Pros
1. Used to have a good history and company culture. 2. Still pays a decent hourly rate with hours available being cut to the bone. 3. Good prepared foods, but not the store for cooks. 4. Cheap prices on the products they do carry. 5. 10% discount for crew. 6. There is still some food tasting.
Cons
1. Changing from a friendly company to another corporate food chain. 2. Rapid expansion leads to supply problems and more discontinued products or items out of stock. 3. Cutting employee benefits and sending memos that employees should be happy to work there because they are getting more than at other discount places. 4. Employees now have to have open availability, which eliminates the chance for second jobs, schooling or a family life. If not available around the clock, employees do not get sufficient work hours to make a decent wage or get the remaining health benefits. 5. Newly implemented "sales per person hour" percentages cut the crew to the bone. The results are dirtier stores, haphazard rotation of products, more injuries. Customer service is beginning to suffer because there are fewer people on the floor to do the same work. 6. The new system discourages teamwork, and there is a reduced chance to make connections at work. There former "family" has broken apart. 7. Trader Joe's is fast becoming another food chain by adjusting its business practices for race to the bottom. If you want to work as a busy store clerk and cashier for $10/hr, this is the job for you. It is not a good company anymore and will lose its standing as a good employer. 8. Positive reviews on this site from late August/September are untruthful. There are very few happy employees at Trader Joe's right now. They know that it is only getting worse for them.