Workers Reveal What It Is Really Like To Work At Twin Peaks
The service industry is a unique one already but add to that the pressures of boisterous patrons and teeny tiny uniforms and you know you are in for a doozy. This is exactly what customers have come to expect from the beloved breastaurant chain, Twin Peaks. Here, the beer is cold, the girls are hot, the game is always on, and the not-so-subtle slogan is "Eats. Drinks. Scenic Views."
The restaurant had its humble beginnings in 2005 but it quickly became one of the country's fastest-growing restaurant chains after just a decade of operation. In 2022, the company continued to show tremendous growth despite global economic struggles and it is set to surpass its 100th location in 2023 as it aims to open around 20 new locations with various developments in the pipeline.
Twin Peaks takes pride in its reputation as the saucier competition to Hooters and it has had its fair share of scandal. A quick glance at the company's media history and you will notice prominent articles covering lawsuits and a now infamous gunfight in Texas. But many employees still hail it as an excellent place to work, despite its many controversies. Here is a glimpse into what it is like to work at Twin Peaks.
Getting hired is like a casting call
Job interviews are daunting, to say the least, but it seems like Twin Peaks interviews take it to a whole new level. One former Twin Peaks employee did an Ask Me Anything (AMA) on Reddit, opening the floor to curious customers to find out exactly what goes on behind the scenes. She described the hiring process as intimidating, saying that there were "current employees there scoping you out."
It has also come to light that girls are asked to try on the uniform at their interview and managers will take pictures of them. Youtuber Alexis Santos posted a tell-all video in 2020 giving a look into her hiring process. She explained that an applicant's photos are sent to corporate and they then have the final say in who gets hired.
A potential employee on Glassdoor divulged just how close the interview is to a casting call. "They judge you on hair, skin, makeup, teeth, and how toned and skinny you are. If you have any sort of body rolls you won't be hired" she wrote. Other hopeful applicants also added that they heard back within two to three days but if you don't get asked to model the uniform, you probably have your answer. And after you get hired, the judging isn't over just yet.
Employees are ranked
An employee of the month scheme is good enough for some jobs but at Twin Peaks, you can expect to be graded every day. Here, waitresses are ranked on their appearance and scrutinized from head to toe before every shift starts. Alexis Santos explained that management wants servers to look as if they are ready to go on a date. "Working for Twin Peaks, you are a model for the brand and there is an image to uphold" she continued. She also explained that this system has its perks, allowing top-rated girls to choose their sections first and avoid closing duties.
Not all servers love the system and one former employee explained to Las Vegas Weekly that the ranking practice would affect her mental health: "I've had serving jobs before. I know everybody judges me on my appearance, but at Twin Peaks, I had to give them the authority to judge me, which is even more degrading. It's like, being degraded is officially part of the job, and I knew it'd kill my self-esteem."
A Twin Peaks employee in Shenandoah wrote on Glassdoor that the "ranking system is biased towards favoritism" and another from Lafayette was not a fan either, writing on Indeed that management "usually already had their favorites picked out so you didn't stand a chance."
The tattoo policy is fairly liberal
Customers often draw parallels between different breastaurants like Hooters and Twin Peaks and of the two, Twin Peaks seems to give the staff more leeway to express themselves with body art. Alexis Santos proudly shows off her arm full of tattoos on her Youtube video and said she wouldn't even consider working at Hooters because she would need to cover them up with makeup.
On Twin Peak's Careers page, the company emphasizes its celebration of individuality. "The iconic buffalo plaid stands for more than just serving great food and ice-cold beer with a smile. It's an invitation to be you, to be unique, and to bring a one-of-a-kind experience to every guest, every time."
This might not be the case at all the branches though. One waitress answered a prospective applicant on Indeed and said that "they don't like a lot of tattoos. They want the 'girl next door' look." Given that more than 45 million people in the USA have at least one tattoo, it might prove difficult to find a steady stream of staffers with no ink.
There are dress-up days
Some jobs have casual Fridays, others dress up for Halloween, and then there is Twin Peaks. This chain takes dress-up days to a whole new level and there are themed days or weeks for just about any occasion. However, this isn't your grandma's dress-up day. Twin Peaks girls take a less-is-more approach and lingerie is the name of the game.
Alexis Santos explains that girls can opt out of dress-up days if they aren't comfortable. A concerned Indeed user asked whether it was compulsory to dress up on those days but a waitress put her mind at ease saying "Lingerie days are optional babe! Rock the plaid!" Lingerie week and similar events are a highlight on the Twin Peaks calendar and girls often report making more tips during those events. TikTok user Charisma.9882 showed off her red lingerie on a dress-up day and boasted about receiving more than $300 in tips from a slow section for the night.
Some girls landed in hot water when they were asked to wear red lingerie on Valentine's Day. Daryll Rodriguez spoke to CBC Radio in Canada and divulged that 4 girls were cited for indecent exposure after police paid a visit to their branch. She became involved in a legal complaint against the company that alleged employees were "criminalized for following Twin Peaks' orders to dress like a stripper."
You can get fired for gaining weight
With the rise of body positivity and the normalizing of all shapes and sizes, people might find it hard to believe that not all companies embrace this mindset. Twin Peaks girls have spoken out, revealing that there are some serious repercussions if you gain weight or become out of shape.
TikTok creator Hennydripz caused quite a stir when she went public, saying that Twin peaks fired her on her second day of training because management allegedly didn't approve of her size. On Reddit, a former employee answered burning questions like "can you get fired for gaining weight?" and confirmed that it was indeed touched on in their contracts. "The girl will go on a 30-day probationary period and usually the manager provides some kind of gym membership. If there are no changes, she can be terminated. The loophole is, we sign a contract as 'entertainers' accepting we can be fired on these terms."
Jennifer Castaneda is a former employee from a South Florida branch and filed a lawsuit against the company for various acts of harassment and discrimination. She became pregnant and experienced some weight gain but still wanted to return to work after her delivery. "I would love to have you, but you know what they're going to tell me about your weight," a manager wrote in an email which is now evidence in Castanenda's case (via Restaurant Business).
Some customers can be a bit difficult to deal with
Would you rather deal with an inebriated boyfriend or a jealous girlfriend? At Twin Peaks, you might run into both. You won't be surprised to hear that female customers can get a bit territorial when dining with their partners at a restaurant overflowing with beautiful scantily clad servers. Servers at Twin Peaks say that dealing with wives and girlfriends is a particularly difficult part of the job.
"This one girl would not look or talk to me, her boyfriend did all the talking. Then another girl didn't want her boyfriend to look or talk to me ... she did all the talking" a Twin Peaks girl on Reddit recounted. She explained that her approach is to "usually try to focus on the female if it is a couple situation." "They can be really rude, but for the most part they know what they are getting themselves into by agreeing to eat there" she added.
Tips can be very lucrative
Working at Twin Peaks is more than just a waitressing job. You are expected to provide an experience to the customers and girls are encouraged to take time to chat with clientele, which can lead to rewards in the form of generous tips.
"We are encouraged to sit and talk with our tables, which makes the biggest difference. I find single or groups of guys with $20 tabs will leave me ten or fifteen bucks each when I talk to them and we hit it off, versus the typical 20% or less from tables I just give run-of-the-mill service to. Then there are regulars, which are in a league of their own" a Redditor wrote. Indeed reports that servers and hosts make $14.56 an hour and Glassdoor equates this to around $36,000 a year.
A recent TikTok trend led user FaithxErica (a couple who both work at the same Twin Peaks location) to share their earnings online and viewers were shocked at how much they managed to make despite some difficulties on the night. One of them made $275 while the other pocketed a healthy $423. This isn't always the case though. The pair posted another video where they showed a table with a $400 only adding an 8% tip and they have also experienced tables walking out on their bill.
If you are a waitress, you don't have side work
Being a server isn't the most glamorous job, especially when it comes to bussing tables, marrying ketchup bottles, or completing closing duties. One of the most appealing parts of a job at Twin Peaks is that none of this is your problem. Servers are just there to serve and take orders, deliver the food, and keep the clients happy — a mighty short list of tasks if you ask us.
Kharlla Arcega listed her top pros and cons about the job on TikTok and the fact that there is no side work shot to number one on her list. "You literally just run the food, run the drinks, and pre-bus your tables." The Twin Peaks server on Reddit explained that, just like any job, it had its ups and downs but overall it was a fun environment. "There are good days and bad days, but we have no side work. We are allowed to use our phones and there are TVs everywhere. Usually, it's pretty fun" she wrote.
It becomes a sisterhood
Considering the lack of water coolers and cubicles, it would be fair to assume that normal workplace culture doesn't really exist in a place like Twin Peaks. But many Twin Peaks girls note that this workplace becomes like a sisterhood after spending countless hours in a shared experience. "I got to make friends with a lot of the staff, and it was like a sisterhood in a way. I also got to learn more about how to improve my physical appearance and social skills" an experienced employee wrote on Niche.
Kharlla Arcega also listed it as one of the pros on her TikTok. "At my location, the girls are super nice and friendly and super supportive. We like to hang out together in our free time" she explained. This sentiment was echoed by Alexis Santos, who described Twin Peaks as a sisterhood in her tell-all video, mentioning it as one of her favorite parts of the job.
The flexible schedules are a big plus
Twin Peaks girls simply love the flexible working hours at the chain. Platforms like Glassdoor and Indeed are flooded with Twin Peaks employees listing it as their top reason to stay with the company.
"You meet lots of new people, and management is pretty good about working with you to find a schedule that meets your needs," a former employee wrote on Glassdoor. "Throughout my time here, managers were willing to work with my schedule, understand my hardships, and were there for me when needed" another added.
Many girls support their families, try to put themselves through school, or work other jobs, making flexibility a top priority. A Facebook ad recruiting new girls in Greenville was bold enough to outright state flexibility as one of the perks of the job: "Be a Twin Peaks girl and enjoy flexible scheduling, great tips & NO side work!"
Costumers will try and make a pass at you
This is one of the major drawbacks of the job: harassment from clientele does happen. On Glassdoor, an employee said that there are inappropriate guests but that her managers were good at handling these unfortunate incidents. Another noted that it takes a particular type of girl to fend off unwanted attention. "You may not find this job ideal if you are unable to remain calm and reasonable whilst dealing with customers that are often unreasonable, and intoxicated," she wrote.
A harassment lawsuit filed by ex-Twin Peaks server Jennifer Castaneda and her former co-workers detailed several incidents of harassment from both customers and management. The lawsuit stated that both a manager and customers subjected employees to physical and verbal harassment. The South Florida Sun Sentinel reported that the girls also felt they were not protected from harassment from customers. This harassment would include customers grabbing the servers, speaking offensively to them, and taking photos of them without their permission.
You must buy your own uniform pieces
The Twin Peaks uniform is small, tiny in fact. But your wardrobe cost might not be so small. Other than a barely-there top and socks, uniform items are not provided for free and you need to buy your own pants, shoes, and accessories. This might not seem so out of place for a normal working environment but when the uniform is so specific, one might expect a little more from the employer.
Twin Peaks traded in its khaki shorts in 2021 and servers now wear short denim shorts, snow boots, and a plaid top and socks. TikTok creator breeziswrld took her followers through her wardrobe and shared the prices too. She paid $100 for her furry winter boots and $25 for a sparkly belt, and she was lucky enough to get shorts from a friend. Alexis Santos also showed off her new Forever 21 necklace and explained that girls need to wear at least two pieces of jewelry. This can also be costly during themed weeks as girls who choose to participate buy their own lingerie.
Game days make your turnover slow
Twin Peaks describes itself as a man cave restaurant so on any given night you can expect wall-to-wall TVs screening sports. Fight nights and game days are particularly popular drawing big crowds of cheering fans, filling every seat in the house and then some. Although this might seem like a big payday, servers say that it might not be as lucrative as they first thought.
Kharlla Arcega listed this as one of the cons of her job, explaining that tables can be occupied for hours on end and customers often only order drinks. "I could flip three or four tables in that time on a normal night," she says.
It isn't all bad news though. She also posted a video of how much she makes on a fight night, raking in well over $400. In both her videos she mentions that she does give some of her earnings back to the house, tipping bar staff who keep patrons hydrated on game nights.
There is a special menu for servers to eat from
Many people look forward to lunchtime at work, sharing a sandwich with their work bestie and catching up on some office gossip. Fast food workers also love free or discounted food at work, saving them time and effort on meal prepping. At Twin Peaks, that is not the case.
The restaurant makes no secret of the fact that it wants its servers to be in tip-top shape and that includes controlling what they eat while on the clock. Waiters can only eat from a special "spa" menu where every meal is limited to 600 calories. A former Indianapolis employee wrote on Glassdoor that the food was gross, a sad prospect if you are working an 8-hour shift.
Other staff can enjoy 50% off on the chain's classic American comfort food while they work but at some stores, it has been reduced to 25% according to an employee on Glassdoor.