The Dish on Managing a Restaurant
Posted: March 10, 2010
Going out to eat is fun. There is good food and a good environment. If the restaurant culture is something you love, then why not manage a restaurant?
Managers make sure the food quality and food service is exceptional. Manager responsibilities are divided into floor management, kitchen management, and restaurant administration. Floor management covers customer relations. The staff must cater to the customer’s wants and needs. The customers should be treated as though they were guests in your own home.
In the kitchen, you will oversee the food cooking and completion. You will ensure the proper food sanitation procedures are kept. You will schedule food deliveries, budget labor costs, order supplies, and hire staff. You will organize the food inventory.
Running the restaurant entails a large amount of work. You will worry about more than just food. Advertising is important. Your restaurant may have great food, but unless people know about it, they are never going to get to taste it.
Gaining restaurant experience early is beneficial. Work as a waiter, hostess, or line cook. These jobs will enable you to learn the industry. You will know what restaurant managers expect from their staff and how each job within a restaurant should be done.
In restaurant management you can advance your career quickly. Many restaurant managers begin their careers working in smaller establishments. You will learn new skills daily, as your workday’s activities will vary. From you restaurant manager experience you could easily branch out into other industries. You will learn skills that can transfer into any career.
Restaurant Manager Skills and Abilities:
- Strong Communication Skills
- Leadership Abilities
- Good Supervisory Abilities
- Ability to Multitask
- Good Sense of Smell and Taste
- Positive Motivational Attitude
- Clean and Neat Appearance
- Ability to Work Well Under Pressure
- Detail Oriented
As a restaurant manager your salary will vary depending on location, restaurant size and type. Restaurant managers earn on average between $36,670 and$59,580 a year. Those with more experience and advanced degrees have higher earning potential.
Hours are long and irregular. Most managers work forty to fifty hours a week. However they are usually required to work evenings, weekends, and holidays. You will spend most of those hours on your feet.
You will worry about pleasing guests and motivating your staff. If guests have an unpleasant dinning experience, you must find ways to improve service.
Being a restaurant manager is hard work. You orchestrate the daily restaurant activity. But it can be fun. Create good food and a good environment and you are sure to have success as a restaurant manager.