Bj's Restaurant & Brewhouse: Hiring, Background Check & Employment Verification FAQs

BJ's was founded in 1978 by Jim Kozen and Leonard Allenstein, first opening in Santa Ana, California, as BJ's Chicago Pizzeria. The restaurant was originally going to be called BJ Grunts, but the founders changed the name due to a federal trademark conflict with RJ Grunts, an unrelated Chicago-based hamburger restaurant. Shortly after the first location opened, Mike Phillips and Bill Cunningham purchased 50% of the company for $14,000, and Kozen and Allenstein eventually left the business after the opening of its seventh store. Phillips and Cunningham later sold the company to their own accountants, Paul Motenko and Jerry Hennessy, in 1991.

By 1996, the growing chain, then known as Chicago Pizza, had expanded to seven restaurants between San Diego and Los Angeles and went public that year, raising $9.4 million. That same year, the company acquired 26 Pietro's Pizza restaurants in a $2.8 million deal, later selling off several locations while converting the remaining Pietro's restaurants to the BJ's brand, and opened its first in-house microbrewery at its Brea, California restaurant, introducing handcrafted beer to the BJ's concept for the first time. Between 2010 and 2011, the National Retail Federation recognized BJ's as one of the 10 fastest-growing restaurant chains in the United States based on year-over-year sales growth. The company changed its corporate name from Chicago Pizza & Brewery, Inc. to BJ's Restaurants, Inc. in August 2004.

Greg Trojan served as CEO for nearly nine years, stepping down on September 1, 2021, with the company crediting him for strengthening BJ's foundation, scale, and geographic diversity; he was succeeded by former CFO Greg Levin as the new president and CEO. Today, BJ's Restaurants operates more than 200 to 215 locations across the United States under names including BJ's Restaurant & Brewery, BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse, BJ's Grill, and BJ's Pizza & Grill, headquartered in Huntington Beach, California, and generating more than $1.28 billion in annual revenue. BJ's workforce includes servers and bartenders, kitchen and brewery staff, hosts and hostesses, and restaurant management supporting its casual dining locations.

Company culture and employee programs: BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse emphasizes a fun, casual dining atmosphere built around its signature pizzas, craft beers, and the Pizookie dessert, with some locations featuring on-site microbreweries that supply beer to other locations in the chain. The company has continued to invest in geographic expansion and operational scale under its recent leadership transitions. Benefits, scheduling, and advancement opportunities can vary by location, so candidates should confirm specifics with a recruiter during the hiring process.

Yes. Employers in the casual dining and brewpub industry, including BJ's, are legally permitted to conduct pre-employment background checks on job candidates, provided they comply with applicable federal, state, and local laws. In the United States, employment screening is governed by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), which requires employers to obtain written consent, provide disclosures, and follow adverse action procedures.

BJ's is generally reported to conduct background checks as part of its hiring process, which is standard for casual dining and brewpub employers, particularly given the combination of alcohol service and cash handling involved in the business.

The hiring process for server, bartender, and kitchen staff positions at BJ's typically includes an application, an interview with a restaurant manager, and a background check prior to a final offer. Roles involving alcohol service may require completion of responsible beverage service training.

Background check timelines can vary based on the type of screening requested and how quickly records can be verified. Learn more about typical background check turnaround times to understand what factors can affect the process.

A typical pre-employment background check for a casual dining restaurant role may include:

Under the FCRA, criminal history reporting is generally limited to seven years for most background checks, though state laws may extend or restrict this timeframe depending on the type of record and jurisdiction.

Hiring decisions involving candidates with criminal records are generally made on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the nature of the offense, how much time has passed, and its relevance to the role, particularly for positions involving alcohol service. Some states have adopted "ban-the-box" laws that restrict when employers can ask about criminal history during the hiring process.

Candidates can generally expect to provide personal information such as full legal name, date of birth, and Social Security number, along with signed consent authorizing the background check, in compliance with FCRA requirements.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) is a federal law that regulates how employers can use background check information in hiring decisions. It requires employers to notify candidates before running a check, obtain written consent, and follow specific adverse action procedures if a decision is made based on background check results.

Running a personal background check with Checkr lets you preview what BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse may see during the hiring process, helping you address any concerns before you apply. A personal background check can include:

Learn more about Checkr Personal Background Checks and explore your Checkr Profile to see what information may appear in your own background check.

If you're a candidate with a background check in progress through Checkr as part of your application to BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse or another employer, you can check your status through the Candidate Portal. For additional support, visit the Checkr Help Center.

The information provided in this article does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice. All information is for general informational purposes only. Checkr does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of this information and is not responsible for any errors or omissions, or for the results obtained from the use of this information. This article may contain links to other third-party websites. Such links are only for the convenience of the reader. Checkr does not endorse the contents of the third-party sites and disclaims any affiliation with the companies mentioned in this article unless otherwise stated.