The Snooze breakfast, lunch and brunch chain doesn’t stint on portion sizes. But its method for rewarding standout unit leaders is where the real super-sizing happens.
The 70-unit chain has just awarded what it calls “golden tickets” to 18 outstanding general managers and head chefs. The prize consists of a $50,000 bonus for the GMs and a $25,000 payment to the kitchen chiefs.
Plus, the honorees are provided with another $5,000 in “life enrichment” money, which they’re encouraged to spend on a family vacation, a culinary experience unrelated to work, an activity that stokes their passion or an endeavor to improve their physical or mental well-being.
The dollars are in addition to getting a paid month off specifically to “recharge and refresh,” in the company’s words. That sabbatical of sorts is known in Snooze parlance as a “walkabout.”
Excluding the cost of the monthlong absences, the privately owned company is sending $715,000 in reward money to the golden ticket recipients.
To qualify for the program, a GM or head chef must work for the chain for five years. The awards are presented annually.
“Our general managers and head chefs are the backbone of Snooze, and we’re recognizing the heart and soul they pour into their roles with this benefit,” chain COO Scott Thomas said in a statement. “We wanted to go beyond perks and offer a true token of gratitude to say, ‘thank you’ to those who consistently raise the bar and lead fearlessly.”
“This is a huge milestone in my Snooze journey,” Maria Lopez, GM of the Snooze on Montrose Avenue in Houston and a 2024 golden ticket winner, said in the company’s statement. “I’m so thankful that Snooze is willing to acknowledge this achievement with some much-deserved time off to spend with my loved ones and travel.”
The chain is about to open its 71st unit, in Cedar Park, Texas.
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