Restaurant management is by no means an easy job. It takes a diverse array of skills in the fast-paced, consumer-driven food services industry. From people to organizational skills, the physical ability to be on their feet for long hours, and extreme troubleshooting abilities, a good restaurant manager brings a variety of experiences to the table.
What skills should you look for in the best restaurant manager? We have answers that will help you find the perfect fit.
What Makes a Great Restaurant Manager?
The best restaurant managers are Jack and Jill of all trades. They can handle diverse tasks requiring customer service, operational expertise, and even jumping on the line to cook if necessary. Restaurant managers have a tough job characterized by long hours, pressure, and the pride of serving people. Some of the skills we see in top restaurant managers include:
- Creativity and inventiveness in their approach to marketing and building good food
- Excellent troubleshooting skills to handle staff call-offs, running out of product, irate customers, or anything else that can come up on a busy Saturday night
- Patience and a sense of humor in a workplace that can admittedly be chaotic
- Extreme attention to detail—and it’s these small touches that make a restaurant great
- The ability to motivate staff in a way that encourages their very best work
- High energy and stamina to handle long days—sometimes 12 or 15-hours at a stretch
- Physicality to be on their feet, in a chair, helping unload a truck, and more
- Fast thinking to handle anything that comes their way, from short supplies, a kitchen crisis, or some other type of disruption
- Strong interpersonal skills to handle communicating with vendors, customers, the media, and staff at all levels
- Leadership skills to guide the ship toward financial and service goals
- Organizational and planning skills are critical; there is simply no way to handle the diversity of tasks a restaurant manager crams into their day without them
- Multi-tasking a variety of simultaneous tasks is all in a day’s work for a restaurant manager
- Passion is the icing on the restaurant manager’s cake. Without passion, most of these talented professionals would give up or burn out
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Great managers are self-controlled in their approach to the business, but they are also intensely focused on getting to the top of their profession. His or her ability to cooperate with team members will make or break the effectiveness of the restaurant. These managers must be more than taskmasters; they must also know how to manage people in a way that encourages the best effort from everyone they come into contact with. The best restaurant managers also own their effort. They take ultimate responsibility for the success or failure of each service. When staff makes a mistake, it’s the restaurant manager that ultimately takes the heat and hopefully works to use the experience to further train their staff.
If you are a restaurant manager seeking a new home, Gecko Hospitality has the connection you need to reach the goals you’ve set for yourself. Talk with our team today to find out how we can help you succeed.
