This is in the restaurant industry
For context, I’ve been GM at a fast-casual restaurant for the last 5 years. Pretty high volume, retained the majority of my staff since the store’s opening day (11 out of 15 initial crew are still with us).
I am currently in Los Angeles, and since my location is a franchise owned by a couple, my pay is pretty maxed out below what’s necessary to even qualify for a studio apartment.
I’ve spent the last ~year and a half applying to and interviewing with various restaurants, and have noticed a trend with every single job offer I’ve received;
No matter the job title I’ve applied to, they offer the title one or two below that. Every. Single. Time. Without. Fail. Applied for GM? They offer shift lead. Apply for Shift Lead? They offer crew. Apply for FOH Manager? They offer Host.
The most standout example I can think of being Jersey Mikes; I apply to a General Manager position advertised at $55k a year. I interview with one of their district leaders. Come to find out this store has LOWER sales than the restaurant I’ve spent the last 5 years in, nearly zero in catering sales (I do roughly $2k a week in catering alone), and a smaller staff. Interview goes great.
They offer me a Shift Lead position at $15.50hr (was just .50 cents higher than minimum wage in this area). A HUGE decrease in pay from the position I’d have been leaving. When told this, they respond “the potential for promotion is there”. I tell him I’m not willing to “work my way up” in a lower performing store AND lose money in that transition. I never heard from them again. He had previously complained about his district being “consistently understaffed”. I wonder why.
The same (or close to it) has happened with Island’s, Zankou Chicken, Firehouse Subs, Erewhon Market, and Jamba Juice.
Jamba Juice offered me a CREW position, despite THEM reaching out to ME regarding a GM opening. Again, lower performing store.
I’m convinced that these companies feel like it would be convenient for their stores and service to fill their base positions with higher experience staff. Good luck with that