grow properly or advance in a certain position. The people are nice but once again it’s all clique based so if you aren’t apart of the clique you’re just there…. Management works the same way. Nice to you. Worked there during Covid and management couldn’t agree on the policy, management also will allow guests to walk over you, and guests will be ignorant especially if they know the owner and the owner allows it and doesn’t acknowledge how guests can be rude to staff because they’re a paying customer/ friend. Honestly for what you make it’s not worth it. If you can find a keg that’s genuinely nice to its staff and isn’t about who’s better, go for it. I know there’s a place out there but it’s just not the Peterborough one. They do have staff events though which is nice and the discount for steak and meals is phenomenally impressive, so I guess it did have its little perks to the side. You do get in trouble though for mistakes, like if they tell you to bring someone to a certain table and they thought they said a different one, as a host it’s your fault although you just do the info given, and they will threaten to write you up which is rediculous, like I understand the importance of bringing a guest to the wrong table, but they make you go back and humiliate yourself and force guests to move even if you brought them from one two seater to another two seater and they have the ability to change tables on the screen. Anyways yeah. Don’t recommend. 

I’ve worked at the keg as a server for 3 years  part time at the St James location.
Workplace Culture: Management is compassionate, understanding and inclusive. They go out of their way to work with job placement programs, and with local colleges for intern opportunities. All levels of staff are kind and welcoming, with opportunity for growth. I’d estimate the average staff tenure of about 10 ish years, with ages including high school and university students, working professionals, and retirees. Most servers have a daytime job and serve part time.
Usually the entry level positions (busser, host, salad station) are high school or university students, and have opportunity to move into higher roles with higher pay. Next level of positions would include head hosts, kitchen departments, expo, and bartending where staff will move through positions as they move up. More senior staff work as servers and grill cooks. All management roles are filled internally or hired from our intern program and lots of opportunity to supervise (floor walk) or become a manager. 
Owner: he owns all three Winnipeg kegs as a franchisee. What makes him unique is he is from Winnipeg and actually worked his way up the corporate Keg chain, into head office, then purchased the franchises. He is a true Winnipeg keg employee who worked his way up to owner. Only downside of franchise keg is we don’t get the same perks as corporate kegs (special staff menu, discount for employee + guests) which would be nice to have incorporated. 
I would recommend the keg to anyone, however it is hard to find an open position unless you’re willing to start in an entry level role. 

I've worked at the keg thunder bay for 3 years now and I must say I haven't really enjoyed it for the past 2 years.  I am a student at university and have only stayed there because of the money. The management team is super disorganized in terms of scheduling and things like training. Also, we were never able to keep enough staff where if people needed a few days off it was hardly ever given to them. A few weekends ago I needed two days off and the management told me they would give it to me and they did not give it to me and I miss a really important event because of this. The job on the cook line is also very stressful as team members all have their own way of doing things and management has not been able to fix the problems since I have been there. In terms of the people there, they are always laughing and made it enjoyable to go to work and have a good laugh however going to this stressful "part-time job" with co-workers disagreeing over everything made it very hard to work.  The job is also very stressful for a part-time job. Although the pay is nice sometimes the stress really makes me question whether or not the job is actually worth the money. This place has taught me some valuable things such as work ethic and proper cooking techniques. Management is pretty disorganized at times. Getting time off for certain events isn't always easy. The people there are really nice and you can always have a good laugh whenever you go there, however they tend to hire some people that are not the best of workers. The job itself was pretty hard and you must have a strong mentality to get through the shift. The pay is nice and is probably one of the only reasons why me and other people there have stayed working there.

The Keg prides themselves on an amazing workplace.
their moto is Work Hard, Play Hard. A Rule of Thumb is a happy employee will create a warm and Inviting experience for the guest. Training for new employees is at least 2 weeks if not longer. New Employees go through training and testing after every position has been completed. A New employee will train in different positions to learn that every position contributes to the companies success.
Management training runs 3 months long, with written exams, theory and hands on training. Again working through each position to be able to jump in wherever needed, and of course to understand each positions influence on the success of the company
Known for its great customer service along with the highest standards of products, The Keg is a fantastic employer, whether you are part of the service staff or part of the management team.
Work days run from 8 to 12 hours. Scheduling changes week to week. because it is a restaurant the hours vary from 12pm - 3am.
Flexible with days off due to weekly scheduling.
I have 4 weeks paid vacation along with great benefits, including in-store benefits (40% off of food and Wine for myself and 6 guests)
I have been given such an amazing opportunity to learn from the best in customer service & human resources. Head office is Located in Toronto and Vancouver.
The late nights are becoming more difficult, and this is why I would be searching for a new position, with a more predictable schedule

The specific Keg I worked at was not the best work environment. There is an insane amount of drama and tension among the employees no matter whether you’re working FOH or BOH. The management fluctuates between amazing and hilariously bad. The Niagara Falls Keg is insanely busy and you’re open much later than any other Keg (12-12:30) and the bar is open even later. There is no auto-grat for the servers despite the huge amount of international travellers and gift cards we receive, but you’re still expected to tip out a decent amount. There are a LOT of employees, so it usually runs pretty smooth, but when it’s bad it’s BAD. New Years Eve is probably the worst bc the hotel that the Keg is in sells prepaid meals as part of a package, which means most of ur tables don’t pay, complain about needing to pay for drinks or items not included, and leave a terrible tip, if they leave anything at all. Perhaps the most annoying though is that when you tell management your schedule, they don’t always obey. For example if you have late classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays so you grey those out, you will be booked on those days and it’s up to you to find a replacement. If you request a day off, it’s never guaranteed, and it’s almost impossible to get Saturdays off.

Perhaps the most telling about this Keg, however, is that I have YET to receive a call back to work after the second lockdown (despite emailing several times to confirm that I am still available to work and am decently high in seniority) but they have this add up asking for NEW servers.

Arrive around 3:30-4pm, Start around 4-5pm (depending on the day), go on-line and mae sure I had everything needed for a night of cooking, know where my backups are and how much is left. Depending on the day, I might have been there before the rush and do this. Others it's straight into work, picking up into the line without disrupting the line, while knowing whats in, what needs to be in and what needs to be out and gone. Cook till generally about 8:30-9ish Sunday to Thursday, Friday and Saturday would usually be about 10-10:30. After the main rush was over or close to the end of the night, line breakdown would start to begin the close. First the hot stations would be turned off and put into new cold cooling inserts. Then the drawers that held the food that was to be cooked that was left over from the night were covered up and put into the cooler. On-line fridge, freezer, hot drawers and hot sham followed suit. General cleaning and daily tasks would be completed along with all closing duties. Sunday through Thursday would leave around 10:30-11, Friday Saturday at midnight. Learn how to deepfry a few things, sauté vegetables, seafood and other meats as well as sear fish. A small amount of grilling meat to different rarities. Management was alright, though a fair amount of favoritism was definetly shown. Hardest part of the job was judging when to actually start closing down for the night, while the most enjoyable was the sense of team almost family within the different parts of staff.

Had I not moved to Toronto so recently, I would have pursued a life long career with The Keg Steakhouse & Bar. My days spent managing with The Keg were very busy. I generally would open the restaurant and start with an exterior walk ensuring the property is free of garbage and debris, then move my way inside. Once inside, I would check all the dish washer chemicals to ensure they meet health and safety standards. I then would begin to adjust the atmosphere of the restaurant, this includes dimming the lights, turning on the televisions, and putting on the music for the dinning room, bar, and patio. I worked very heavily alongside my coworkers as I would have to be there at anytime when needed or asked. Whether it be a happy or unhappy guest, an allergy concern that I'd need to address, or having to problem solve on the spot such as needing more sour cream and running to a nearby grocery store and stocking up to finish dinner service, I was always the last man standing. A fixed point that would always be there readily available. Once dinner service was complete and the restaurant was clean and clear, I would then cash out my servers and tip them to the dollar, exactly how much we owed them. The hardest part of my job would have to been the day I handed my letter of resignation to pursue a career, a potentially new job opportunity, in a new city in Toronto.

A typical day at work begins with ensuring my uniform is neat and tidy, checking the message board for recent news, updates and our specials for the evening. Also, each server is responsible for checking our designated table sections to ensure they are ready for guests.
Weekends are our busiest days of the week, so servers are constantly on the go; greeting tables, ensuring effective communication at all times with the guest, meeting our guest experience times, demonstrating team work to support co-workers and illustrating best practice to ensure all needs of guests are met.
The most difficult part of the job is maintaining stress level when guests have numerous needs that demand more attention than most. However, these situations become opportunities to problem solve and time manage effectively.
The most enjoyable part of working at The Keg is the staff. I am a people person, and The Keg provides opportunities for team bonding. It is important to know who you are working with to better work as a team. I also enjoy working at The Keg because of all the people I meet. I am enahncing my customer service skills daily.
Overall, The Keg has an amazing team atmosphere, strong managment and has taught me what to look for in a company as I search for a career.

I have worked at two Kegs. One in Brantford and one in Oakville. I have come to the conclusion that across the board every single Keg you work at you will feel included and appreciated by coworkers as well as management. 
The Keg offers promotions, for example, I started in dish and just got moved up to bussing. These promotions do not come with raises, but you can get a raise if you're a hard worker and have been part of the team for a year or so. 
The Keg also has tons of recreational stuff to do, like soccer, basketball, etc. You can compete against other Keg's and get closer with your team members. 
Management is both your friend and your boss. You can tell them anything without being on edge, but they also know when it's necessary to discipline, teach or warn. 
I started this thinking it would be another part-time job, but then I dropped out of college because I can't imagine ever leaving, and Servers make way more than I would have if I stuck with my college career. 
Oh, and there's tipout. In Oakville I got about $100 for a weekend, in Brantford for the week I get about $50. If you live in a big city expect a nice tipout every Monday. Otherwise, it's about an extra $1 an hour for dish and bus.

In 4 years, I saw a management consistently developed from staff who had worked in other roles in the restaurant, so management understood the positions of each role proficiently well and showed empathy for their employees. Annual Reviews done by staff removed unpopular managers.  

Kitchen staff were generally positive, competent, and work felt easy even on days with 300+ reservations, but work was fast-paced and involved. Servers were polite and treated kitchen with respect. Coworkers are important, and the location I worked at was very good in this respect. 

Expediting is either love or hate, the challenge of facilitating servers and the kitchen in quality checking plates was very satisfying. 

General advancement in the restaurant is generally based on experience, competency, and consistency. However, you should keep in mind it may be easier to progress financially by transferring experience to another job, although you will likely be sacrificing work environment. 

Considering other options, I would absolutely work in this role again. Only growth opportunities would pull me away. 

Top Job Titles	Average salary
Cook 6 salaries reported	$18.94 per hour
Restaurant manager 11 salaries reported	$57,727 per year
Cuisinier 10 salaries reported	$19.46 per hour
Prep cook 7 salaries reported	$19.36 per hour
Dishwasher 3 salaries reported	$16.48 per hour

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