A restaurant manager runs the daily operations of a restaurant, leading staff and keeping service, costs, and guest satisfaction on track. Managers sit between the owner or general manager and the hourly team. Here is what the job looks like across a shift, in the order it happens.
Opening duties
- Walk the restaurant to check cleanliness, safety, and setup
- Review reservations, events, and staffing for the day
- Verify deliveries and check inventory against what is needed
- Hold a pre-shift meeting covering specials, 86'd items, and goals
- Confirm cash banks and POS readiness
During service
- Stay visible on the floor and greet tables
- Monitor ticket times and guest satisfaction
- Support servers, hosts, and the kitchen where bottlenecks form
- Handle guest complaints and make service recovery decisions
- Enforce food safety and alcohol service rules
- Adjust staffing by cutting or adding people based on sales
- Track sales and labor against targets as the shift unfolds
Closing duties
- Review sales, labor, and comp or void reports
- Count cash, reconcile registers, and prepare deposits
- Walk the building for cleanliness, security, and equipment off
- Write manager log notes on issues, staffing, and guest feedback
- Lock up and set the alarm
Weekly duties
- Build next week's schedule based on forecasts
- Complete inventory counts and place orders
- Review food cost, labor cost, and profit reports
- Hold staff meetings or training and conduct performance check-ins
Writing a posting? The restaurant manager job description turns these duties into a ready-to-paste template. For shift planning, try the free restaurant schedule template.