TL;DR: The right restaurant manager drives sales, staff retention, and service quality, making hiring decisions critical to your business. When hiring, you often screen for experience or certifications, but the best candidates demonstrate four key qualities, while two red flags can quickly disqualify a candidate.
Why it matters: Managers set the tone for a restaurant and handle everything from scheduling and POS systems to customer complaints. Around 38,800 food service manager openings are projected each year over the decade.
Who this is for: Restaurant owners and operators hiring a general or assistant manager.
Who can skip this: Owner-operators who run every shift themselves and have no plans to hire a manager.
What you’ll walk away with: Four things to look for on a resume, red flags to avoid, and interview questions to find managers who perform well under pressure.
Best next step to take: Review your current job posting and make sure it includes your essential qualifications, such as experience, certifications, and technology skills.
A great restaurant team starts with hiring the right person to lead it. Business owners are looking for a leader who:
Knows food quality
Connects with people
Improves team performance
A great restaurant manager does all of this. They:
Uphold service standards
Boost staff mood
This talent should be supported with:
Good pay
Advancement paths
Benefits
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics says that job growth for managers will grow by 2% between 2023 and 2033. This guide shows you how to hire the right person.
They lead your restaurant's operations. Jobs include:
Scheduling
Inventory
Cost monitoring
Great customer service skills
A restaurant manager also supports your brand. They are the connection between front-of-house and back-of-house.
Here are the four most important areas:
The restaurant manager is in charge of daily operations. They also address guest feedback and keep standards high.
Money tasks include:
Daily budgeting
Inventory
A manager leads staff with:
Hiring
Training
Supervising
Motivating
They:
Lead by example
Create a good culture
Communicate clearly
The restaurant manager leads marketing, including:
Seasonal menus
Promos
They support your marketing team.
Finding the right person to lead your team starts with understanding what that looks like. A great restaurant manager resume should include restaurant experience and show the ability to:
Lead
Communicate
Change
Get results
Look for training such as:
ServSafe Manager
Food Handling
Alcohol Service certifications
They should also have experience in:
Hospitality management
Business operations
Culinary arts
A good candidate should have experience in front-of-house and back-of-house. This includes roles in:
Service
Kitchen
Managing work schedules
Serving customers
Handling restaurant inventory management
Guest relations
The average salary for food service managers was $55,334 in May 2024, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This figure varies depending on factors such as experience, restaurant type, location, and whether bonuses or tips are part of the package.
To compete for the best restaurant managers' positions, offering more than a base salary is essential. Some of the most valued benefits include:
As of April 2025, the average restaurant manager's salary in the U.S. is $60,317 per year. Salaries typically range between $42,725 and $86,421, depending on the factors above. Prospective employers who want to stand out should evaluate how their compensation package stacks up against others in their local market.
Hiring the right employee begins with clearly understanding the role and communicating it through a well-crafted restaurant manager job description. A strong listing goes beyond daily duties. It sets performance expectations, showcases your restaurant’s values, and highlights the importance of cultural fit within your team.
To attract experienced restaurant managers, human resources teams should post listings across multiple targeted platforms. Here are four effective options:
Behavioral and situational interview questions help assess how candidates perform under pressure and lead teams in a restaurant setting. Here are four examples focused on the skills needed to succeed as a food service manager:
Training is essential, especially in the hospitality industry where every dining establishment operates differently and faces unique challenges. From the moment they’re hired to day-to-day restaurant management, these four elements make a big difference:
A solid onboarding process gives the restaurant manager clear expectations, key procedures, food safety, and operational guidelines. It builds confidence early and helps them integrate quickly with the team.
Continued training on systems, food and beverages, and leadership keeps the restaurant manager adaptable and prepared. It also reinforces your commitment to their growth within the business.
Providing health insurance, bonuses, and paid time off shows you value your manager’s contribution. Clear paths to advancement also boost retention and long-term motivation.
A healthy work environment increases food service manager satisfaction and performance. It also sets the tone for how the rest of the staff engages with their work.
Managers oversee a restaurant's daily front- and back-of-house operations and serve as the restaurant's leader. Core responsibilities include training, scheduling, hiring, ordering food and supplies, managing payroll, ensuring health and safety standards are met, and resolving guest complaints.
A general manager oversees the entire restaurant, including staffing, operations, and finances, and reports to the owner. Assistant managers support the general manager with tasks such as managing inventory, scheduling, and closing shifts. Floor managers oversee the dining room, directing staff, maintaining table turnover, and handling guest complaints.
Many restaurant managers have a high school diploma and experience working in restaurant roles such as server, shift supervisor, or cook. Some may hold degrees in business or hospitality management. Food safety certifications (such as ServSafe Manager) are typically expected, and alcohol service certifications may also be required.
The median annual pay for food service managers is $69,390 per year, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics as of May 2025. This includes a wide pay range, from under $46,000 to $107,000.
Restaurant managers use data from systems such as POS, loyalty programs, reservation platforms, and inventory tools to make decisions. Sales data indicates which menu items to prioritize, while reservation and inventory data help managers adjust staffing schedules and food orders. Loyalty and guest data show how often guests visit, which campaigns work, and what they order, allowing managers to develop targeted campaigns.
A good manager makes your restaurant money. They:
Run daily operations
Inspire the team
Ensure good dining experiences
Handle challenges
To get your manager the best tools, book a demo with Paytronix. We can help with:
Gift management
Check out our Online Ordering Guide to learn more.
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