Crew member/demo - Crew Member Trader Joe's Employee Review

2.0
Feb 24, 2016
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

One of the "better" retail positions available Provides benefits and 401K Fun environment 10% employee discount on food Get to try food and wine on the job Nice customers

Cons

Pay started at $9.50/hr in 2009, raises vary but are a "potential" of approx $0.30 an hour every six months, which they've raised the bar on numerous times over the years to impede success with. Low pay. At 30 hours a week (max a crew member can work ) I was well below the poverty bracket, even after multiple raises. That mean dependence on food stamps to feed my kids! A bi-weekly varying schedule meant I could never make advance plans socially Horrible beurocracy with a large sense of favoritism and sexism in the works Little to no chance of moving upward on the corporate ladder unless you are willing to do serious brown nosing, and I mean lay it on thick Lousy customers Poorly managed, training rarely implemented, or starts and is quickly changed or forgotten, employees not properly trained in food safety hastily thrown in demo to cover lunches and breaks. Copious amounts of wasted food, daily. Public bathroom; also cleaned by regular crew. And during the holidays you'll get to listen to non stop Christmas music for three months straight!

Explore other reviews about Trader Joe's

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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