Pros
Company does offer some benefits, even to part time employees, which can be hard to find in a service job. Management is fairly flexible with requests for time off or needing to work shifts around other schedules, such as second jobs or school. It's fine for a weekend job when you just need extra money, but you'd have to work really hard to make a living here. I've never seen anyone promoted to a higher position (i.e. from server to bar), but you can apply to management through HR, no recommendation required (that might explain some of the managers!)
Cons
Base pay stinks - $2.13/hour plus tips (which is standard for serving) but you also have mandatory tip out to host staff (2% of sales). This can eat a good chunk out of your hard earned money. They only pay host staff $4/hour, well below minimum wage, but make servers tip them out just for doing their jobs to make up the difference. No bus staff, though when you're already tipping out host staff that's probably for the best as far as your wallet is concerned. You also tip out the bar a % of your liquor sales, which is standard. Don't expect huge money. You have to work the right shifts and have the right customers to really make decent pay. Of course with the economy you have to work even harder for your tips, people aren't giving as freely as in the past. The discount is a joke. No comp unless you just finished a shift, then it's $3 off for 1 shift, $7 for double shift. No discount if you didn't work. Most people don't bother to eat there since their meal will still cost them $4-5 with the comp, and don't forget you have to tip the bartender 15% just for ringing in your order! Management is so-so. Some take their responsibilities seriously but other seem to be on the same mental level as their young employees, making crude jokes and flirting with the young girls. They've recently attempted to rebrand themselves as a place to watch sports by adding better tv's and sound to bar areas. This leads to excessive noise across the small restaurants, and many customer complaints from people who are expected a "neighborhood grill" rather than a sports bar atmosphere. When sports aren't on they've begun playing rap and pop music, also fairly loudly. It can be Sunday at 10:30 a.m. and Applebees sounds like they're keeping the party going from the night before. You can imagine how the "everyday" customer reacts, but no amount of complaining to management has changed anything.