Working at LIDL vs. Starbucks: Which is a better place to work?

Lidl operates over 11,000 stores across the United States and Europe, while Starbucks operates over 17,000 stores in the same region. With this in mind, it is apparent that both companies are major employers. I recently ran into a friend who got job offers in both companies and was wondering which company is better to work for. I have encountered other friends in a similar predicament and this has inspired me to come up with this post. We will look at each company and the issues that affect employees and come up with a verdict, so read on.

What are the differences between working at Lidl vs. Starbucks?

Features	LIDL	Starbucks
Work-life balance	2.8/5 Most LIDL employees complain of long hours and no work-life balance	3.4/5 Most Starbucks partners feel that the work-life balance is great.
Career Opportunities	3.2 A large group of workers at LIDL felt that career opportunities were available for both new and experienced employees.	3.5 0.3 more partners rated career opportunities at Starbucks as easily attainable compared to those at LIDL.
Compensation and Employee Benefits	3.9 Employees felt that they were fairly compensated for the work that they did, with the benefits being sufficient.	3.8 Although the partners at Starbucks felt they were fairly compensated, they rated 0.1 lower than those at LIDL.
Positive business outlook	43 More than half the employees had a negative outlook on their workplace	54 Over half the population at Starbucks feel that their workplace is a great place to work.
Culture and Values	3.0 Teamwork and career advancement culture.	3.8 A culture of inclusivity and teamwork
CEO Approval	66% Ignazio Paterno	61% Howard Schultz
Job Postings	37,015 LIDL has 11,697 more openings than Starbucks	25,381
Salaries	Store Associate $15/hr. Supervisor $20/hr. General manager $73,615	Barista- $11/hr. Cashier $15.60 General Manager $89,192

Lidl vs. Starbucks-How does working there compare?

Work-life balance

Lidl is the best company if you are looking for a healthy work-life balance. 64% of the employees work a standard 8-hour shift or less. The remaining 36% work for longer than that. According to Glassdoor employee reviews, Lidl has rated a dismal 2.8 stars out of five. This shows that a good number of employees do not have a good work-life balance.

Starbucks ranks higher, at 3.4 stars, with 84% of employees working 8-hour shifts or less and only about 6% of partners working more than 12 hours. This shows that most Starbucks have a balanced career and personal time. When one can handle work and still have time to work on personal activities, it is safe to say they have a good work-life balance.

In this category, Starbucks wins with 0.6 more stars than Lidl.

Career Opportunities

LIDL has over 315,000 employees across all its stores. This German discount retailer has a vast number of opportunities for entry-level and skilled workers. According to most employee reviews, one has a high chance of climbing up the career ladder through merit. There are plenty of internal promotions for deserving workers and new career opportunities for both skilled and unskilled entrants. At LIDL, you can start a lasting career that goes beyond the retail stores. This is reflected by the high ratings at Glassdoor of 3.2 stars out of five.

On the other hand, Starbucks fairs well in terms of career opportunities. There are entry-level, mid-level, and advanced career levels at the coffee chain. A barista is an entry-level position for someone who desires to start a fulfilling career in the coffee industry. Chances of advancing to higher levels are available through free education advancement and promotions. Glassdoor reviews rate it at 3.5 stars.

In this category, Starbucks takes a comfortable lead with 0.3 stars higher than LIDL.

Compensation and employee benefits

Employees at LIDL seem to appreciate the benefits of this company, with a rating of 3.9 stars. All employees, whether full-time or part-time, are entitled to comprehensive health insurance, paid time off, company-paid holidays, retirement benefits, parental leave, commuter allowances, and education scholarships. These are industry-leading benefits tailored to motivate employees and make their lives better apart from their wages. Lidl also offers daily pay by choice and monetary rewards. Full-time employees get additional perks like paid sick days, life insurance, and career development.

Starbucks has been praised for having some of the best perks in the industry, with a rating of 3.8 stars. This means that over 80% of employees are satisfied with these benefits. Starbucks has comprehensive health insurance for eligible part-time and full-time employees that covers dental, vision, and general medical health. Moreover, partners are entitled to commuter benefits, paid vacation, paid sick days, and parental leave. You will also get free drinks and food items while on duty and a 30% discount on all purchases.

While both companies have lucrative compensation and benefits, LIDL takes a narrow lead with 0.1 higher than Starbucks.

Positive Business Outlook

Employees have an opinion of how they see their workplaces. At LIDL, Glassdoor reviews, the company ranked at 43% positive business outlook. This means that more than half of LIDL employees are either neutral or have a negative business outlook. This also means that most employees are not happy working here and do not look forward to coming to work. Negativity can range from management to poor pay.

Starbucks ranks at 54% positive business outlook after more than 50,000 reviews. This is above average, and it’s good. Most employees stay in this company due to the benefits and the great work relationships. Most complained about the management and the pay rates, while some partners benefitted greatly from the health insurance. New partners experienced a hard time at the beginning of their careers, hostility from older co-workers, and developed negativity. Overall, the company has an above-average positive business outlook, but it can do better.

In this category, Starbucks takes a lead with an 11% higher rating than LIDL.

Culture and Values

LIDL has a culture of growth and advancement of employees where everybody is given a chance to break new ground. The company takes employee mistakes as opportunities to learn and grow, instead of dismissals at the slightest mistake. Based on over 500 reviews, the company s rated 3.0 stars. This is above average, and the majority of employees believe that the company promotes this culture. Most employees love the team culture in this company and the flexibility of tasks which increases interactions at all levels.

At Starbucks, the team culture prevails with people from all cultures and backgrounds meeting at this company to achieve a common goal. According to Glassdoor reviews, culture and values get a near-perfect rating of 3.8 stars. Partners are seen as part of the company and are treated equally irrespective of their religion, beliefs, race, and backgrounds. Starbucks believes in community empowerment and making connections through its coffee.

In this category, Starbucks takes a comfortable lead with a 0.8 rating higher than LIDL.

CEO Approval

Ignazio Paterno is the current CEO of LIDL and gets an arrival rate of 66%. This means the majority of employees believe in their CEO and think he is the right person to hold the top job. A CEO approval rate of over 50% is a positive thing and shows that the CEO is getting things right. However, another 34% of employees feel that the CEO can do better or he is not the right fit. Paterno has been with the company since 2015 and commuted from Italy to Germany.

Starbucks has been with Howard Schultz for more than three decades, and his approval is still above average at 61%. Although he is now an interim CEO as the company awaits a new CEO, Schultz is known to have turned the coffee chain from a regional to a global entity. Although 39% of their partners do not approve of him, he remains the longest-serving CEO at the giant coffee chain.

This is a narrow contest, but LIDL takes the lead with a 5% higher rating than Starbucks.

Job posting

LIDL is a growing company, and due to the nature of the retail store, job openings are always plenty. As of September 2022, Glassdoor had listed 37,015 jobs. All these positions are posted on the company website and all major job boards. Eligible candidates can apply online by creating an account and uploading their CVs for consideration. The jobs are available for all levels and different shifts.

Starbucks had 25,381 job openings listed on Glassdoor as of September 2022. These jobs are open to all eligible applicants from the United States and the rest of the world. Starbucks has numerous openings due to the nature of its operations and employment terms. In summer, most high school kids apply for jobs here at the minimum age of 16 years, and after summer, they become part-time workers or leave.

In this category, LIDL takes the lead for having 1634 more job openings than Starbucks at the time of writing this post.

Salaries

LIDL	Starbucks
Store Associate $15/hr. 93 salaries	Cashier $15/hr. 253 salaries
Supervisor $20/hr. 70 salaries	Barista $15/hr. 419 salaries
IT Specialists $28/hr. 6 salaries	IT Specialists $31/hr. 151 salaries
Assistant Store Manager $64,272 36 salaries	Assistant Store Manager $68,455 594 salaries
General manager $73,615 3 salaries	General manager $82,369 79 salaries

The salary category goes to Starbucks for having better pay rates in all jobs.

LIDL vs. Starbucks- Employee Reviews

These are reviews from current and former employees at Glassdoor

LIDL Employee reviews

John

It is a fairly good company to work in. The pay was decent, and the co-workers are such a friendly lot, which made working there fairly easy.

Current employee

The company is a great place to work, I love it here. The pay is great, and I love my co-workers since the first day I came in. I would recommend friends to work at LIDL.

Current employee

The pay is good, and the workers are friendly. The downside to working here is the long hours per shift. The long hours can make the job stressful, but I can’t complain.

Mary

The company is great, and the employers are relatively nice. The one thing I had a problem with is that nobody ever gives you training when you first start, which can be stressful.

Harold

The job is great especially if you love analytics and data analysis. The company gives you all the necessary tools to learn on the job, which makes it easy to adapt.

Starbucks Employee reviews

Current employee

The benefits are great, and the fact that the benefits are available to all partners is great. You also get to enjoy free drinks and food.

Current employee

The work-life balance is great here. I can put in a shift and also get to attend school with the company supporting me fully. It is a great place to work.

Ruth

I got to meet so many amazing people, both customers, and partners. The only problem is that the revolving door ratio is very high, and not so many people stay for long.

Matt

The hours were flexible, and this allowed me to manage my schedule pretty well as a barista. The only problem was that some managers withheld competition prizes even when I had won fair and square.

Current employee

The employer is very caring and will not hesitate to offer some help where needed. The only problem I got was being short-staffed, and having to share tips.

Final Verdict: So, which is a better place to work? LIDL vs. Starbucks

According to the above reviews, Starbucks is a better place to work than LIDL. Most of the employees at Starbucks cited that they receive great benefits paired with flexible working hours and a great working environment. LIDL is not far behind since the salary range between the two companies isn’t that much. In most of the categories above, Starbucks partners ranked their company ahead of those at LIDL, which demonstrates that they are comfortable in their working environment, and also shows that they are well taken care of.

FAQ SECTION

Which employees are likely to recommend their workplace to a friend, Starbucks, or LIDL employees?

Starbucks partners are likely to recommend their workplace to a friend at a rating of 70% compared to 53% of LIDL employees.

Which company invests more in its employees between Starbucks and LIDL?

LIDL invests more in its employees through benefits according, to reviews.

Does LIDL value its customers more than Starbucks?

No, they both put equal value on their customers.

Does LIDL provide better employee benefits than Starbucks?

Yes, according to reviews, LIDL employees rated their benefits 3.9 compared to Starbucks’ 3.8.

Which company values its employees more between LIDL and Starbucks?

LIDL values its employees more than Starbucks in terms of compensation and benefits.

Which company provides a better working environment between LIDL and Starbucks?

Starbucks provides a better working environment than LIDL, according to reviews.