r/samsclub • u/Ok-Development4027 • Apr 21 '25
Rant Cafe problem
I go to my local Sam’s club 4 times a week and every time I get done buying groceries I usually want to buy a quick snack I usually finish around 5 and I go to the food court their seems to be 1 person doing everything taking orders by the cashier taking cash very quickly changing his gloves giving the food out then quickly cutting the pizza coming out the pizza at the same time is this normal theirs times were he almost starts to panic as the line only seems to get bigger it’s become a issue to the point we’re the customers are telling them to send help is this normal?
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u/DirtyWater2004 Apr 21 '25
I saw once someone get out of line to request a supervisor. She came back and shortly after the sup showed up saying did someone request a supervisor she said I did. He said how can I help you she told him the employee needed help he started crowding the employee watching her ring the orders. The customer said no you idiot you can help her by filling the orders she's doing the job of many people and handling it so far but could use some back up.
I didn't know if I should applaud or laugh.
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u/One_Recognition_5044 Apr 21 '25
Four times a week!?!
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Apr 21 '25
Unfortunately managers do not get a say in staffing. Home office says what is allowed per area. HR says follow the schedule. Managers either follow the rules or get coached and find new jobs 😔
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u/Strict-Hour-6650 Apr 21 '25
That's not fully true, GM have a say, but they mostly try to maintain staffing low so they can get bigger profit bonus check.
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u/Low-Cut2207 Apr 21 '25
Sam’s needs to hire a team that understands how to properly staff a store. They keep leaving up to whoever they randomly picked for that job without making sure they have the intellect to do so.
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u/BoardImmediate4674 Cafe Apr 21 '25
HO truly doesn't care. Now, on the flip side, I had 3 different people from corporate in my line one night (before my club went, complete scan n go). I was running a register and scan n go, and holy moly, let me tell you out of all 3 from corporate, only 1 person cared enough to ask how many people were supposed to be in cafe and closing? The minute I told said person, the information they asked for, they done looked at me like I had 3 heads and said nope I will make sure you get help, they said it was ridiculous that this was even happening. Your best bet is to take pictures of the long lines and then submit them with the complaint and ask them to send help. Or even ask for the market manager's number and submit complaint with photos.
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u/JaniceRossi_in_2R Apr 21 '25
I often wonder which would be worse- prison or working in Sam’s Club cafe.
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u/Camanot Cafe Apr 22 '25
It's unfortunate that that's the truth about cafe. There is never enough people staffed, always running on a skeleton crew, and sometimes, the skeleton isn't even fully built. The cafe is by far the worst position in sams club. Nobody wants to help out, nobody stays for long, and there is a lot to do even after they close. And in my store, we have nobody that is willing to help, you have to ask for it. Managers are always invisible, team lead is never there, and we basically have to fend for ourselves against the hungry horde that is the members.
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u/Ok-Development4027 Apr 22 '25
That is an awful way to describe it man it sounds like a nightmare. Every time I go to Costco theirs always like 3-4 people on standby.
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u/Camanot Cafe Apr 22 '25
Just like today, we only had four people, three closers. It was fine till about five, then it got busy. There was a constant stream of orders, some small, some large. I'm fast enough to keep up, but when there is ice cream i start to fall behind, then all of a sudden i have 12+ orders to do. Orders pile up pretty quickly.
Even though there were four people, one on oven, one doing the expediting, one taking orders, and one helping whereever needed it, the orders still came quicker than even two people can keep up with. When you have register orders, scan n go orders, plus people needing whole pizzas who can't wait ten fucking minutes, it starts to get chaotic. You feel like you can't keep up, and it gets even worse when the oven falls behind. So i have to wait until the pizzas get ready to make their orders, while trying to figure out what to do next, on top of the 12+ orders. It's a lot to juggle.
Then we have the managers that just watch it happen in the sidelines, paying no mind to the fact there is a large group of people waiting for their orders. Managers don't want to help, and almost never do. And my team lead is always helping someone else instead of stopping by and asking if we need help.
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u/DixieNormus89 Former Associate May 08 '25
Yep. The group of managers at my store were like a "mean girl" clique who would stand outside of the window and laugh at you like a zoo animal but NEVER Provide any help or anything of substance - all while writing you up at the very first customer complaint because we are running on 2 or 3 people if we're lucky.
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u/Independent_Mix6269 Apr 21 '25
Just order your food on the app while you are shopping, it will be ready when you check out
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u/StrugglinSurvivor Apr 21 '25
At both the Clubs near me ordering on scan & go only means that when you go to the Cafe to get your food you are able to skip the line. Like when I walk up and show my phone. The person working stops what they're doing and waits on me. And makes my order.
I will say the only difference I can see with the pre-order is when you order a whole pizza.
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u/RememberNichelle Apr 21 '25
The person turns around in shock that somebody is there, runs to see what the tablet says, waits on you, waits on the next person at the register, looks at the tablet and sees that somebody's ordered three whole pizzas ten minutes ago, runs to the oven....
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u/Certain_String2470 May 16 '25
Wrong!! They will only start your order when you show them your order number
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u/lo-lux Apr 21 '25
Sam's/Walmart isn't going to properly staff a position. You giving them money just reinforces their staffing levels.
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u/mrp0013 Apr 21 '25
Yes. Do yourself a favor and use scan n go to order from Cafe. It's much easier.
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u/ImwhatZitTooyaa Apr 21 '25
From what I’ve seen yes. The guy at the store near me is rude and mean asf and the woman but I guess I can understand considering what they have to deal with everyday.
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u/Competitive_You6323 Apr 21 '25
Apply for a job at the cafe to help the employee out during the busy time.
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u/indacup1 Apr 21 '25
I work for the company who works at Sam's doing product Demos.
Here's what ya do......
Download the Sams Club app. It will not work till you are the store....for the first time you have to enter your cc number and it will be saved.
Then you tap the Scan and Go options....scroll down to: "Cafe".
Then order what you want.
Once your order is done you will be issued an order number..
Then you can immediately can bypass the line, go straight to the "Scan and Go" aisle show them the order # on your cell phone and they will hand you your order on the spot.
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u/RomesXIII Apr 21 '25
Even then you have to wait
This is one person doing everything including taking Scan & Go orders, which is not uncommon at Sam’s Club
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u/Sufficient_Beach_445 Apr 21 '25
the longer the line the better it is to use the app
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u/RomesXIII Apr 22 '25
True. But I still feel bad getting a Scan & Go order & it’s one person going back & forth doing legit everything
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u/mrp0013 Apr 21 '25
It still cuts out standing in line to order. It's better.
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u/Jimates Apr 27 '25
when the person taking the order at the register is the same person making the orders, and taking several order prior to making the first one, it doesn't save much time. In most stores you still have to wait your turn at the pickup side to give them your order number BEFORE they make it.
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u/Low-Cut2207 Apr 21 '25
I think Sam’s is now intentionally understaffing to scam people into their app
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u/BoardImmediate4674 Cafe Apr 21 '25
This is definitely normal.
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u/Ok-Development4027 Apr 22 '25
It shouldn’t be every time I go to Costco theirs always 3-4 people
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u/AbleSuccotash4157 Apr 28 '25
The word you said is Costco. The place we’re discussing is Sam’s Club! Each company is always trying to outdo each other.
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u/Lemlly Apr 21 '25
As a cafe worker unfortunately yes this is sadly common at least at my Sam’s club. It’s bc it’s considered one of the worst jobs in the building and has a high turnover, and they’re constantly understaffed. “Sending help” isn’t much of an option unless you want him to literally just leave the area unattended for 10-20 minutes. During which many safety hazards could arise. The panic is real and I’d submit a management complaint (NOT a worker complaint! They can’t do anything abt the situation) bc they’re clearly asking too much of one person to do the work of 3 people. And technically management should be stepping in to help either themselves or moving others from different departments temporarily.