Culver’s is a fast food restaurant chain known for its Butterburgers, custard, and friendly service. With over 700 locations across the Midwest and Southern United States, Culver’s offers job opportunities for people looking to start or advance their fast food careers. This article will provide an overview of typical Culver’s hourly wages and salaries to help you understand how much you can expect to earn working at Culver’s restaurants in your area.
Culver’s Hourly Wages
Most entry-level jobs at Culver’s pay minimum wage or slightly above. According to Glassdoor, typical Culver’s crew member hourly pay rates currently range from $8 – $15 per hour. This covers front counter associates, cooks, cashiers, and other non-managerial staff. Geographic location, local minimum wage laws, and past job experience may impact where you fall within that range. Here’s a quick look at average Culver’s crew member pay by position:
Culver’s Cashier Hourly Pay
Cashiers at Culver’s make an average base pay of $9 – $12 per hour. Cashiers take customer orders at the counter or drive-thru window, operate the cash register, process credit card payments, ensure order accuracy, and maintain speed of service standards. Culver’s may pay cashiers slightly more than minimum wage. However, exact wages depend on the cost of living in your area.
Culver’s Cook Hourly Wages
The average hourly pay for Culver’s cooks ranges from $9 – $14. Cooks prepare food items on the menu by following recipes, operating kitchen equipment, managing multiple orders at once, and upholding safety, sanitation, and quality standards. Cooks are often paid 50 cents to a few dollars more per hour than front counter staff in recognition of their food prep skills and abilities.
Culver’s Crew Member Hourly Pay
Culver’s crew members earn around $8 – $12 per hour on average. Crew members handle a variety of front and back of house responsibilities like taking orders, answering phones, cleaning, stocking, food prep, drive-thru duty, and more. Crew member wages start at minimum wage but may increase based on tenure.
Culver’s Management Salaries
Culver’s managers and assistant managers earn annual salaries instead of hourly wages. Manager pay tends to be significantly higher than crew member pay but requires more experience, skills, and responsibilities. Here are the average salary ranges for Culver’s management positions:
Culver’s Assistant Manager Salaries
Assistant managers at Culver’s make between $30,000 – $45,000 per year on average. They take on important duties like training staff, enforcing policies, monitoring inventory, scheduling, handling customer issues, and managing operations in the absence of the general manager.
Culver’s General Manager Salaries
The average pay for a Culver’s general manager is $35,000 – $55,000 annually. General managers oversee all restaurant operations, personnel, and financial performance. They handle staffing, administrative duties, maintain brand standards, manage major issues, ensure profitability, and aim to provide a positive customer experience.
Culver’s District Manager Salaries
District managers at Culver’s earn approximately $45,000 – $80,000 per year. They are accountable for the operations, staffing, training, sales, and profit numbers of multiple Culver’s locations within an assigned geographical region.
Culver’s Pay by Location
Culver’s pay rates can vary depending on where you live and the costs of living in that real estate market. Here is a comparison of average Culver’s hourly crew member and manager pay by state:
| State | Average Crew Hourly Pay | Average Manager Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona | $10 – $15 | $38,000 |
| Florida | $9 – $12 | $33,000 |
| Illinois | $11 – $14 | $41,000 |
| Indiana | $9 – $12 | $36,000 |
| Iowa | $10 – $12 | $39,000 |
| Kansas | $9 – $11 | $34,000 |
| Michigan | $10 – $13 | $37,000 |
| Minnesota | $10 – $15 | $40,000 |
| Missouri | $9 – $11 | $35,000 |
| Ohio | $9.50 – $13 | $38,000 |
| Tennessee | $9 – $12 | $34,000 |
| Texas | $8 – $13 | $36,000 |
| Wisconsin | $10 – $14 | $39,000 |
As shown, crew member wages are generally $1-3 per hour higher in states like Arizona, Illinois, and Minnesota where the cost of living is higher. Meanwhile, starting wages tend to be lower in states like Kansas and Florida with a lower cost of living. Manager salaries also trend higher in more expensive areas.
How Experience Impacts Culver’s Salaries
The longer you work at Culver’s, the more you can expect your hourly pay or salary to increase. Here are some examples of how tenure can impact earnings:
- A crew member may start at $10/hour but earn $12/hour after 2 years.
- An assistant manager who starts at $33,000 per year may make $42,000 after 5 years on the job.
- A general manager who is promoted from within after 10 years may make $65,000 compared to a new hire general manager’s $45,000 salary.
Culver’s values promoting from within and will reward employees who demonstrate a commitment to the company and their role over time through pay raises and advancement opportunities.
Culver’s Benefits
In addition to competitive wages, Culver’s also provides the following benefits for qualifying employees:
- Flexible scheduling – Culver’s works with availability preferences and offers full-time and part-time shifts.
- Free employee meals – Employees get discounted or free meals during shifts.
- Bonus pay – Performance bonuses are sometimes offered for meeting goals.
- Paid time off – Eligible staff get sick, vacation, and holiday pay benefits.
- Tuition reimbursement – Culver’s offers up to $2,500 per year in tuition assistance for students.
- 401(k) retirement plan – The company matches 50% of employee 401(k) contributions up to 6% of pay.
- Discounts – Employees can save with discounts on Culver’s food and merchandise.
The combination of wages, benefits, and advancement potential make Culver’s a competitive employer for full-time or part-time restaurant work.
Factors That Impact Culver’s Pay
Your actual earnings at Culver’s will depend on several factors, including:
- Job role and level of responsibility
- Restaurant location
- Local minimum wage requirements
- Cost of living in your area
- Your work experience and tenure
- Internal pay bands and budgets
- Manager discretion on pay rates
- Performance ratings and achievements
By understanding these factors, you can set appropriate pay expectations when seeking or negotiating pay at Culver’s.
How to Increase Your Pay at Culver’s
Here are some tips to boost your earning potential at Culver’s over time:
- Start in an entry level role and work your way up through promotions
- Consistently meet or exceed performance metrics
- Take on additional responsibilities like training new hires
- Communicate interest in advancement opportunities
- Maintain a positive attitude and strong work ethic
- Acquire new skills through cross-training
- Transfer to busier, higher-volume restaurants
- Research pay information to negotiate your worth
Moving up the Culver’s pay scale is achievable through continuous learning, proving your capabilities, and actively managing your career growth within the organization.
Culver’s Pay vs Competitors
Compared to other major fast food burger chains, Culver’s offers competitive pay rates:
McDonald’s Hourly Pay
McDonald’s crew members make $8 – $15 per hour with an average closer to $10 per hour. Managers earn $25,000 – $60,000 annually depending on experience and location.
Burger King Hourly Pay
Burger King crew members average around $9 – $12 per hour. Store managers earn approximately $30,000 – $50,000 per year on average.
Wendy’s Hourly Pay
Wendy’s crew members make around $8 – $12 per hour. General managers can earn $45,000 – $75,000 annually on average.
Sonic Drive-In Hourly Pay
Sonic pays crew members approximately $7 – $12 per hour. Store managers earn between $30,000 – $50,000 in base salary.
While pay rates are fairly consistent across top burger chains, Culver’s stands out for its Midwestern roots, smaller footprint, and emphasis on custard. Working for a growing, regional player like Culver’s can provide great experience and opportunity compared to larger corporations.
Conclusion
Culver’s offers hourly wages of approximately $8 – $15 for entry level crew members and annual salaries from $30,000 to $80,000 for managers, depending on tenure and location. Benefits, bonuses, and advancement potential provide additional long-term earning possibilities. Overall, Culver’s provides competitive pay and an engaging work environment for those looking to join the restaurant or fast food industry.