Grill Chef
Whitbread
From £12.89 per hour
350 Luton Road, Dunstable, Bedfordshire, LU6, United Kingdom
Full time
The Breakroom Take
- Recommended by students
- Respectful managers
About Whitbread
Whitbread is a restaurant and hotel operator. They run Premier Inn, Beefeater and Brewers Fayre.
Job description from Whitbread
Grill Chef - Halfway House Beefeater
Come and be a Chef at Beefeater in Dunstable. Help our kitchen team to prepare, cook and serve up mouth watering meals in our fun, pub restaurant. Immediate start, catering experience needed.
PAY RATE:
Up to £12.89 per hour
CONTRACT TYPE:
Permanent - we don't do zero hours contracts!
HOURS:
40 hours per week over 5 days - guaranteed hours to plan your week around.
LOCATION:
Halfway House Beefeater, 350 Luton Rd, Dunstable LU5 4LL
Why you'll love it here:
- Training and support: We've got the user-friendly equipment that will make your life easier from the start and the training that'll give you a career path in our kitchens
- Whitbread Benefits card: Enjoy up to 60% off Premier Inn rooms and 25% off meals in Whitbread Restaurants
- Pension and saving schemes: Company pension and save as you earn scheme
- Discounts: Get money off shops, your utility bills, travel, cinema trips, supermarkets and more
- Have a meal on us: You'll receive a £40 voucher to spend in our restaurant when you join us
What you'll do:
Join us at Halfway House Beefeater as a Grill Chef, as part of the kitchen team cooking the dishes our guests love. Be part of the UK's leading hospitality business, Whitbread.
Other details
- Job Function Employee
- Pay Type Hourly
- Employment Indicator Permanent
Apply Now
What employees say
Pay
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Good
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Most people are paid a living wage
Do Whitbread pay grill chefs enough to live on?
Most people are paid a living wage.
How we know this
100% of people say they are paid at or above the Real Living Wage for where they live.Based on data from 30 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and March 2025.
Why this matters
Everyone should be paid enough to live on.
The Real Living Wage is a voluntary rate employers can sign up to that is based on the real cost of living.
The current rates are £12.60 per hour, and £13.85 per hour in London.
Find out more in our explainer about the Real Living Wage.
Good
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Most people are paid market rates
Do Whitbread pay grill chefs market rates?
Most people are paid above average for their job.
How we know this
100% of people are paid above average for the type of work they do.Based on data from 16 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between February 2023 and February 2025.
Why this matters
Pay can vary a lot between types of job. Employers should be ensuring that the rates their staff are paid are in line with similar roles elsewhere.
Needs improving
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Most people don’t get paid breaks
Do grill chefs at Whitbread get paid breaks?
No. Most people don’t get paid breaks.
How we know this
97% of people say they don’t get paid breaks.Based on data from 33 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and March 2025.
Why this matters
A good job should have paid breaks.
You should be paid for all your time at work, whether you’re on a break or not.
Needs improving
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Most people don’t get sick pay
Do Whitbread pay grill chefs sick pay?
No. Most people don’t get proper sick pay.
How we know this
94% of people say they wouldn’t get paid if they were sick but scheduled to work.Based on data from 33 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and March 2025.
Why this matters
Everyone gets sick sometimes. You should be able to take time off without worrying.
At a good job you should still get paid if you’re scheduled to work but can’t due to sickness. Your contract should say how many sick days you can take each year.
This is more than the legal minimum, which says you should only get paid if you are unwell for 4 full days. See Citizens Advice for more details.
Okay
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Some people do unpaid extra work
Do grill chefs at Whitbread do extra work that they don't get paid for?
Sometimes. Some people do unpaid extra work.
How we know this
48% of people report that they do extra work that they don’t get paid for.Based on data from 31 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and March 2025.
Why this matters
Everyone should get paid for any extra work they do, even if it is outside your contracted hours. At a good job, you should be paid for all the time you spend at work.
Hours and flexibility
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Needs improving
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Less than 4 weeks notice of shifts
How much notice do grill chefs get of their shift pattern at Whitbread?
Most people don’t get 4 weeks notice of when they’re working.
How we know this
- 15% of people with changing schedules report getting one week notice or less.
- 65% of people with changing schedules report getting two weeks notice.
- 21% of people with changing schedules report getting three weeks notice.
- 0% of people with changing schedules report getting four weeks notice or more.
Based on data from 34 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and March 2025.
Why this matters
At a good job, you get plenty of notice about when you’re working.
This makes it easy for you to plan the rest of life, as well as your finances, because you know how much you’ll be working and when.
Okay
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Some people worry about their hours
Do grill chefs at Whitbread worry about hours?
Some people worry about getting enough hours.
How we know this
44% of people report they worry about getting enough hours.Based on data from 34 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and March 2025.
Why this matters
At a good job, you shouldn’t have to worry about getting enough hours each week.
A good job should guarantee you a minimum number of hours in a contract, if you want it.
This makes it easier to plan your finances, because you know how much you’ll be earning.
Okay
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Only some people get a choice of shifts
Do grill chefs at Whitbread get to choose the shifts they work?
Some people don’t get enough choice over which shifts they work.
How we know this
39% report that their manager doesn’t give them enough choice over which shifts they work.Based on data from 33 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and March 2025.
Why this matters
A good job is flexible around your personal life. This means you get a say in when you prefer to work.
Needs improving
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Hard to change shifts
How easy is it for grill chefs at Whitbread to change shifts?
Most people find it hard to change shifts.
How we know this
83% of people report that it’s hard to change shifts if they need to.Based on data from 23 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between February 2023 and February 2025.
Why this matters
A good job is flexible around your personal life. It should be easy to change a shift if you need to, whether that’s in an emergency or for planning ahead.
Okay
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Can be hard to book holiday
How easy is it for grill chefs to book a holiday at Whitbread?
Some people find it hard to book holiday.
How we know this
44% of people report it’s hard to book holidays.Based on data from 32 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and March 2025.
Why this matters
A good job should let you take time off when you need it, and it shouldn’t be a nightmare to arrange.
Okay
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Shifts can get changed at short notice
Do Whitbread managers change grill chefs shifts at short notice?
Some managers change people’s shifts at short notice.
How we know this
66% of people say their manager changes their shifts at the last minute.Based on data from 32 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and March 2025.
Why this matters
If your manager is often changing your shifts at short notice that’s a sign of poor planning. At a good job you won’t be messed around at the last minute.
Okay
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Some people find it hard to take sick leave
How easy is it for grill chefs to take sick leave at Whitbread?
Some people find it hard to take sick leave.
How we know this
65% of people report that it’s hard to take time off if they are sick.Based on data from 31 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and March 2025.
Why this matters
Everyone gets sick sometimes. You should be able to take time off when you need to.
A good job should support you when you’re unwell and have systems in place that will allow you to take time off to recover when you need it.
Needs improving
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Most parents say it’s bad
Is working as grill chefs at Whitbread good if you have caring responsibilities?
Most parents and carer say this is a bad place to work.
How we know this
82% of people who care for a child or other relative report this isn’t a good place to work.Based on data from 11 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and March 2025.
Why this matters
Whether it’s looking after children or caring for a relative, a good job should support your responsibilities outside of work.
Workplace
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Okay
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Only some people feel treated with respect
Do grill chefs at Whitbread feel treated with respect by their managers?
Some people don’t feel treated with respect by their managers.
How we know this
37% of people say they’re not treated with respect by their managers.Based on data from 30 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and March 2025.
Why this matters
Everyone should get treated with respect by their managers. You shouldn’t feel discriminated against or bullied, and if you have a problem you should be able to speak to someone about it.
Okay
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Only some people get proper breaks
Do grill chefs at Whitbread get proper breaks?
Some people don’t get proper breaks.
How we know this
58% of people report that they don’t get to take proper breaks.Based on data from 31 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and March 2025.
Why this matters
When you take a break it should be a proper rest. It should last the full duration and you shouldn’t get pulled off it.
Needs improving
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Most people are stressed
Is it stressful for grill chefs to work at Whitbread?
Most people feel stressed here.
How we know this
84% of people say they often feel stressed at work.Based on data from 31 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and March 2025.
Why this matters
Work isn’t always easy, but if you’re frequently feel stressed, that’s not good.
Your employer should support you with enough people and resources to get your job done without feeling overwhelmed.
Okay
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Only some people enjoy their job
Do grill chefs at Whitbread enjoy their jobs?
Only some people enjoy their job.
How we know this
57% of people report they don’t enjoy their job.Based on data from 30 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and March 2025.
Okay
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Only some people recommend their team
Do grill chefs at Whitbread recommend working with their team?
Only some people recommend working with their team.
How we know this
62% of people report that they wouldn’t recommend working with their immediate team to a friend.Based on data from 34 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and March 2025.
Why this matters
A good job means enjoying the place where you work.
The people you work with every day really matter. They can be the difference between a terrible day and a great one.
If you’d recommend your team to a friend, this shows that something’s going right.
Okay
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Only some people get enough training
Do grill chefs get enough training when they start at Whitbread?
Some people didn’t get enough training when they started.
How we know this
38% of people report they didn’t get enough training when they started working here.Based on data from 32 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and March 2025.
Why this matters
A good job should give you good training when you start, not just drop you in at the deep end.
This means that you’ll be happier and more productive from day one and shows that your employer values you.
It’s also very important if your job involves anything that could be dangerous. Good training from the outset keeps you and your team safe.
Okay
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Only some people get support to progress
Are grill chefs given support to progress at Whitbread?
Only some people are given support to progress here.
How we know this
In the last year, 57% of people report not being given an opportunity to get better at their job, learn a new skill, learn to manage a team or get more responsibility in their role.Based on data from 30 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and March 2025.
Why this matters
A good job should help you progress at work, if you want to. That might be supporting you to get better at the job you currently have, learn something new, manage a team or take on more responsibilities.
This means you’ll be able to build on your skills and experience, and earn more money.
Needs improving
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Head office doesn’t understand what’s happening
Do grill chefs think Whitbread head office understands what's happening where they work?
Most people think head office doesn’t understand what’s happening where they work.
How we know this
91% of people think that this employer’s head office or owners don’t have a good understanding of what’s really happening where they work.Based on data from 34 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and March 2025.
Why this matters
At a good job, the role of head office should be to support the people on the frontline serving customers.
To do that properly, the company’s owners or head office need to have a good understanding of what’s really happening on the frontline. This is especially important when a company owns multiple locations.
Needs improving
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Most people don’t feel well informed by head office
Do grill chefs feel well informed about how Whitbread is doing?
Most people don’t feel well informed about how the company is doing.
How we know this
70% of people feel that they aren’t kept well informed about how the company is doing as a whole.Based on data from 30 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and March 2025.
Why this matters
At a good job, there should be a supportive relationship between the people working on the frontline serving customers and the people who own the company or work in head office.
You should be kept informed about how the company is doing as a whole, both in good times and when things get tough for the business.
What Whitbread employees say about their job
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Best thing
Sometimes (depending what chef) i get the left over fries at work.
Worst thing
Stress, constant abuse from customers and staff, constant complaints, poorly managed shifts, unfair shifts (new staff get to work more than I do due to "training" even though they've been fully trained for months now), low amount of shifts after Christmas (due to low number of bookings).
Front of house staff at Whitbread, January 2025
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Best thing
No service charge
Worst thing
Pay and hours
Kitchen manager at Whitbread, January 2025
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