Food Champion

Alvarado Restaurant Nation (ARN) is a renowned food service organization based in California, recognized for its commitment to delivering high-quality dining experiences across its portfolio of fast casual and quick service restaurants. ARN prides itself on fostering a workplace culture that values inclusivity, equal opportunity, and the well-being of its team members. As an equal opportunity employer, ARN provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or any other status protected by law. With a strong emphasis on compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws, ARN is dedicated to creating an accessible and welcoming environment for all team members.

The Team Member (Food Champion) role at ARN represents a vital position within the restaurant's operational structure. This position is primarily focused on ensuring the highest quality food preparation and service standards to deliver an exceptional dining experience to every guest. Located in California, this role offers an hourly wage ranging from $16.50 to $20.25 in California with a slightly higher range for Los Angeles at $17.87 to $20.25, reflecting a competitive compensation package commensurate with the responsibilities involved. This is a non-exempt, hourly position reporting directly to the Restaurant Leader and does not involve supervisory responsibilities over other employees.

Serving as a Food Champion, the incumbent is expected to maintain meticulous adherence to menu specifications, safety, and cleanliness standards while demonstrating effective communication with team members across several touchpoints, including the front counter, kitchen line, and drive-thru operations. This role demands keen attention to detail to ensure all food items are prepared exactly to standards, including accurate marking of customizations and portions. The Food Champion actively supports customer satisfaction by assisting with order handoffs and expediter functions, ensuring that each guest receives their order promptly and correctly.

In addition to food preparation, the role includes routines such as regular temperature checks of food products and coolers, cleaning and maintenance of kitchen equipment (grills, melters, taco rail, fryers), and inventory management of consumable stock such as wraps, trays, bowls, lids, boxes, and bags. Standing for extended periods, moving heavy items, and working under varying temperature conditions are physical aspects intrinsic to this job, requiring resilience and stamina.

Qualified candidates will possess strong communication skills, a team-oriented mindset, and a deep understanding of safety and quality standards. The ability to operate in a fast-paced, loud environment while maintaining composure, initiative, and a solutions-focused approach is essential. ARN values self-starters who are enthusiastic ambassadors of the company mission and core values, capable of independent problem-solving and proactive action.

The position offers meaningful benefits including medical insurance eligibility based on hours worked after one year, participation in a 401K plan post one year of employment, and vacation and sick leave granted in accordance with state regulations. ARN also underscores its commitment to continually evolving the job role as needed, with duties subject to change to meet operational requirements.

This opportunity at Alvarado Restaurant Nation is ideal for individuals seeking to join a reputable, dynamic restaurant team dedicated to excellence in both food quality and service. Candidates passionate about making a tangible difference in guest experiences within a collaborative setting will find this role rewarding and engaging. Interested applicants are encouraged to apply promptly as the position remains open with an evergreen application deadline.