Food Lion is a US grocery chain, serving communities in the South-Eastern and Atlantic states since 1957. They are a neighborhood-oriented company with over 1100 locations in ten states and employ more than 82,000 people.
Food Lion takes pride in its brand-name products and values its staff, offering great wages, flexible hours, and all kinds of benefits to its full and part-time staff.
But, How old do you have to be to work at Food Lion?
You must be at least 16 years old to work at Food Lion, and 18 years old to be hired in the Deli, Bakery, or Meat and Seafood departments. You must be 21 to work in alcohol-related service areas of the store.
What’s the pay like at Food Lion?
For most entry-level positions, like the ones we’ll look at below, the starting wage is usually the minimum wage for your state. If you have a high-school diploma and previous experience, you may be able to negotiate a higher starting wage.
Does Food Lion offer benefits?
Food Lion offers various benefits for staff. Which benefits apply to you will depend on whether you are full-time or part-time, and how long you have been working. Be sure to ask the manager for current information at your interview.
Which Department is for Me?
Associates, Cooks, and Bakers
If you are 18 years or older, you can apply for various jobs in the Deli, Bakery, or Meat and Seafood departments.
In these departments, there are several possibilities for full-time and part-time work. Working here means providing exceptional customer service and being able to work as a team. You would prepare products for sale behind the scenes as well as fill customers’ orders.
You will maintain sanitation and safety standards in all workstations, freezers, and coolers. Sometimes, you will need to work in cold refrigerated environments and should also be able to lift 25 to 50 pounds. Associates also need to offer friendly, polite service to the customers. They should feel comfortable using the slicers and scales to fill orders in an efficient and precise manner.
You will maintain cleanliness and an orderly workspace.
You will need to complete Food Lion’s Computer Based Training (CBT), Training Packet, or other Training Aid courses.
Are you interested in becoming a Cook or a Baker?
Every day, Food Lion produces fresh and delicious ready-made food items for sale in the Deli and Bakery. As a prep cook or a baker, you need to produce all of Food Lion’s menu items efficiently and consistently. You must be able to follow recipes and learn all the production techniques for Food Lion’s brand foods.
As a Baker, you will be responsible for all the great smells coming from the Bakery as you prepare the bread and pastries fresh right there in the store for Food Lion customers. As a Cook, you will prepare various kinds of meat, seafood, poultry, and vegetable dishes for daily sale.
In both cases, you must be comfortable using kitchen tools, such as blenders, food processors, slicers, ovens, and scales. You will maintain Food Lion’s strict standards of cleanliness and customer service. Training will be given in all required procedures. It’s a great hands-on opportunity to learn the ropes of food preparation, and a great place to start a career in the food service industry.
Specialty Merchandise Associate
If you are the right fit, you might work as an ambassador for one of Food Lion’s special brands as a Specialty Merchandise Associate. These positions require a dedicated and outgoing person who enjoys engaging customers and offering a fun shopping experience while focusing customer attention on Food Lion premium brands and quality items.
Are there any jobs for 16 years and over?
While the previous positions need you to be at least 18 years old, there are some positions that only require you to be at least 16 years old. So, let’s have a look!
If you are at least 16 years old, there are still many opportunities at Food Lion for you.
Stocker and Guest Services
Food Lion has Grocery, Dry Goods, Produce, Perishables, Dairy, and Frozen Goods departments, and each of these sections must have inventory taken, get stocked up, and be kept tidy.
A Stocker will stock, rotate and inventory all the products on the shelves following Food Lion’s guidelines. There is sometimes heavy lifting, so you need to lift 40 to 60 pounds, as well as be comfortable using stock carts and pallet jacks. As well as stocking the shelves, you need to keep a clean and safe work area so the customers can shop and pass by with ease.
You will help with receiving, organizing, and verifying products coming into the store, and with some experience, be asked to learn how to do the inventory paperwork. Of course, as always, you will be responsible for keeping sanitation standards in your section and offering friendly assistance when necessary.
Guest Services
One of the most important departments at Food Lion is the guest services department.
Cashiers are required to process all the cash and card transactions at the till while maintaining accuracy and proper accounting. Cashiers should have a friendly, outgoing personality, provide exemplary customer service and work well as part of the Food Lion team. You will need to take and pass Food Lion’s Computer Based Training (CBT), Training Packet, and Training Aid courses.
Personal Shopper is a new position at Food Lion that offers you the opportunity to get some experience in E-commerce and grocery retail. The Personal Shopper is responsible for accurately filling customers’ online orders and get them ready for pickup up or delivery.
Over time, a Personal Shopper may have the opportunity to build a relationship with certain customers using this service. Many are return customers, and getting to know customers and their preferences as well as being able to offer new and interesting product options in a friendly, effective manner is an essential part of this position.
Do You Want More Info about a Position at Food Lion?
To search and apply for jobs at Food Lion, visit the Food Lion Careers page. You will be able to search for a job by entering the job title and/or location near you. Also, simply scrolling down will allow you to see all the available jobs at Food Lion stores across its network.
Clicking on a job that interests you will direct you to a page with the job description and job requirements. If you are interested, you can click the “Apply Online” button.
You will be directed to fill in your name, contact details, age, education level, and any previous employment experience. Once you have filled in all the necessary information, you will be able to send your application.
How do you know if you got the job? – Following up
Chosen applicants will be contacted by the hiring manager.
The Interview
If you are contacted by the hiring manager and invited for an interview, you can check out a list of common interview questions you might be asked. Here are typical questions asked at similar grocery chains in our articles on the Whole Foods Interview Questions and the most common Lidl Interview Questions.
Reviewing these questions and answers will help you prepare for your interview.
Getting in touch
You may not get an answer right away, so be patient. If you decide you would like some further information or want to be sure your application was received, you can phone or visit the store you applied to and inquire directly. If you do that, be sure to contact the hiring manager during weekday daytime hours, which are often less busy.
Read more: Food Lion Hours
Looking for More Great Teen Job Opportunities?
Well, to start with, check out the Food Lion Application, as well as the Lucky Supermarkets Application, the Giant Food Stores Application, Tom Thumb Application, Pick n Save Grocery Application, and the Superior Grocers Application.
You might also be wondering How Old Do You Have To Be To Work At Aldi, How Old Do You Have To Be To Work At Lowes, How Old Do You Have To Be To Work At Zumiez, How Old Do You Have To Be To Work At Staples, and How Old Do You Have To Be To Work At Walmart in 2023.
You may also be interested in finding the Best Fast Food Jobs for Teens, Can a 16 Year Old Work In An Animal Shelter, Good Jobs for Teens, How to Become a Teenage Youth Sports Referee, and How to Become a Teenage Dod Walker.
And if you’re looking for an excellent read and fantastic career advice, check out Road Map to Your Job, Life Skills and Career Coaching for Teens, Soft Skills Training: A Workbook to Develop Skills for Employment, or the excellent Life Skills Activity Workbook.
Final Thoughts
Food Lion has entry-level positions such as a Stocker or Cashier available, but you must be at least 16 years old for these positions. However, if you are at least 18 years old, you can apply for positions as a Department Associate, work in Deli, Meats, or Seafood departments, or become a Cook or Baker at Food Lion.
You can visit the Food Lion Careers page to find out more details about each job.
Food Lion has many positions of more responsibility available to the right candidates as you gain experience within the company. You will need to be 18 years or over to apply for them.
If you are interested in finding out about the corporate side of Food Lion and working towards a long-term position in E-Commerce, Finance, Communications, Management, and more, Food Lion has an Early Talent program for young people. You can sign up for information on how to gain more skills and training at Food Lion’s Talent Community.
We wish you the very best with your application to Food Lion.
