Challenging & Heading in the wrong direction - Store Manager Circle K Employee Review

1.0
Jul 3, 2019
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Competitive pay in the industry Can set your own schedule for the most part Never boring If you are a superior multitasker you will do well

Cons

In the over two years I've been with Circle K expectations and daily tasks are added to your workload on a regular basis. But you are restricted to 50 hours a week due to being an hourly employee, and your Market Manager will have no patience for you if you exceed this limit, no matter the reason. Every single day you will have 15 hours of work you have to compact into a 10 hour shift. Corporate will "focus" on one or two objectives usually and you are expected to achieve said objectives on an ongoing basis. This would be fine but all your other duties that have been piled one on top of another over time are expecting to be completed as well, consistently. It is somewhat manageable in a smaller store, but I've recently been transferred to one of our busiest and the standards I upheld previously are not remotely possible at this current store. Circle K paints with a broad brush, your individual challenges(high crime area, poor employee demographic, high traffic/high volume store) do not matter. So while you can succeed by pushing yourself to the limit at a smaller store you will be swallowed whole by a larger store. If it was possible to find responsible, intelligent assistant managers that don't mind working for slightly above minimum wage, then the burden on you would again be manageable. But this is typically not the case. It is next to impossible to attract quality employees that have leadership capabilities and are smart enough to navigate archaic accounting systems that are piecemealed together and also the physical endurance to stock coolers and the sales floor every second they are not in the office. It is an extremely demanding job, and it pays poorly. Try selling that to someone with talent. Anyways, I do like the job but the expectations do not match your resources available. I understand that is the trend in retail, but until you experience Circle K you won't know how extreme it is getting.

Explore other reviews about Circle K

5.0
Jun 16, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Something new every day. You rarely have a boring shift.

Cons

Well, everyone could definitely use some more money lol But they do pay pretty good.

5.0
Jun 7, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Surprisingly Great Access to Benefits. I opened up an HSA and had access to a company sponsored HDHP insurance plan, so it's a legit savings account. Well, they throw the food out at the end of the day, so if you buy anything while you're working there then you're making a mistake. Great work environment, like they can actually sell chocolate bars inside! -- What a bar.

Cons

Well, you can only stay there for so long. I found if you don't try out the deals then your particularly hurtful to customers, the caviot is the food deals are a waste of time. They'll work you if you try the stuff, so just don't try anything.

See reviews by: Helpful|Rating|Date|All