Restaurant managers are responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of a restaurant or other food service establishment. They must train, coordinate, and supervise restaurant employees, maintain inventory for food and equipment, keep track of the restaurant budget and payroll, and ensure the restaurant is compliant with health and safety regulations. Because restaurant managers have such a wide variety of job responsibilities, the position can be fast-paced and hectic. Aside from possessing leadership ability, restaurant managers need to be financially savvy multitaskers.
Many restaurant managers are self-employed, running a small or family-owned restaurant, while many others work for larger organizations. Generally, there are no educational requirements to become a restaurant manager. Most restaurant managers get their start through previous experiences in the food service industry, as cooks or servers. Some managers at more upscale hotels or restaurants will have received a bachelor’s degree or some other type of postsecondary education at a community college, vocational school, or culinary school.
Restaurant managers need to possess a unique combination of interpersonal skills, managerial ability, and critical thinking. When hiring restaurant managers, many employers administer the Criteria Basic Skills Test (CBST) and the Employee Personality Profile (EPP). The CBST assesses basic math and verbal skills to determine how trainable an applicant will be. The EPP, on the other hand, is a personality test that measures 12 personality traits, including the traits most associated with managerial aptitude, including assertiveness, competitiveness, cooperativeness, extroversion, and leadership ability.
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Rank in HireSelect:
81 out of 1,100
Median wage in U.S.:
$50,820/yr, $24.43/hr
Expected growth rate 2016-2026:
9%
Number employed (2016): 308,700
Education level of Restaurant Managers:
