Franchise company - Much poorer wage & benefits than actual M&S - Anonymous employee SSP Group Employee Review

1.0
Feb 22, 2016
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Fast paced working environment - Days go in quickly Long opening hours - Can work a different number of shifts Good team of staff - Can get along with everyone

Cons

Actual company is poor. I went from being 30/40p above min wage, to eventually being on min wage with the increases over the years many benefits were taken away over the years. You used to get a 50p/hr if you clocked in on time every shift and no sick days. Now there is a whole bunch of rules to achieve this 50p/hr bonus such as meeting budget 2 months ago, upsell target met(usually unachievable) . Used to get free food from the other SSP units on your break, but took that away. SSP will not spend a penny on improving anything unless they think it will create a return on investment at least double spent, meaning anything to improve staff happiness such as buying a water tank for the office will not be bought as it will not create them any money Constantly trying to run the company on fumes to create larger profits. Meaning a lot of the time the managers are given small wage budgets, leaving the same amount of work to be done with less staff. Staff happiness is never a concern, neither is staff retention. A lot of people leave within first 3 months of joining the company.

Explore other reviews about SSP Group

5.0
Jul 4, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Great team members and make money depend on the season

Cons

management aren’t on site all the time due to managing multiple locations.

1.0
Feb 24, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

The employee meal discount is genuinely helpful since bringing food into the airport or buying it from outside is difficult. Many hourly employees are friendly, supportive, and hardworking. Most frontline managers try their best and often go above and beyond despite the pressure they face.

Cons

Senior leadership in the Northeast region operates with intimidation, ego, and favoritism, creating a toxic and unprofessional environment. Schedules are changed constantly with little notice, and employees are expected to work long, exhausting hours without regard for work–life balance. When employees speak up about burnout or need to call out due to exhaustion, they are often targeted instead of supported. Union employees frequently earn more than the supervisors responsible for managing them, which creates tension and undermines morale. Promotions are based on personal relationships rather than merit, and nepotism is widespread across multiple levels of leadership. HR functions more as a disciplinary weapon than a neutral resource for resolving issues or supporting employees. The overall culture is retaliatory, inconsistent, and not aligned with ethical or sustainable business practices.

avatar
SSP Group Response
4mo
We are sorry to hear about your negative experience. Your feedback is important to us,
See reviews by: Helpful|Rating|Date|All