Restaurant Manager Job Descriptions, Average Salary, Interview Questions

[Your Company Name] is hiring an experienced restaurant manager. You should have extensive experience running a team of line cooks, waiters and waitresses, and hosts. You’ll need to create shift schedules, oversee the restaurant’s day-to-day finances, and manage all the employees. This is a labor-intensive job that doesn’t come with many breaks. Shifts will vary greatly, and weekends are the most important time to work. If you have the knowledge and experience in the food industry to manage a team of employees, this could be the position for you.

Typical duties and responsibilities

• Ensure staff complies with company policy
• Train staff to follow restaurant procedures
• Maintain safety and food quality standards
• Maintaining revenue and profitability goals
• Respond quickly and efficiently to customer complaints
• Maximize customer satisfaction
• Create and maintain shift schedules
• Keep a record of employees’ hours
• Record payroll data
• Order food products and other supplies while staying within budget limitations
• Coordinate daily restaurant management operations
• Create detailed reports on weekly, monthly, and yearly revenues and expenses
• Handle conflict among staff members

Education and experience

• High school diploma or equivalent
• 5+ years of restaurant or management experience

Required skills and qualifications

• Excellent customer service
• Strong leadership skills
• Extensive food and beverage knowledge
• Ability to train staff in food safety
• Ability to work long shifts
• Ability to work within a budget
• Ability to maintain inventory and reorder products and supplies as needed

Preferred qualifications

• Prior work as a manager or supervisor
• Experience using restaurant management software, like OpenTable and PeachWorks
• Acute financial management skills
• Experience resolving conflicts calmly
• Experience working with a bookkeeper
• Front-of-house experience

Education and experience

• High school diploma or GED; 4 years experience in the food and beverage, culinary, or related professional area

OR

• 2-year degree from an accredited university in Food Service Management, Hotel and Restaurant Management, Hospitality, Business Administration, or related major; 2 years experience in the food and beverage, culinary, or related professional area

Day-to-day operations

• Supervises and manages employees. Manages all day-to-day operations. Understands employee positions well enough to perform duties in employees’ absence
• Maintains service and sanitation standards in restaurant, bar/lounge and room service areas
• Reviews staffing levels to ensure that guest service, operational needs, and financial objectives are met

Leading food and beverage team

• Utilizes interpersonal and communication skills to lead, influence, and encourage others, as well as advocates sound financial/business decision making, demonstrates honesty/integrity, and leads by example
• Encourages and builds mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members
• Serves as a role model to demonstrate appropriate behaviors
• Identifies the developmental needs of others and coaches, mentors, or otherwise helps others to improve their knowledge or skills
• Develops specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work
• Ensures and maintains the productivity level of employees
• Provides the leadership, vision, and direction to bring together and prioritize the departmental goals in a way that will be efficient and effective
• Ensures compliance with all food and beverage policies, standards and procedures by training, supervising, follow-up, and hands on management
• Ensures compliance with all applicable laws and regulations
• Ensures compliance with food handling and sanitation standards
• Ensures staff understands local, state, and Federal liquor laws
• Establishes and maintains open, collaborative relationships with employees and ensures employees do the same within the team
• Establishes guidelines so employees understand expectations and parameters
• Monitors alcohol beverage service in compliance with local laws

Provides exceptional customer service

• Provides services that are above and beyond for customer satisfaction and retention
• Improves service by communicating and assisting individuals to understand guest needs, providing guidance, feedback, and individual coaching when needed
• Manages day-to-day operations, ensures the quality, standards, and meets the expectations of the customers on a daily basis
• Displays leadership in guest hospitality, exemplifies excellent customer service, and creates a positive atmosphere for guest relation
• Empowers employees to provide excellent customer service
• Acts as the guest service role model for the restaurants, sets a good example of excellent customer service, and creates a positive atmosphere for guest relations
• Handles guest problems and complaints
• Meets with guests on an informal basis during meals or upon departure to obtain feedback on quality of food and beverage, service levels, and overall satisfaction
• Ensures corrective action is taken to continuously improve service results
• Incorporates guest satisfaction as a component of departmental meetings with a focus on continuous improvement
• Manages service delivery in outlets to ensure excellent service from point of entry to departure (e.g., greeting from hostess, speed of order taking and food and beverage delivery, fulfillment of special requests, collection of payment, and invitation to return)

Managing and conducting human resource activities

• Provides guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance
• Identifies the educational needs of others, develops formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaches or instructs others
• Ensures employees are treated fairly and equitably. Strives to improve employee retention
• Ensures employees receive on-going training to understand guest expectations
• Solicits employee feedback, utilizes an “open door” policy and reviews employee satisfaction results to identify and address employee problems or concerns
• Strives to improve service performance
• Ensures recognition is taking place across areas of responsibility

Additional responsibilities

• Provides information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person
• Analyzes information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems
• Assists servers and hosts on the floor during meal periods and high demand times
• Recognizes good quality products and presentations
• Supervises daily shift operations in absence of Assistant Restaurant Manager
• Oversees the financial aspects of the department including purchasing and payment of invoices

Purpose

ABC Company is looking for an experienced and dynamic Restaurant Manager for their upscale downtown Napa Bar/Restaurant concept. Develop, implement, and maintain quality standards for bar/restaurant and customer service including supervision and direction of service staff, menu offerings and implementation, attaining overall performance and sales metrics, and support company objectives in wine/spirit sales

Key responsibilities and accountabilities

Front of the House (FOH)

• Manage the functions of administration and planning of the Food & Beverage front of house to meet the daily needs of the operation
• Assist in monitoring, developing, and implementing schedules for the operation to achieve a profitable result while controlling labor cost/payroll
• Regularly review and evaluate customer satisfaction of the entire front of the house food and beverage operation; offer suggestions for improvement
• Investigate and resolve food quality and service complaints
• Develop operating tools necessary and incidental to modern management principles such as budgeting, forecasting, purchase specifications, job descriptions, etc.
• Hire, train, supervise, develop, discipline, and counsel all FOH team members according to standard policies and procedures
• Manage operations of shift including assignments at work stations, breaks, coaching counseling, etc.
• Understand and be able to operate Point of Sale System and run daily reports as instructed
• Ensure OSHA, local health and safety codes, and company safety and security procedures are followed
• Performs administrative duties under the direction of the General Manager such as receiving orders, conducting inventories, creating, and posting schedules

Bar

• Manages day-to-day operations, ensuring the quality, standards and meeting the expectations of customers on a daily basis
• Consistently check bar area for cleanliness and ensure that all necessary items are in place
• Practice good service recovery by rectifying any complaints as soon as possible
• Possess clear knowledge of all various liquors, beer, and wines offered
• Manages operations to meet liquor license and food safety requirements
• Researches new offerings, analyzes cost and return on investment, works with the GM to establish cocktail and wine menu pricing
• Validate tickets, tip out, etc

Events

• Assists in creation and merchandising of attractive menu designs to attract a predetermined customer market
• Assumes a leadership role in the hiring, training, organization, and supervision of Restaurant Events
• Provide a high quality guest experience; maintain high standards and excellent customer service
• Responsible for compliance with city and state requirements, inventory, and cost management
• Maintains a positive, high performance culture within the team and optimizes the use of new programs and execution methods
• Exercises independent judgment in methods, techniques and evaluation criteria for ensuring effective results in events
• Other duties as assigned

Core Competencies

• Enthusiastic and positive attitude with excellent verbal communication skills
• Judgment – Exhibit sound and accurate judgment
• Works well under stress/pressure during busy shifts

Traits

• Teamwork – Balance team and individual responsibilities; Exhibit objectivity and openness to others
• Participate in community public relations for the restaurant/bar

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent required
• Minimum of one year restaurant supervision experience is required
• Must be able to speak, read, and write in English
• ServSafe Certification is required
• Must have basic computer, math, and communication skills

Physical requirements

• Position requires walking and giving direction most of the working day; length of time of these tasks may vary from day to day and task to task
• Must be able to exert well-paced ability to maneuver between functions occurring simultaneously
• Requires grasping, writing, standing, sitting, walking, repetitive motions, bending, climbing, listening, and hearing ability and visual acuity
• Must be able to lift up to 50 lbs. on a regular and continuing basis
• Must be able to lift trays of food or food items weighing up to 30 lbs. frequently
• Must be able to push and pull carts and equipment weighing up to 250 lbs. occasionally

The ideal candidate has a passion for food and beverage, a genuine ability to connect with guests and staff alike, and brings the core value of ‘TEAM’ to the restaurant. A natural leader, you are responsible for maintaining the highest levels of hospitality while leading service on the floor.

Responsibilities

• Supervise day-to-day activities and assist in the food and beverage outlets
• Create innovative programs and promotions that drive revenue through increased guest patronage
• Aid in all financial budgeting operations to maximize profitability

Qualifications

• At least 1-2 years of full-service restaurant management
• Flexibility in working hours and a willingness to cover shifts as needed
• Ability to multitask, organize, and prioritize work