Soul-sucking Grocery Store that operates like a religious cult - Crew Member Trader Joe's Employee Review

1.0
Dec 4, 2014
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Main positive is that this company gave me a job in a tough economy. Pay was okay compared with other grocery store jobs, but still not enough to live on comfortably. Work was physically demanding, so I got in shape and gave up my gym membership.

Cons

This company went downhill after the original owner died. They hired a new CEO and started treating employees like garbage by taking away their health insurance and creating more and more arbitrary and nonsensical rules to make work difficult. The place is very cultish as well…it was as if many of my co-workers had drank the proverbial "Kool-Aid" and didn't realize the obvious…that they were working in a grocery store that sells designer food to self-entitled rich people. I firmly believe that most employees had some sort of mental illness and were working there as a result, since many had college degrees.

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5.0
Jul 8, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Great place to work all around

Cons

Nothing really bad to say

4.0
May 27, 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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