Thinking about submitting a Fry’s application and working for this company? Before you do, you should know a little more about the company and the positions available at its stores. You may just find that it has better openings than you thought.
About Fry’s Food
Fry’s Food, more formally known as Fry’s Food & Drug Stores, Inc., is a supermarket chain serving the state of Arizona. The company also operates Fry’s Marketplace (a multi-department store with electronics, toys, outdoor living, etc.), Fry’s Signature (high-end, specialized grocery stores), and Fry’s Mercado (a Hispanic-focused location with additional stores contained inside).
The company has about 123 locations with 22,000 employees. Fry’s is a subsidiary of The Kroger Company, which also owns chains like the Kroger stores, QFC, Fred Meyer, and Ruler Foods. Many of Kroger’s chains are regionally-focused and not very well-known outside their areas of operation. If you don’t live in Arizona, chances are you still live near another Kroger company that you could apply to.
Careers At Fry’s Food
Unlike some other supermarket chains, Fry’s status as a subsidiary of Kroger means that certain corporate elements aren’t handled directly by the company. Instead, there are four major positions that almost always have opportunities available, as well as a scattering of other jobs at the store.
Main Career Jobs
Here are the main jobs available at Fry’s Food stores. For most of these, you’ll need to apply online.
Cashier
Cashiers are entry-level positions focused mainly on scanning products, applying coupons, operating a cash register, and processing various types of payments. At times, cashiers clean their work area and assist with bagging groceries.
This is an extremely customer-focused position, so successful cashiers have outstanding customer service skills, friendly and supportive personalities, and flexible schedules.
Pay in this position usually begins at minimum wage, but experienced cashiers may make as much as $13 per hour. This is not considered a dead-end job since cashiers can move into leadership and management roles within the store and take advantage of salaries, healthcare, and other benefits.
Clerks
Clerks are specialty positions in each store, typically demanding more skill and knowledge about a given topic than most positions within the store. Clerks usually split their time between interacting with (and making recommendations to) customers, providing specialized services, and breaking down boxes.
At times, clerks are asked to help in other parts of the store. For example, if there’s a sudden rush of customers, clerks may be asked to act as cashiers for awhile. The ability to effectively switch between different activities is key to success as a clerk, as is a positive, personable, and attentive mindset.
Like cashiers, clerks tend to start at minimum wage but may go as high as $9 an hour. Going higher often requires assuming a leadership position within that department. It’s worth noting that it helps to have some experience within the department before directing others. After all, if you’ve used every tool and done every job, you know how to ensure things are done correctly.
Managers
Managers oversee the day-to-day operations at Fry’s food, including managing entry-level workers, checking product quality, and overseeing deliveries to the store. Managers are also tasked with ensuring a consistently high level of customer service, providing training, and processing payroll for the store.
Unlike the other three ‘common’ jobs, managers tend to be full-time employees with salaries ranging from $40,000 (frontend managers) to $80,000 or more (store managers). Managers also have more access to company benefits, including retirement benefits, insurance, access to prescription medication, and paid time off.
Fry’s Food has more than 100 stores, and management positions are usually available somewhere, though you may need to move closer to the store.
Stockers
Stockers ensure that customers actually have access to the merchandise of the store. This is a physically-intense position that involves a lot of lifting and moving around – which is great if you want to exercise at work instead of sitting down all day.
Other elements of this job include receiving shipments of products, keeping inventory organized, janitorial duties, and helping customers locate items. Pay typically starts at minimum wage, rising as high as $10 per hour. Stockers also get merchandise discounts and have the opportunity to move into leadership and management roles if they want to stick with the company.
Specialized Careers
Outside of the four main roles, Fry’s Food also has some specialized career options for people with the right training and experience.
Assistant Refrigeration Technician
You know how a lot of grocery stores have refrigerated sections for products? Well, those things do break down. It’s the job of refrigeration technicians to fix them and minimize the loss of products.
In this position, you’ll drive independently to each store (possibly several in a day) to perform preventative maintenance, replace parts, troubleshoot issues, and generally ensure the system works as it should. You’ll also be expected to maintain and organize parts, operate equipment, and instruct store employees on the correct use of things if they seem to be doing it wrong.
This is a fairly independent position, and you’ll often be allowed to purchase parts on your own accord – though Fry’s will expect you to document all of it. At times, you may be asked to help with other types of repairs.
Overall, this is an excellent position if you enjoy hands-on work and dealing with machines.
Cake Decorator
Do you enjoy creating a wide variety of baked goods? If so, Cake Decorator may be a better job than you ever expected. In this role, you’ll interact with customers to recommend items and help create elaborate cakes, cookies, pastries, and other items to match their requests.
This job requires a keen eye for detail since you’ll also be tasked with minimizing waste and trying to satisfy as many customers as possible without having extra product going into the trash. That said, you’ll also get to use a wide variety of baking tools, offer product samples, and generally make things more colorful.
Certified Pharmacy Technician
As a Certified Pharmacy Technician, you’ll be responsible for many of the day-to-day operations of the pharmacy. This includes operating the computer system, reporting on products, strictly adhering to all Pharmacy regulations, gathering patient information, and helping the pharmacist prepare prescriptions.
It’s important to note that Pharmacy Technicians are not in command of their area. For legal reasons, there are some tasks that only a Pharmacist can do (even if it’s “really easy” and you’ve “seen it done a hundred times”). As a Pharmacy Technician, you’ll do what you can do to take the load off their shoulders and keep the section running smoothly.
eCommerce Hourly Associate
This is another active job at Fry’s Food. As an eCommerce Hourly Associate, your main job will be to retrieve products from around the store to fulfill online orders. This is a fast-paced position where timing matters and products may not remain fresh if they’re packed too slowly or in the wrong way.
As such, this isn’t a good job if you have trouble handling pressure and deadlines – but if you thrive in this sort of environment, this can be a fantastic way to spend your time. This is also a customer-focused position, and you’ll spend some time as the face of the company.
Due to the demanding nature of the job, compensation is higher here than at many other Fry’s Food positions. The company offers training and advancement opportunities, discounts on merchandise, various forms of insurance, and even health and wellness programs.
(If you’re feeling cynical about that, remember that this is an active, fast-paced, physically demanding job. They have a vested interest in ensuring you are physically capable of meeting their expectations.)
Wine Steward
If you love drinks, this could be your dream position. As a Wine Steward, you’ll be responsible for developing and maintaining your knowledge of imported and domestic drinks, including their overall flavor profile and how they’re made. You’ll also need to know about industry trends and make suggestions about the products.
At times, you may be tasked with providing samples of products (consistent with all laws and company guidelines), recommending product pairings, and managing the temperatures of all cases and coolers to ensure products don’t spoil.
Unlike most positions, you need to be at least 21 before you can submit a Fry’s application. Expect to go through a wine test, too.
Starting A Career At Fry’s Food
As a supermarket, Fry’s Food sees a lot of turnover in the three primary positions (cashier, clerk, and stocker). As such, these should be treated as the entry-level jobs they are. If you want to be with the company for a long time, you should focus on moving up to a full-time position where you help manage the store (or at least lead a department).
Fortunately, getting your foot in the door is easy. Fry’s is always hiring, and from there, your success with this company is up to you.