8 Critical Restaurant Manager Responsibilities

A restaurant is nothing without its team of employees, and a team is nothing without its leader. Restaurant managers play a critical role in steering both the front-of-house (FOH) and back-of-house (BOH) teams. However, they do more than just that.

Managers have many responsibilities that impact the success of the business. Thus, if you’re looking to expand your team by adding a restaurant manager, you have to be selective. Hiring the right person for the job can lead to growth, while hiring the wrong person can be a disaster.

Fortunately, we’re giving you everything you need to find the right person for the job. In this post about hiring a restaurant manager we’ll cover: 

The restaurant manager is the captain of the metaphorical ship that is your restaurant. But what does that responsibility entail? Here are eight critical responsibilities to include in your job description to find the best restaurant manager for your restaurant.

Leading staff is what managers are best known for. They have to make sure that everyone at the restaurant is performing their jobs successfully. 

Part of this key responsibility is conducting performance reviews. Restaurant managers have to evaluate how well employees execute on what they were hired to do. They need to be able to praise team members for jobs well done and identify areas for improvement. They can’t be afraid to have frank conversations.

Restaurant managers are also responsible for handling conflicts between team members. They have to mediate problems to ensure that staff cooperate and create the best experience for guests possible. 

Another aspect of leading the team is being able to identify tools and processes that streamline operations and help staff perform optimally. This responsibility can include equipping the front of house (FOH) team with technology like SevenRooms to help make every guest feel like a regular. When your restaurant has reservations, seating, and waitlist management software that saves customer data to guest profiles, your manager and the FOH team can use that information to give guests memorable dining experiences and send them targeted promotions. 

Let’s say you run a wine and cheese bar. A new guest books a reservation and when they come in to dine they ask a server about the French cheeses on the menu. After the guest orders, the server makes a note in that guest’s profile that they like French cheeses. When there’s a new French cheese on the menu, your team can send a promotional email to that guest, and other fromage-loving customers, to encourage them to try the new arrival. Great restaurant managers know that having access to guest data makes it possible to maximize your hospitality efforts.

Next on our list of critical restaurant manager responsibilities is overseeing the hiring process. Managers are involved with creating job postings, interviewing candidates, picking new team members, and training them. 

The education process is critical to a new hire’s success. It should include role-specific training and shadowing, customer service training, and tech training. When team members know how to use the tools at their disposal, they can perform better.

The role of a restaurant manager involves conducting guest satisfaction checks on the floor. They must also handle customer complaints while keeping a cool head.

Additionally, restaurant managers have to pay attention to guest feedback from review sites like Yelp and reporting tools like guest satisfaction surveys that come from the restaurant’s reservations platforms and online orders. They need to listen to customers and use their feedback to create a better dining experience. 

Managers can ensure guest satisfaction by creating memorable guest experiences with the help of a system that provides robust guest profiles. They can note customer preferences in profiles and make sure guests’ needs are met without being asked.

While a kitchen staff member may be the one tracking inventory, managers are usually the ones reordering supplies and negotiating rates and contracts with vendors. They’re the points of contact for deliveries and have to ensure that deliveries come on time and that vendor invoices are paid.

Speaking of invoices, managers are often involved in managing restaurant finances. They set and manage budgets, approve timesheets, and own the payroll process. The manager plays a strategic role in setting sales goals to ensure that there’s enough cash flow to pay employees and vendors.

Reporting business performance to the restaurant owner is another one of the many restaurant manager duties and responsibilities. They must keep an eye on growth opportunities, like franchising or expanding, and share them with the owner.

While managers have always been responsible for overseeing safety measures related to food safety and theft prevention, the COVID-19 pandemic has added a new set of responsibilities to that list. 

Managers need to monitor local COVID-19 laws and create guidelines for customers and staff to follow. These guidelines might involve providing staff with PPE, conducting temperature checks, and spacing tables apart.

Managers must also help staff enforce coronavirus measures among guests. If a guest isn’t complying with safety guidelines, a manager is usually the person who has to ask them to leave. 

This responsibility also includes setting and enforcing time limits for tables, implementing contactless technology, and using reservations and waitlist software to help supervise capacity.

Use this sample restaurant manager job description below as a template for a job posting for your search. 

Restaurant Manager Job Description

Role of a Restaurant Manager Summary: The Restaurant Manager leads the front-of-house and back-of-house teams and serves as the liaison between the restaurant’s staff and its owner. The role of a restaurant manager requires back-office work, as well as customer-facing interactions. 

Restaurant Manager Responsibilities:

Desired Skills:

Experience:

A great restaurant manager can play a huge role in the success of a restaurant’s operations, Whoever you hire in the role of a restaurant manager should be chosen wisely. Make sure that they have experience with key restaurant manager duties and responsibilities, like leading a team, managing finances, and customer service.

A great manager can only do so much on their own. Equip them with the right tools for the job and they’ll be able to excel. Learn more about SevenRooms. Request a demo today.