The Dos and Don’ts of a Good Restaurant Manager

The hustle-bustle of a restaurant is frantic and adds to the constant pressure of the restaurant manager and the wait staff. But, an excellent restaurant manager has to handle his team and also at the same time maintain a balance with the patrons and be ready for any unforeseen situation. The job of a restaurant manager is not easy and can be overwhelming at times, but a good restaurant manager does everything with passion and with a smile on his face. Here is a list of Restaurant Manager duties and a free checklist to help you carry out your managerial roles with ease.

The Dos of a Good Restaurant Manager

A good restaurant manager is someone who leads the restaurant from the front. He should be the one showing the path towards success to all his restaurant staff. Unless you can get a good restaurant manager onboard and train him well, you can hardly expect to create a band of a loyal and talented group of restaurant employees. Read below to understand the restaurant manager duties list that he/she should be following.

1. Proactive Approach is a Must

From the scheduling of employees to checking inventory diligently, to be ready to handle any unexpected problem, a good manager needs to be organized. Not only should he/she be good at multi-tasking but also know how to delegate responsibilities whenever necessary to train the staff to stand on their own feet.

You as the manager need to maintain a daily checklist to keep track of the everyday needs of the kitchen, of the delivery counter, and so on. To be effective, you need to be proactive and plan every shift with the utmost care and by keeping in mind even the minutest of details. To be a leader they follow, a restaurant manager must do his homework right and complete it.

You should make a weekly plan on how to utilize the hours that are slow and use it for cleaning the equipment, repairs of any kind, etc.

2. Should have a Positive Attitude

You as a manager are the leader, and your crew will tend to follow you, so you need to be an example and a force of motivation for the staff. If you expect your team to be on time, you need to be the first person they hope to see when they walk through the doors and the last person they want to see leave.

Your staff will make mistakes, but it is you who needs to communicate their faults while not harming their self-esteem and confidence. Constructive criticism is the key here which if you fail at will lead to a high employee attrition rate in your restaurant. Remember most employees leave because of the attitude of the manager.

Most importantly, look at the bright side of things making the working environment happy and positive. The things you chose to focus on when you walk through the doors will create the tempo for the entire team, and ultimately a restaurant needs happy servers for speedy and happy service in which the restaurant manager plays a key role. This has a significant place in the restaurant manager duties list that can affect other employees as well.

3. Must be Consistency

Consistency plays a significant role in maintaining rapport with both the customers and the staff. Customers who have already been to the restaurant come back with an expectation so as a manager, you need to make sure that the customer experience at the restaurant is always up to the mark and consistent to keep them coming back to you.

You need to be consistent with your staff because your staff expects you to be fair with all your decisions and any biases will make you look like the ‘bad guy’ and create a factor of mistrust which is hugely detrimental to the role of a good restaurant manager.

4. Must Deliver a Stellar Customer Service

Everything about your restaurant boils down to just one thing, customer service. As a manager, you should get to know regulars, make them feel appreciated, show your gratitude for their loyalty by giving them a drink or an appetizer on the house.

Be on a lookout, if you sense a customer is confused or has a concern, be present to help them out and address their concerns. You should always remember, never say ‘No’ to your customer even if their demands are absurd and impossible. First, say yes and try to figure out how to fulfill it.

This article will teach you about the art of customer management. 

The Don’ts of a Good Restaurant Manager

Like some necessary prerequisites make a restaurant manager, there are a few things which when performed by a restaurant manager makes him incompetent and unsuitable for the great responsibility that has been bestowed on him. Read below the list of Don’ts for a Restaurant Manager. Want to know the things that one must avoid if one wants to be a good restaurant manager? Worry not! Read below and garner immense knowledge.

1. Not Transparent Enough

Communication is the key to bring in transparency in the restaurant and to bring forth a smooth functioning while having on board a huge bunch of happy customers.

Your employees will work more efficiently and effectively if clear instructions are given to them, and if they are conveyed the future plans for the restaurant. You have to be an effective communicator because all your employees need to know if they are doing something wrong and it’s part of your job to correct them and inform them. Sharing the plans of the restaurant makes the employees feel needed and important. Once they feel needed they will work for you with greater vigor. In addition to this, since it is your employees who deal with the customers on a regular basis, they will be able to help you plan the future course of the restaurant with their valuable insights and experience.

You are the representative of the restaurant and for your customers; you are the authority, so you need to be able to communicate well with them. Taking in their complaint; understanding their concern, taking their review, and talking with them, is all part of your job. Communication can be a great way to make your customer feel like he belongs there and he is a part of the place, so he keeps coming back.

2. Being Inactive on the Social Media

Social media is one of the easiest ways to understand what your customers think about you. It’s a great way to interact and connect with your existing customer base and also a great way to reach out to more. Also, remember you need to respond to any queries and feedback given on the online platform. And sometimes, people may not like something and decide to go public with their grievance, they may be wrong but don’t argue with them, you should correct them but do so politely.

3. Not being Flexible 

Yes, it’s good to follow the rules, but it is also good to be flexible especially when it comes to your customers. When you are strict, you may come across as bossy and rude which will not make your customer happy. Be flexible and accommodate the needs of your customers if it isn’t too much inconvenience. You may just have added a bonus point for the restaurant in the minds of the customer.

4. Unable to Manage Employee

The most important part of employee management begins with the Training Session. It is essential to empower your staff with the skills they need to perform at the job.

Your employees need to respect you and be able to trust you, and at the same time, they need to feel loyal and dedicated to the restaurant. To do so, you need to treat them with respect you expect from them. Pinpointing and badmouthing them doesn’t help you, and it doesn’t make your job easier. Remember, happy employees, reflect towards a happy environment of the restaurant.

Keep in mind the points mentioned above before recruiting a manager for your restaurant the next time. A good restaurant is always the result of the hard work of a good restaurant manager and his crew. And to be a good manager, you need to take up many roles at certain points but remember you always need to plan and communicate well all the while being consistent and you may see the best in you that you hadn’t known.