Is Bloomin‘ Brands a Good Company to Work For? Everything You Need to Know

So you‘re interested in working in the restaurant industry and wondering – is Bloomin‘ Brands a good company to work for? As someone who‘s followed the hospitality sector for years, I‘ll give you the inside scoop on what it‘s really like working at Outback Steakhouse, Carrabba‘s, and other chains owned by this major player.

Quick Facts About Bloomin‘ Brands

Before we dive in, let‘s look at some key stats on the company:

Owns Outback Steakhouse, Carrabba’s Italian Grill, Bonefish Grill and Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar
Employs over 93,000 people globally
Has over 1,450 restaurant locations in 48 U.S. states and 21 countries
Generated $4.12 billion in revenue in 2019

Now that you have some context on the scale of Bloomin‘ Brands‘ operations, let‘s discuss why it stands out as an employer.

Bloomin‘ Brands Values Its Employees

The biggest reason Bloomin‘ Brands is considered a good company to work for is its focus on employees. “At Bloomin’ Brands, our people are our greatest asset,” says CEO David Deno. The company lives up to this motto through the following employee-focused practices:

Competitive Compensation

Bloomin‘ Brands offers higher pay than many competitors. Servers can earn up to $25 per hour with tips. In 2020, the company also gave quarterly bonuses totaling $25 million to workers during the pandemic.

Excellent Benefits

The benefits package includes:

Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance
401k retirement plan with company match
Paid time off for vacation and sick days
Parental leave for mothers and fathers
Employee assistance program
Tuition reimbursement up to $5,250 per year
Discounts at all brands

Brian, a manager at Carrabba’s, says the benefits were a big factor in him staying with Bloomin‘ for over 5 years.

Training & Development

Bloomin‘ Brands invests heavily in employee training programs. New hires go through 2-3 weeks of onboarding to learn the ropes. All employees have access to free online training courses and can take management certification classes.

Sarah was a hostess at Bonefish Grill and got promoted to server and bartender through the training program. “I felt fully supported to grow my skills,” she remarks.

Diversity & Inclusion

45% of Bloomin‘ Brands leadership roles are held by women. All employees have access to Diversity & Inclusion trainings and resources focused on building understanding.

Response to COVID-19

During the pandemic, Bloomin‘ Brands offered extended paid sick leave for any employees not feeling well. It also set up an emergency relief fund that provided grants to workers facing economic hardship.

Actions like these have earned the company top scores for trust and care of employees.

What Employees Have to Say

On Indeed.com, Bloomin‘ Brands has a 3.7 out of 5 rating based on over 5,800 employee reviews. Here‘s what current and former staff have to say:

“Management was always willing to work with your schedule and appreciated your time and effort. Excellent place to work as a student.” – Former Server

“Fun place to work and great people. Flexible schedules and good money for those who work hard.” – Former Host

“Good training, friendly environment. Decent benefits package including matching 401k, two weeks vacation. Sets you up well for growth in the company.” – Assistant Manager

On Glassdoor, Bloomin’ Brands has a 3.5 rating out of 5, which is higher than competitors like Chili’s (3.2), Applebee’s (3.1), and Red Lobster (3.0). Employees give high marks for work-life balance, job security, and good coworkers.

Potential Downsides

While Bloomin‘ Brands scores very well as a restaurant employer, no company is perfect. Some challenges mentioned by employees include:

Being short staffed during busy shifts
Long hours, late nights, and weekends
Physical demands of being on your feet all day
Inconsistent tips depending on customer volume

These issues tend to be common across the restaurant industry. Bloomin’ Brands scores better than competitors when it comes to management support, training, and corporate culture.

Career Growth Opportunities

Starting as a hostess or server at a Bloomin’ Brands restaurant can eventually lead to a lucrative management career. The company is dedicated to developing talent internally:

75% of managers started in hourly roles
Average time to be promoted from hourly to management is 1.5 – 2 years
Restaurant managers can earn $60,000 – $100,000 per year

Let’s look at some potential career paths:

Server > Shift Leader > Assistant Manager > General Manager

This is the classic route to running a restaurant. It takes hard work, certification courses, and patience – but offers fantastic rewards.

Host > Marketing/Events Coordinator > Marketing Manager

If you’re passionate about marketing, you can move up from coordinating local store promotions to broader branding and social media campaigns.

Line Cook > Kitchen Manager > Regional Head Chef

Gain culinary expertise starting as a cook, then oversee kitchen operations for multiple locations in a geographic area.

The opportunities are truly endless with over 1,450 restaurants globally. Bloomin‘ Brands encourages building your skills and advancing within the company.