Kitchen Shift Lead

Chick-fil-A, Inc. is a well-established family-owned and privately held restaurant company that was founded in 1967 by S. Truett Cathy. Renowned for its original chicken sandwich, Chick-fil-A has grown to serve freshly prepared food in more than 2,300 restaurants across 47 states and Washington, D.C. This company is deeply committed to serving the local communities where its franchised locations operate, emphasizing quality, service, and community involvement as the pillars of its philosophy. Chick-fil-A's dedication to excellence and innovation has made it one of the most respected brands in the fast-food industry.

The Kitchen Shift Lead role at Chick-fil-A is pivotal in maintaining the high standards that the brand is known for. This position requires a leader who is passionate about food quality, food safety, and team development. The Kitchen Shift Lead is responsible for consistently delivering crave-able food in a timely manner that meets or exceeds Chick-fil-A’s quality requirements. This means ensuring that every product prepared in the kitchen lives up to the company’s commitment to freshness and flavor.

Beyond food preparation, this leadership role focuses heavily on coaching and guiding the behaviors of all Team Leaders and Team Members working in the kitchen. Key behaviors include cultivating a sense of urgency that results in surprisingly fast speed of service, meticulous attention to detail during food preparation and production procedures, and strict adherence to systems that guarantee a refreshingly clean environment. The Kitchen Shift Lead also plays an essential role in maintaining a work environment that promotes food safety and vigilance in organizational and appearance standards within the kitchen.

As a Restaurant Leader, the Kitchen Shift Lead demonstrates a strong passion for business management and overall restaurant operations. This includes finding, training, developing, and recognizing exceptional team members. The role involves managing daily activities to ensure guests receive excellent customer service and maintaining a strong concern for food quality and safety. Leaders in this position must also be adept at adjusting to multiple demands and shifting priorities seamlessly.

Successful candidates will dedicate 30-40 hours a week in the restaurant, depending on whether they hold a part-time or full-time status, and will allocate time weekly to planning. Effective communication of kitchen goals and success factors to team members is vital. The role also requires combining critical thinking with practical leadership to foster a culture of innovation within the team. Coaching and giving clear direction while nurturing strong relationships within a multicultural kitchen team are integral to this position.

Additional responsibilities encompass implementing effective and efficient kitchen systems and maintaining a lean production environment. The Kitchen Shift Lead is accountable for coaching, evaluating, and providing accountability for all kitchen team members while troubleshooting and repairing kitchen equipment and facilities. Ensuring all scheduled preventative maintenance and cleaning tasks are completed is also part of the daily operational responsibilities.

This position offers a competitive hourly pay range from $17.00 to $19.00 and employment is available on both a full-time and part-time basis. Shifts are typically scheduled for 8 hours onsite. Chick-fil-A provides a range of benefits, including flexible scheduling, paid time off, health insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, life insurance, 401(k) matching, a referral program, and paid training. Candidates for this role are expected to have at least a high school diploma and a strong commitment to upholding the standards and values that Chick-fil-A is famous for.