It was OK...often disappointing - Crew Member Trader Joe's Employee Review

3.0
4 Jan 2011
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Flexible hours 10% discount good food fast paced, which can be good opportunities to be a section leader/write orders (although this added responsibility will not always be acknowledged with a better raise)

Cons

--Predictable duties --Often poor management (no communication/too many control freak prima donnas/managers constantly being transferred) --Pretense to being open to communication --Cutting hours for crew members while giving massive raises to three tiers of management (we need to survive, too!). Money saved on payroll goes into managers' pockets. --Daily schedule that makes one feel like a robot --Very secretive company/lots of gossip, hurt feelings --Constantly changing the game rules/moving goal posts (i.e. once you start making over $14/hr they start nit-picking everything you do to keep from giving you a 50 cent raise, including lies). A union would not tolerate this. -- Difficult for bad performers to be fired. They will very rarely fire a manager unless it's for discrimination or harassment. Instead they get transferred to another store, perpetuating the problem. -- The customer is king/queen and can be as abusive as they want. Management will never help you. Often times blaming you for any problem.

Explore other reviews about Trader Joe's

5.0
8 Jun 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Excellent work environment and team.

Cons

Might not be a con for some but the job requires you to spend a lot of time on your feet moving objects so not recommended if you have any injuries or ailments.

4.0
27 May 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

-Great way to meet people, socialize, and learn customer service -Always tasked with different things every hour -Friendly crew who will always help you to learn and get better at your job -Get a slight pay raise every 6 months -No outside commitments and amazing benefits if you work full time (about 28 hours a week for every 6 months) -Will take time, but find your friend group, stay with them and have fun, you can't please everybody -Care for your body, do not overdo it with physical labor, its a retail job and you only have one fragile body for yourself, get help or insist about your pains

Cons

-Not many, unless you are stuck in a bad store with bad management -I had some good luck of working in 3 great stores, so YMMV -Sometimes can get cliquey like you are back in high school -Getting promoted up to store management may involve buttering up and being a "yes-person" -Care for your body, do not overdo it with physical labor, its a retail job and you only have one fragile body for yourself, get help or insist about your pains

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