Hospitality took a hit during the pandemic, but opportunities are exploding in the market today. One of the most in-demand roles right now is that of a restaurant manager. These high-paying but high-responsibility roles are challenging, fun, and very rewarding. If you’re working your way up the hospitality employment ladder and considering a restaurant management job, this blog will share what you need to know about this career.
What is a Restaurant Manager?
A restaurant manager has oversight of the entire operation. They deal with everything from customer service to ordering, food quality to staff work schedules. It’s a great job if you like a diversity of tasks where every day is a little different from the last.
The responsibilities of a restaurant manager are:
- Menu, food prep, quality
- Ordering, inventory, and budgets
- Equipment maintenance and inspection
- Cleanliness and health and safety
- Handling financials and payroll
- Staffing and scheduling
A restaurant manager can’t do all of these tasks but must oversee skilled employees to carry them out. To supervise these teams, the restaurant manager must be keenly aware of how to do these jobs properly. In smaller, private establishments, the restaurant manager can also be the owner of the business. Either way, your job as the manager of a restaurant is to ensure the best customer experience possible. If this kind of challenge seems like something you’d enjoy, how can you get started on this career path?
How Do I Get Started as a Restaurant Manager?
You can study hospitality management to take on a restaurant manager role—but you don’t have to. Many restaurant managers work their way up from the waitstaff or other position into a management role. This can be important because it will help you understand all of the jobs you’ll be supervising.
You don’t need a formal education, but you do need to exhibit some characteristics to make a good restaurant manager. For example, you should be:
- Enterprising and adventurous, always ready for a challenge
- Enthusiastic and physically able to handle the demands of the job, which could include tasks as diverse as helping unload product from a delivery truck
- Motivational, so that you can drive your team’s success
- Highly organized to keep the ship running smoothly
- A good, creative troubleshooter—you can handle just about anything that flares up
You should also have a few licensures to keep you legal, such as:
- A liquor handling or distribution license
- A food handler’s or manager’s license
- Other safety certifications, depending on your state
Restaurant managers are hard at work in a variety of environments, from a hotel kitchen to a storefront café. No matter the job, this is a fun, rewarding way to have real ownership in a business that offers a great service to your customers.
If you’re a current restaurant manager or feel like you’re ready to explore this career path, call on Gecko Hospitality. We place restaurant managers in great opportunities every day. Contact us to find out how we can help your career.
