I am a GSS at Cracker Barrel. Yet, this term might not sound familiar to anyone on the outside. This term means Guest Sales Service. I am pretty much a hostess at Cracker Barrell. I will sometimes work the cash, I need to make sure that the shop is stocked, and there are so many other tasks I have. This is a few days after my one-month anniversary of working there.
To start, what I did was I applied online. I found a Cracker Barrel close to me and I applied on their website online. Then, I got a call from them asking what time I wanted to set up an appointment so they could meet me- an interview. I wore a fairly formal outfit, but not too dressy in any way. I was brought to one of the empty tables, and the Retail Manager just talked to me about what Cracker Barrel stands for, and wanted to get to know me. While this may not be the case in all stores, I got the job right away because I was a good enough fit and they were pretty desperate.
About a week later, I was called to the back of the store where I gave them my personal information so they could hire me, and I watched some videos with the other trainees. We got to try the food and get a tour of the building to see how it all worked together. The next day I needed to come in again to get online training and mini-quizzes to make sure that I knew what I was doing.
On my first day of actual work, I was shadowing another worker and watched as they did what they were supposed to. I learned how to work the host stand first: from making sure that the menus were clean, making sure there were no menus left in the vestibules, checking and updating the seating charts (where we would mark if a table was being used, was clean, or was dirty, and how long it was in that stage), and so much more. I learned how to script our items to draw attention to the specific featured food of the day. I learned how to put names on the wait if all the tables were used or dirty. I learned how to seat bigger parties. I learned where to get the high chair or booster seat for the younger kids who needed it. I learned how to get the kid's menu to help keep kids entertained (because of COVID, the peg game is no longer available unless you buy it).
When I worked the cash I learned how to script items there as well. I learned how to mention some of the products we had for display right by the cash stand so it was easy to grab, and some last-minute purchase before it was all completed. I learned how to show those who were paying with a card that there was a way you could tip your server using the credit card instead of leaving cash on the table. I handed people their receipts and let them go on. I was able to bag items that needed to be bagged. I learned how to scan the tickets so the computer knew exactly how much each individual guest owed.
When I worked the host stand, I learned to redirect those who had a to-go order or were there for pick up to the cash stand. Then, when I worked the cash stand I learned how to give the food to those who had already paid. For those who had not paid, I learned how to find the order in the computer system and pull it up so they would be able to pay. I learned how to call up a to-go server for those who had not placed the order online. I learned how to tell if someone was at the cash stand for a to-go order or if they were going to pay for a meal that they already ate when they dined-in.
Recently, though, we had a group of managers from other stores come in and talk to all of us GSS's to teach us how to do better. I learned that we really need to engage with all of our guests to really push sales. I learned that I need to work on making everyday conversation, and then mention a deal we have going on. I am a person who is not afraid to talk to others, but I know what it is like to be a guest. I know what it is like to have others telling you about sales when you just want to eat your food but it is not ready yet. I have, then, learned when it is a waste of my time to talk to those who would find that I was just bothering and annoying them.
Some other tasks I learned how to do included answering the phone, board folding, cleaning the bathrooms, wiping off the door handles, making sure that all the products are in order, making sure that all the apparel is sized, checking for best-by dates on the food, and so much more. There is so much more I learned, but I find it difficult to explain in an article such as this. I would prefer to explain to someone who was actually working and I could show them exactly what to do.
Once you work at Cracker Barrel for a month, you can take a quiz to level up your 'star' or position in the company. You then get discounts like 35% on anything in the shop or any order. I was told that it becomes 50% off all employee on-shift meals once you get a star. I also know that leveling up stars does not level up the percentage off, but it can mean that I get a raise.
Another secret I know is that SOMETIMES (sadly is not all the time, and never with food cooked in the shop, but only with like candy or sweets that we stock in retail) workers get an 80% off discount on food that is about a week away from it's 'best-by date. This is not for our guests' benefit, because we don't want to be at risk of someone suing us for selling them something that was expired. Yet, because it is not expired yet, the employees get the privilege, if they are willing to 'risk it' to get candy or retail food for a great deal. Once it reaches the expiration date, the product is 'damaged out' and thrown away (far away from the Cracker Barrel store trash cans).
We also have to 'damage out' other broken products in the retail store. For example, if one of our glitter globes breaks, it needs to be removed from the floor, and damaged out. Or if some product is obviously chipped, we have to remove the product from the store. These broken products, no matter what condition, are not able to be sold to anyone for any discount. They are all destroyed and marked as damaged products for our inventory.
As a GSS worker, you always have to remember the Core Rules, such as "Guests before Tasks" or "No Empty Tables". When there is a wait, there is often a "Lead Seater" standing by the fireplace marking on the portable tablet when tables are dirty or cleaned so a new party could be called up to be sat quickly. Especially on busy days, there is yet another table brought right in front of the door so when a new guest came in the new parties could be added to the wait, give a phone number, and drive around our wait outside until they are called in (especially with COVID, there is a limited amount of people that can stay inside shopping, so we have to tell all the guests that).
When a new shift starts for one of the GSS workers or a shift is ending for one of the GSS workers they have to be "chatted in" or "chatted out" by the Retail Manager if he/she is in, or a Medalion if the Manager is not. The Medallion would inform the worker their tasks if they were being chatted in, so the worker knows what is expected if all of the guests are busy shopping and don't need help, or if there are no guests in the retail section at all (which rarely happens). These tasks could be something like wiping off the handles of the doors or wiping off the rockers outside or something like setting up a whole new table with a new theme of products. One specific GSS worker will also be in charge of restroom checks as often as we are able to break away from the lines of guests. All of the food products are checked daily to make sure that the expiration dates are not approaching. They are also placed into the GSS tablet and were when they were put out so we are notified when they need to be taken off the floor and put into the specific section for the employees to access after purchasing the product 80% off.
If you are a guest reading all of this, if you cannot tell already, the mind of a GSS is full of rules and information we need to remember and do our best to follow. If you see any of us struggling or not making full sentences and having random pauses in the middle of talking to you, it could be because we hear someone saying something that is important in our headset that we are all required to wear, or we could just be hearing another conversation that we are pretty much obligated to listen to. We don't always mean to behave the way we do, but our mind is always racing with how we are presenting ourselves, what we are saying, and so much more.
If it is not that busy, and we bring you to a table that you are not a fan of even though you see so many open tables, there is a specific reason. You can ask if you can have another table, and be open to listen if they suggest another table for you. Also, be prepare for them to say that the table is not available at the moment, and please be okay with it.
If you want to hear more about this, or you have questions about what I meant (because I worked on typing all my thoughts out on paper really fast, so it may not all flow together) just let me know in the comment section below. Thank you for reading this!
