Pros
There are moments of genuine fun - staff dances, certain interaction with customers. Owners are competent, even friendly, but ultimately view you as nothing more than a cog in their system. You do get put in a range of roles, very early on. It’s a first job, to be taken only as it instils the basic skills needed to work in hospitality.
Cons
Overworked, underpaid. Minimum wage, no tips or bonuses. 0 hour contract. I received 2 hours training before starting the job. Hostile working environment, consisting of new employees that do not know what they are doing, and long term employees who have grown complacent in their roles. Corners are cut at every opportunity to keep the ailing business afloat. Staff are hired as young as possible to justify paying them a pittance. And to ensure they have as little experience as possible, so they have no reference as to how a decent employer behaves. When close up runs beyond your hours, you are expected to work, unpaid. It is considered ‘your fault’ for working too slowly, even when work is shared and co workers fail to pull their weight.
Moreover, frequent understaffing has you performing the roles of 3 workers combined.