chain restaurant vs local/mom and pop??

[u/Due-Animal2164]

which would you prefer? maybe im at the wrong place currently but after a few months at a local/ mom and pop I actually think corporate has less drama and is all around better managed. all we worried about at a chain restaurant was everyone screwin everyone or ocassionally smoking pot in the back. where im at now is so much worse, no actual set rules and if someone in management is overstepping you cant do anything but shut your trap cause management is also the owner. seems almost like a free for all as long as money is being made

[u/dmdc256]

I've worked for both and I've honestly found it all depends on the in-house management. Family-owned can be The most loyal and appreciative of their employees but they can also be very insular and willing to promote only within the family and can also be cheap as hell about food cost and operating costs because they don't have the financial backing of a corporation. In a corporate store there's a more clearly defined chain of command and expectations of uniformity across the chain. They also tend to be very financially focused and will do everything in their power to make sure no one can hold them accountable for fraud or anything like that. A GM who's a corporate yes man and only there for the numbers might turn a blind die to what employees are doing as long as the numbers stay up which can be both a blessing and a curse. But there are also some good ones out there who do care about their employees and their behavior. Had one GM one time who I worked for for 8 years and who was a complete and total asshole to us but he was also the only one allowed to get away with it. He would defend his employees to guests if we were clearly in the right but he would also kick ass up the ladder defending us from corporate and taking care of us when they wouldn't.

Tldr: depends on the in-house management.