Even though there is no specific path to becoming a restaurant manager, there are traits that make a manager stand out. A great restaurant manager has to have excellent communication skills, the ability to multitask, and the ability to work under pressure while keeping it together. It is also the person who oversees the financial and operational aspects of a restaurant, a heavy load that is.
On another note, most people don't quit their jobs; they leave management styles. Small things that are lacking in the system may fill a big sack in a short while, which is usually why people leave restaurant jobs. While lousy systems teach us how not to run a restaurant business, established and well-oiled systems empower, praise, and encourage the team. Good leadership and a working system are what everyone wants in the industry, from the dishwasher to the Sommelier.
Duties in a Nutshell
To become a great manager, you need your team to cooperate and uplift the business so you, too, can rise and shine. With this in mind, the job of a restaurant manager is to hire and manage a great team.
Maintaining the quality of food and service is also a crucial aspect of the job. There are many moments in the life of a restaurant manager when you’ll need to have a skillful balance between resolving complaints and standing your ground on behalf of your team.
A restaurant manager is also responsible for:
- Training and supervising the team
- Back office work
- Supplier management and cost
- Setting up working systems
- Acting as a pillow between the owner and the team
- Managing reservations
- Setting the bar and the reputation for the establishment and more…
Building a shared vision and set of values
As the manager of a restaurant, it is your responsibility to unite everyone and foster a sense of teamwork. This entails creating a unified vision and set of values for the establishment and its concept.
Involving your team and inquiring about their opinions regarding how they would like to see the restaurant prosper is all part of the game. Together, develop a vision and common principles. Get people to own their areas of duty.
A vision for a happy team can also be written down and pinned where it can be seen by all of your team members. Putting these principles and vision into action should also be the main topic of team meetings.
Supporting and rewarding your team
Focusing on what your staff does well rather than what they should change to create a cohesive team holds a valuable vision. Praising people for their teamwork while concentrating on the positives in team circles and being upfront about their mistakes in private is the wise way to keep things shining.
Another crucial topic is making your team feel safe and comfortable at work. This is also a way to reward them by letting them know you have their back. If you don’t protect your team, it probably won’t work out for you.
Staff Training
Training of any type is frequently given minimal emphasis in restaurants, and newcomers are expected to figure things out by themselves. This is usually due to how rare and valuable a spare minute is in a restaurant. On the other hand, the training you do not provide may come back at you as a problem while possibly damaging the restaurant’s reputation.
Your time management is for you to master. No matter how busy you are, try to teach something meaningful to those around you every day. Touch everyone’s hearts at some point by positively improving their skills and knowledge.
Keep reminding your wait staff that there’s always something to bring back from a table after attending. Teach them that people rather want their salt and pepper shakers without ketchup stains. When you help your employees to use their time wisely and to pay attention to detail, this also helps improve their lives in general. As a result, they will appreciate you and contribute to the big picture.
The Difference between “I am in charge” and “I’m a Leader”
Being in charge mostly depends on your ability to influence your team to get things done. Being a boss destroys inspiration, stifles creativity, and allows negativity to permeate a group.
A leader, on the other hand, is respected and liked at the same time. A leader can fill in the shoes of a missing bartender or the kitchen hand. Show your team what you are made of to create a great example while practicing what you preach. Be a visionary and think about what type of management style you will follow the day you own your own restaurant. The rest will flow naturally.
Resourcefulness
Finally, a good restaurant manager is up to date with restaurant management systems. They keep an open mind about what’s new, knowing that adding useful tools will save them time.
A tool like FineDine eliminates human error on inventory and real-time reporting while making it a breeze to change the menu items and design, accept bookings, create staff schedules, keep track of food waste, spot best sellers, and more…
Using tech tools that suit your needs is a great way to streamline restaurant operations. This way, the manager’s precious time can be spent on staff training and guest relations as opposed to back office work.
