Become a Successful Restaurant Manager With These 8 Habits
Being a manager is one of the most rewarding jobs you can have. It's not just about the money, though. You get to work with people, solve problems and make decisions that impact your team's success. As a restaurant manager, there are lots of things you need to know about being successful in this field—and we've got all those tips right here!
Be willing to pitch in.
The best restaurant managers are more than just the boss. They’re also the go-to person for every little thing that needs to get done at the restaurant. They know how to ensure their employees are satisfied and happy, which can help keep customers returning over time. When it comes down to it, being willing to pitch in is one of the most important habits of successful restaurant managers because it shows you care about not only what's good for yourself but also your employees' well-being—and both outcomes will lead directly into increased profits!
Be consistent.
Consistency is a key part of being a successful restaurant manager, and it can be difficult to strike the right balance. Some managers like to be flexible and make changes as they go along—but this isn't always possible or necessary in a busy restaurant. If you're looking for ways to stay consistent while still having some room for growth, here are some tips:
- Set routines early on. For example, if there's only one person handling reservations at night (and he or she usually goes home at 8 p.m.), then everyone should know what time he or she will leave for the day—and when they'll come back in the morning! This means that you won't have any surprises when guests show up later than anticipated or have questions about their orders after all (or maybe even before). It also makes life easier for everyone involved because no one needs extra prep time before starting work!
- Make sure key tasks are done before they need to be done again (like cleaning up spills), so there aren't any errors made during peak hours when staffing levels are highest
Train regularly and effectively.
As a manager, you have to be aware of how your employees are performing their duties and what they could do better. You must train them on how they can improve their performance, as well as how they can work more efficiently together with other team members.
Make sure that your employees are aware of the company’s goals and how they can help contribute to them. This will not only motivate them, but it will also show that you care about their performance and want them to succeed.
Pay attention to your restaurant's culture.
A restaurant’s culture is the way it does things. It can be a reflection of your values, or it may be more about who you want to attract as customers. Either way, understanding how people interact with each other and their environment will help you create a better atmosphere for everyone working in your restaurant.
For example, if one employee has been given orders that he always follows without questioning them, then this could become an unwritten rule within the establishment. You might also see employees gossiping amongst themselves or talking behind others' backs—all these things make it difficult for anyone else who doesn't share those same values or beliefs as they do not fit into the overall dynamic of what works best at different times during operations hours.
Know the numbers.
The first step to being a successful restaurant manager is knowing your numbers. You need to understand how much money is coming in and going out, what the expected sales are, and if any trends suggest growth or decline.
You should also understand how much time it takes you to run each day, as well as how many staff members you have on hand at any given time. This will help you determine whether or not hiring more staff would be beneficial for your business model.
Show people you care.
Be a good listener. People need to feel like they can trust you to listen, and not just hear their problems as an opportunity for your advice or solution. Listening is also a great way to get more information from employees about what's going on in the restaurant so that they can do their jobs better.
Understand that people come to work for more than just a paycheck—they have families and bills to pay too! You should treat everyone with respect, regardless of how much or little money they make at the end of each day; this will make all parties happier when dealing with each other during stressful situations like when someone has an emergency arise unexpectedly during work hours.
Set an example of integrity.
Honesty and trustworthiness are two of the most important traits for a restaurant manager to have. If you cannot be honest with your employees, how can they trust you? You need to set an example for them by demonstrating integrity yourself.
Your employees will respect you more if they see that you're trustworthy, and this will make it easier for them to be honest with each other as well. When employees don't feel like their leaders are trustworthy or authentic in their interactions with each other (and especially when dealing with customers), it becomes harder for everyone involved to feel comfortable doing business at your establishment.
Plan to avoid surprises.
Planning is important for any business, but it’s especially critical for restaurants. Without a proper plan in place, your restaurant can run into problems before you even open the doors.
Planning will help prevent these surprises from happening and save time and money on things like hiring staff or purchasing supplies. You should always have a backup plan in case something goes wrong with a supplier or if there are unexpected costs incurred during the process. It takes hard work and commitment, but being a good manager can be incredibly rewarding
As a manager, you are responsible for the success of your restaurant—and that means everything. You are your team leader and must be able to delegate tasks and responsibilities to others as necessary. In addition to being able to communicate effectively with employees at all levels, you must have strong communication skills so that everyone knows what's expected of them in terms of work ethic and attitude.
If there are any problems with customer service (or any other part of running a restaurant), it's up to YOU—as the manager—to fix them quickly! As you can see, it takes a lot of hard work and commitment to be a good manager. But for those who succeed, the rewards are well worth it!