Simple Things Every Restaurant Manager Needs to Do.

I picture Gordon Ramsey, John Taffer and Robert Irvine above because I admire these guys so much! They all have successful shows, which emphasize how challenging the Bar & Restaurant Industry is. Restaurant and Bar Management takes a certain type of individual. You must have a great personality, tremendous dedication and high standards. It is easy to let the temptations of the business put you off track.

If you look at all of the famous guys above, they always pinpoint management failures at their featured struggling restaurants. They always stress how you must be focused and committed to be successful. This applies to anything you may do in life! So here’s a few of the common challenges Restaurant Managers face:

Bad Habits of Unsuccessful Restaurant Managers

• Drinking on the job
• Poor cleanliness standards
• Not tracking inventory
• Fatigue
• Apathy
• Disrespecting Staff Members
• Not engaging Guests

I could go on and on about all of these, but I won’t. But let me say that a Manager should NEVER drink on the job. Not only is it illegal in many states, it’s just plain bad and sets a very poor example for the Staff. If your establishment is dirty and your bathrooms, common areas and bar area are not clean, folks will assume your kitchen is dirty as well. And they are probably right!

You must track your inventory every day. This will let you identify areas of theft or loss as well as determine which items are poor sellers or need to be price adjusted. And you must battle fatigue. This business comes with long hours. Take time to exercise, stay away from the fries and get outside and get some air!

Apathy sucks. It’s contagious. If you don’t care, get out. Staff Members will sense your apathy and emulate your lackluster behavior. And don’t disrespect your Staff Members. Appreciate them. Motivate them. Train them to uphold a high standard. And when someone is not performing well, take them aside and respectfully but firmly let them know you expect more from them and affirm their value.

If you just take away this one thing…..

Engage your Guests! EVERY Guest deserves to be greeted by someone besides their Server. A great Manager will greet every guest, ask them how everything is and if they need anything. Thank them for coming in and invite them to visit your establishment again. This goes a long way.

Restaurant Consultation

Great Food & Drinks is a division of Solstice Media. We offer support to struggling Bars and Restaurants as a service. If you are or know of an establishment in need of our help, please let us know by emailing us!

For more information you can visit our Consultation Page or download a pdf of our Restaurant Consultation Program Guide by clicking this link:

Cheers!
– Pete