Managing a restaurant is hard work and requires long hours. Whether a five-star dinner or just fast food, it’s the job of the manager to make sure the experience is at its best. Every aspect of the business rests on the management staff. Hiring and training a great supporting staff is half the battle. Removing the most stress is vital to the longevity of a restaurant management career.

A successful restaurant is in the management

Managing a kitchen staff in a restaurant

Step 1

Hire a hard-working kitchen manager or executive chef. Delegate hiring and discipline of kitchen staff to the kitchen manager. Oversee any employee communication issues. Enlist a training schedule and ensure all adhere to it. Conduct ongoing training and cross-training exercises for all kitchen staff.

Step 2

Delegate all food orders to the kitchen manager. Make build-to sheets to ensure proper ordering takes place. Work with the kitchen manager on adjusting ordering according to business and specials. Do spot checks on overall kitchen cleanliness; check details like cooler floors and racks.

Step 3

Train all kitchen staff to adhere to measurements and plating procedures strictly. Hold staff meetings to explain new company policies and new recipes. Cover write-off procedures in all meetings to ensure inventory is kept under control. Monitor any employees not adhering to measurement standards. Fire any employees not adhering to standards after retraining.

Managing the front of the house of a restaurant

Step 1

Hire a front-house manager in a large-scale restaurant to handle staffing needs and customer service issues. Promote a head waitress or cashier in smaller restaurants for these purposes. Delegate scheduling to the front house assistant. Double-check all staffing needs for high-volume times.

Step 2

Train all wait staff to deliver above-average customer service at all times. Empower the wait staff to handle small customer service issues on their own. React immediately to any severe customer service issues.

Step 3

Communicate between kitchen and wait staff. Mediate any problems quickly to avoid blow-ups and tempers. Inform all wait staff of any specials on the menu and whether substitutions will be allowed. Require all food tickets to be printed legibly in an agreed-upon shorthand.

Communicate with Restaurant Owner or Home Office

Step 1

Communicate any problems in the restaurant and give suggestions for solutions. Take action on personnel problems immediately. Inform the owner of any severe customer service issues. Inform the owner of any accidents that happened anywhere on the property of the restaurant (this should be done within 24hrs of the incident). Discuss any promotions for staff employees.

Step 2

Discuss new menu items and customer suggestions or feedback. Decide if new menu items are viable in the business plan. Inform the owner of any outstanding customer comments, good or bad. Create a plan of action for the future.

Step 3

Go over new promotions due to start. Cover all new promotional items in detail and take notes to pass on to the rest of the restaurant staff. Get detailed information on special pricing for promotions. Pick up proper signage and placement for it as per company guidelines.

Step 4

Hire well-trained honest bookkeepers to assist with the daily and monthly record keeping. The checkbook works on a regular basis and is aware of any discrepancies. Monitor any employees with cash problems closely and retrain them if needed. Fire any employee with a consistent cash shortage.

Tip

Use a combination of personal power and position power to achieve goals in restaurant management. Personal power allows a manager to show compassion and empathy for employees and makes them want to work for you. Communication is the key to keeping the front and back of the restaurant running smoothly together. Cross-train kitchen staff in all areas to cover for illnesses.

Warning

Spoilage and theft are the number one reason restaurants go out of business. Set up a strict adherence policy and stick to it. Don’t confuse friendship with management. Keep in mind that while feeling empathetic toward an employee, a manager works for the business. Decisions must be made to protect the business. Have customers and employees fill out an accident report immediately when an accident happens.