Pros
The people I worked with were genuinely great — friendly, welcoming, and patient. The team did a good job of supporting each other and working together to keep the environment positive and drama-free. The coffee itself was excellent, and the immediate staff truly cared about their work and customers.
Cons
The workspace was extremely inconvenient and exhausting. Working at the Grand Central location meant constantly hauling supplies up and down stairs or relying on a slow elevator. The compensation did not reflect the physical and emotional labor required for the job. Operations and systems changed almost weekly, creating confusion and inconsistency between management and upper management. Serious workplace concerns, including issues of sexual harassment, were not properly addressed until upper management was pressured to take action. The overall culture became toxic and demoralizing, leaving most employees unhappy and burnt out. During the LA fires, upper management refused to compensate employees for missed shifts and instead told us to file for unemployment, which would have meant if we got money, it would only be about $50 for several days of lost work. To make matters worse, there was also a terrifying incident when we believed there was an active shooter nearby (which later turned out to be fireworks). Instead of showing understanding or concern, management criticized staff for leaving early, despite the shock and fear many of us felt. The lack of empathy and support from leadership made an already stressful job even more discouraging. I don't recommend working there, but if you do, DO NOT WORK at the GRAND CENTRAL MARKET location.