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Company benefits have become a top priority for employees. It’s no longer just about having a good paycheck; employees now seek comprehensive packages that include paid time off, disability coverage, paid family leave, and retirement-focused payment structures.
Top 10 Company Benefits Employee in the Restaurant Industry
What kinds of benefits do restaurant employees prioritize? Unsurprisingly, they’re like what workers in other industries are interested in. The only exception here is that remote work isn’t a possibility for restaurant jobs, but the others still stand. Let’s see here below the most important company benefits employees in the Restaurant Business.
401(k)
With most people retiring between the ages of 63 and 65, it’s never too early to begin planning for your future, even if you’re in your 20s or 30s. A 401(k) is a retirement account your restaurant employer provides for you.
You can select from a Roth or traditional 401(k) plan. Most retirement plans have a matching contribution between 50 and 100 percent. If the contribution is 50 percent, then the salary deferral can be between one and six percent, while it will be no more than one percent for a matching contribution of 100 percent.
Retirement savings are tricky, especially to the uninitiated, so consider chatting with a financial advisor before proceeding.
Vision Coverage
You should see an eye doctor twice a year if you have healthy vision, and once annually if you have ongoing issues or are older. An eye exam costs over $100 if you don’t have insurance, and that doesn’t include services like glasses, contacts, or follow-up appointments or tests.
Vision coverage through your restaurant job allows you to receive the vision services you require for good health without paying a premium.
Paid Leave
There are several types of paid leave under the U.S. Department of Labor:
- Paid time off or PTO, which you can use toward vacation time, feeling sick, or emergencies.
- Paid sick time, which allows you to take time off to recover from an illness without worrying about missing out on money.
- Paid medical and family leave, which covers taking care of a sick family member or spending bonding time with a new baby.
- Unpaid time off, which maintains benefits and job protection even if the employee isn’t paid.
Your job should provide at least one form of PTO, if not all.
Health Insurance
Without health insurance, doctor’s visits cost a premium, and a stay at a hospital can leave you in financial shambles.
Employer-provided health insurance allows you to take care of your health (and your family’s health) without falling into financial ruin. It’s a must when the alternatives are paying for insurance yourself or going without.
Disability Coverage
Even if you don’t currently have a disability, you should still want disability coverage when working in a restaurant, as it’s one of the best employee benefits. If you experience a disability and can no longer work, this coverage as part of an insurance plan, usually through Social Security, ensures you don’t lose income.
Dental Coverage
Maintaining your pearly whites isn’t cheap. Out-of-pocket prices can start at $100 and cost up to $2,500 depending on what you need done.
Dental plans are low-cost enough that you could pay for them yourself (they’re as low as $25 a month in some states), but why do that when your employer can cover dental coverage for you?
A dental plan covers routine checkups, which you should receive at least annually, and should contribute toward dental work and some emergencies, like a chipped or broken tooth.
Childcare Assistance
Some restaurant jobs may offer childcare assistance. Despite what this sounds like, it doesn’t mean your job takes care of your kids or provides a babysitter or nanny. Rather, if you’re within an eligible income bracket, you can receive assistance paying for childcare while you work.
In other words, your employer would help you place your child in daycare or with a nanny. This is a must if both parents work.
Parental Leave
Another family-based benefit employees seek is parental leave. This applies with increasing frequency to both mothers and fathers, providing them with a month to three months of time (sometimes longer) away from work (while paid) to bond with and take care of a new baby.
Life Insurance
Jobs with good benefits provide life insurance, especially to older employees. Under a life insurance plan, you ensure your beneficiaries—which are usually direct family members—receive a payout when you die.
Mental Health Assistance
As mental health has entered the forefront of today’s discussions about health, it’s unsurprising that employees prioritize mental health assistance from their employers more and more. Whether it’s an employee-provided counselor or payment for therapy and medication, mental health matters.
These Restaurants Have the Best Benefits
Where do you work if you want the best company benefits? Here is a rundown of hospitality companies with great benefits that can make you rethink your current place of employment, or at least give you a good list of benefits to talk about with your boss.
Panda Express
Check its openings if you have a Panda Express near you. This Chinese food establishment will match your 401(k) at a rate of four percent. You can build up a nice retirement account while working here.
Panda Express has over 2,300 locations and 47,000 people working for it as associates, so it’s a good restaurant to join.
Wendy’s
You’ll hit the benefits jackpot if you work for Wendy’s. Its employees receive parental leave, paid holidays, 401(k), life insurance, vision, dental, and health insurance, so you can’t ask for more.
Wendy’s is one of the biggest fast food chains in the nation, with 5,767 restaurants. Many are located on the east coast, but Florida has a giant share of more than 500.
Five Guys
Are you still in college? Consider working at Five Guys. The burger joint offers its Five Guys Tuition Assistance Program, which can help adults further their education by enrolling in a high school or college program.
Five Guys has a smaller presence than many other chain restaurants, with, approximately 1,470 locations in 50 states.
Taco Bell
Working for Taco Bell is also sweet if you’re in it for the benefits. You will receive health, dental, vision, and life insurance. You’ll also have a 401(k) in your name, paid holidays, and parental leave.
Taco Bell is a plentiful establishment, with 7,936 restaurants in all US states and territories, including more than 3,500 cities.
Starbucks
As a Starbucks employee, you gain access to its Employee Assistance Program or EAP. The program takes care of employee mental health, providing temporary counseling for personal and professional issues, including emotional and stress management.
Starbucks continues to be a top establishment, with 17,068 nationwide locations in more than 3,100 cities.
Chipotle
Famed for its natural take on Mexican food, Chipotle treats its employees right just as it does its customers. That’s why you can receive parental leave, 401(k), life insurance, health insurance, paid holidays, and vision and dental insurance through the chain.
Chipotle has fewer restaurants than some other chains, with 3,381 overall locations in the US. However, it has a strong citywide presence, appearing in more than 1,700 cities.
Burger King
You could consider giving Burger King a try if you’re interested in switching restaurant jobs. You’ll have access to plenty of insurance, including life, dental, health, and vision plans. Further, you can take parental leave, build a 401(k) plan, and enjoy paid holidays as an employee.
BK has 6,729 locations across 51 states, including in more than 3,200 cities.
In-N-Out Burger
A free meal is always appreciated, wouldn’t you say? In-N-Out Burger provides free meals for its employees every workday so they never have to work while hungry. Moreso, they have great insurance plans, including dental and vision, for part- and full-time employees alike.
In-N-Out has a small presence, with only 417 restaurants across 275 cities. The restaurant is located in seven cities, with most in California, but a few restaurants are in surrounding Nevada, Idaho, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and Texas.
Honorable Mentions
The following restaurants don’t offer all the benefits, paid time, and retirement perks you may be looking for but are still solid places to land employment:
- Arby’s: No parental leave, but paid holidays, life insurance, 401(k), vision insurance, dental plans, and health insurance.
- Yoshinoya: No vision insurance or parental leave, but health and dental insurance, paid holidays, life insurance, and 401(k).
- Popeyes: No vision insurance, but parental leave, dental insurance, paid holidays, life insurance, and 401(k).
- McDonald’s: These benefits only apply as a staff member, but you can enjoy paid holidays, life insurance, 401(k), and vision, dental, and health insurance. However, Mickey-D’s doesn’t offer parental leave.
- Coffee Bean: No paid holidays (doesn’t mean you won’t be off on holidays) or parental leave, but 401(k) and life, vision, dental, and health insurance.
- Arby’s: No parental leave, but paid holidays, 401(k), and health, dental, vision, and life insurance.
Company Benefits Employees – Wrapping Up
Employee benefits protect rights and can reduce turnover. Restaurants offer as many benefits as any traditional workplace, sometimes more. If yours doesn’t give you what you need, you should speak to your boss about expanding benefits.
If that doesn’t work, it’s time to start searching for new employment. You certainly have plenty of exceptional options!
