
Understanding What it Takes to Manage a Restaurant
Great restaurant management can make the difference between whether a restaurant is successful or not.

Image from pixabay.com
What is Restaurant Management?
Restaurant management requires performing many important tasks, as well as holding other restaurant staff members responsible for their assigned tasks. Restaurant managers traditionally have experience in the food industry that provides them with a very helpful understanding of what a managerial role entails.
The responsibilities of a restaurant manager traditionally include tasks like providing training for new hire employees and food safety monitoring. However, there are virtually endless responsibilities that restaurant managers can be tasked with depending on restaurant needs and future business expansion.
Effective restaurant management is an everyday effort that requires continual professional growth. Restaurant owners must select great restaurant managers if they want to run a successful restaurant long term as well as make sure team members stay on track.
Restaurant management is constantly evolving, with new technological advances like social media and online ordering capabilities for restaurant staff to adjust to. Even customer expectations and attitudes are changing, customer service in the restaurant industry has more focus than ever before on providing a customer experience that is both personalized and meaningful.

Image from pixabay.com
The Challenges of Restaurant Management
Those with experience in the restaurant business know that the restaurant industry is both fast-paced and challenging. A restaurant manager position requires overcoming challenges faced when running restaurant operations, including-Restaurant Manager Responsibilities
1. Menu planning- A restaurant menu is a staple of a successful restaurant that necessitates careful consideration and proper planning. Creating a restaurant menu at a new restaurant requires formulating and constantly reevaluating menu pricing techniques.
Make sure you take time to consider food costs when menu pricing in order to better understand both restaurant needs and customer needs. A successful restaurant may base menu pricing on the competition and take care to list menu items based on menu psychology principles.
A restaurant manager should also consult menu pricing with team members to get input from important staff members such as chefs and servers. The most effective menu pricing techniques include input from those directly involved in running restaurant operations every day.
2. Customer experience- A great customer experience can determine whether you will have a successful restaurant or not. No matter how attractive your dining room or social media pages appear, your restaurant will not retain customers long term if your customer experience is unsatisfactory.
Providing great customer service and overall outstanding customer experience depends on each restaurant staff member making sure to take time and take care during interactions with customers. Both social media communications and digital connections are also part of the customer experience and should be treated with the same care and consideration.
3. Restaurant marketing- Developing a restaurant marketing technique can be overwhelming, especially in addition to the day to day demands that restaurant managers and restaurant owners already face.
Restaurant management tips for marketing include-
- Creating a brand that reflects your restaurant's values
- Developing a restaurant marketing plan for upcoming months
- Social media engagement optimization
- Cultivating a unique social media restaurant marketing plan
- Loyalty plan implementation

Image from pixabay.com
Restaurant Manager Responsibilities
Every manager has responsibilities they must undertake for running restaurant operations effectively. These responsibilities may include-
1. Inventory management- An important part of running restaurant operations includes inventory management processes. Inventory management is an every day responsibility that can have huge consequences or benefits for your restaurant business.
Proper inventory management necessitates keeping ingredients readily available but also avoiding unnecessary food costs and food waste caused by overstocking.
The best way to coordinate inventory management is ordering food products based on restaurant needs while factoring in both labor costs and food costs to optimize accuracy.
Inventory variance is important to track to view discrepancies between actual food cost and ideal food costs projected. Inventory management can help identify issues with food theft, waste, and portions before they develop into larger problems.
2. Restaurant staff schedules- Often considered one of the most frustrating restaurant management tasks, staff member scheduling is a main restaurant manager's responsibility. Thankfully, restaurant staff scheduling software can simplify and streamline the entire scheduling process.
Individual team members can also help manage the scheduling process instead of the restaurant manager solely being responsible. Many restaurants allow their staff members to access scheduling software in order to swap or volunteer for employee shifts.
3. Accounting- Although restaurant owners are responsible for financing the restaurant, restaurant managers are often responsible for keeping the restaurant's finances in order. Pos systems and software programs can greatly decrease the amount of time that a restaurant manager needs to spend on accounting.
Labor costs and food costs can largely be determined automatically with the proper technology. Previously, any labor costs and food costs would have to be manually calculated, leaving a lot of room for human error and wasted resources.
The software can help manage labor costs and food costs by monitoring and adjusting to your restaurant needs and trends. Many restaurants have optimized both their labor costs and food costs through automation and technological advances.
4. Food safety- Every restaurant must consider food safety as its top priority. A food safety violation could result in your business experiencing major fines and in the worst-case scenario, even result in loss of human life.
For these reasons, food safety is an important topic for restaurant managers to train staff members. Restaurant management must also take time and take care to keep up to date on food safety protocol.

Image from pixabay.com
Restaurant Management Basics
Restaurant management tips can benefit a manager who is learning about the basics of their role. There are so many different responsibilities for a restaurant manager to consider at the same time that it is important to take time to break down the role to its basics.
Customer service is a top priority for any restaurant manager as well as all other staff members. Focusing on providing the best customer experience possible will increase the likelihood of a customer returning to your restaurant in the future.
Even if a customer complaint is not one you necessarily agree with, it is important to make the customer feel valued and heard. The goal of customer service is to encourage the customer to return to your business and decrease the likelihood of them leaving a review that will damage your reputation and bottom line profitability.
A restaurant manager is also in many ways a relationship manager. In the restaurant business, many team members rely on one another to get their jobs done effectively.
One best way to increase long term employee retention rates and foster healthy employee relationships is by implementing an open-door policy. Encourage team members to stop by your office to express any concerns so that you can address issues before they develop into a full-blown human resources disaster.
To avoid there being interpersonal issues, a great restaurant manager will regularly check in with their team members about their roles and relationships at the restaurant. This could be as simple as a scheduling adjustment or as severe as a sexual harassment allegation.
Hiring the right staff members for each role, whether you are onboarding back house or front house team members is essential for long term business success. Take care when contacting job references and take time to give new hires a trial period to make sure they are the best fit possible for your restaurant.
When monitoring your restaurant's cash flow it is essential to factor in labor costs and food costs appropriately. To help manage financials, a pos system and various software programs can be invested in and utilized.
Restaurant management tips for marketing and advertising opportunities include using social media and customer experience to your advantage. A great customer service experience can motivate your customers to spread the word about your business to their network.
If utilized correctly, social media can provide low-cost advertising to potential customers in your area. Online ordering specials listed on your website can additionally bring in new customers who may have purchased food from a competitor otherwise.
A great restaurant manager will constantly look for creative ways to expand your business. Growth opportunities can range from offsite catering to a new happy hour installation. Any business expansion should always be based on restaurant needs making sure to factor in labor costs and food costs.

Image from pixabay.com
What is Restaurant Management Software?
Restaurant management software can simplify and steamline tasks and processes, freeing up valuable employee time and resources. For example, employee management of both back house and front house employees is much less tedious with a software program that factors in employee scheduling.
With the average restaurant profit margin between 2-6%, there is little room for error. Optimizing labor costs and food costs is easier than ever before with the proper software programs in place.
The majority of restaurant customers prefer to pay with their cards when they visit a restaurant. A great restaurant pos system will keep your customers happy and their data secure.
Restaurant management software will not only improve your customer experience but it will also improve your employee experience. Employees are able to be more productive when they are not wasting time on menial tasks like data entry. Additionally, customer service is optimized when employees have better engagement levels.

Image from pixabay.com
The Benefits of Using Restaurant Management Software
Restaurant management software offers its users a wide variety of benefits for every day business operations. Restaurant management software benefits range from customer convenience to customization options.
A pos system is a great example of technology used for business optimization. When considering which pos system to invest in there are multiple factors to examine based on restaurant needs and wants.
First, would you like a legacy system or a mobile system? A legacy system is situated inside your storefront while a mobile system allows access through the cloud.
Depending on how customized you want your pos system there are different options available. For instance, do you want online ordering or payment processing to be included in your pos system? Considering business needs before you invest in a system can save you a lot of time and money down the line.
Restaurant management software can optimize many back house and front house management tasks. Features offered by restaurant management software include tip processing, scheduling, and a centralized communication platform for team members to interact on.
Inventory management software helps many restaurants run more productively. An inventory tracking feature can help keep labor costs and food cost low while keeping your inventory appropriately stocked for future shifts.
It is essential that any restaurant management software purchase integrates well with existing or future software. The ability to incorporate softwares with tools your restaurant already uses will make it easier for team members to acclimate to newer technology.
Restaurant management software is also valuable for menu pricing and menu planning processes. Staff members can easily access and update the restaurant menu depending on specific shifts and specials offered.
Regardless of which software programs you choose to invest in it is crucial to vet the software company's customer service and technical support capabilities. Proper vetting provides peace of mind should there be any future difficulties with the software and decreases the likelihood of technical issues slowing down your restaurant operations.
Conclusion
- Managing restaurant operations requires much diligence and hard work but can be very rewarding.
- Restaurant manager responsibilities range from customer experience optimization to advertising.
- Restaurant management tips for marketing and advertising include social media ads and obtaining great customer experience reviews.
- Various responsibilities like staff scheduling and managing labor costs can be simplified and streamlined with restaurant management software.
- Restaurant management software usually includes a pos system that can help with both employee needs and business needs.
- The best restaurant is one that has a good restaurant manager as well as outstanding team members on staff.
You May Also Enjoy
A restaurant newsletter gives businesses the chance to offer their audience customized content, while driving customer engagement, new leads, and o...
Restaurants must depend on the efficiency of their supply chains in order to meet customer demand. Find out how to optimize the restaurant supply c...
A cafe POS system provides the security and payment processing features necessary to orchestrate daily operations for small businesses and large ca...
Avoiding cross contamination is crucial to preventing food poisoning and foodborne illness outbreaks.
Food safety is a non-negotiable component of any food business. All food professionals should have the knowledge to properly implement food safety ...
Restaurant accounting is an essential process that every establishment needs to determine its financial health and profitability.
Understanding restaurant profit margins is extremely vital to the success of any restaurant. Without a comprehensive knowledge of how to calculate ...
Restaurant analytics can increase revenue by providing management with data-based reports on guest experience, staff performance, inventory, sales,...
Business analytics dashboards are an integral component for delivering important business metrics. Here are the best practices for implementing a B...
Discover the key features of restaurant inventory management software, how to monitor food costs, as well as the importance of automation in invent...
Great restaurant management can make the difference between whether a restaurant is successful or not.
Calculating the food cost and using food cost control techniques are crucial for a restaurant’s bottom line.
Biometric scanners and fingerprint identification systems are now being utilized in workplaces all around the United States to track time and atten...
Curbside pickup allows customers to purchase and receive products without leaving their cars, streamlining the transaction process and limiting in-...
An online ordering system can promote a restaurant’s scalability by driving its sales, profits, and traffic through digital exposure.
From new technological innovations in-store to increased reliance on social media campaigns and online ordering services, learn the 10 restaurant t...
To create an ideal relationship with restaurant vendors, food service businesses must understand the key actions to take in order to establish a mu...
The science of creating an optimal menu will involve calculating prices geared towards driving profits while creating strategically eye-catching de...
Absenteeism, also known as the bottom line killer, can result in lost productivity for any business. The following addresses the causes of employee...
Food waste is a problem that affects all restaurants. However, there are proven strategies available to address this issue, ranging from redesignin...
Learn how to implement the best practices to protect your business and employees, as we understand the consequences of global pandemics.
The restaurant startup business is very competitive and many, unfortunately, close soon after they open. In this article, we’ll discuss three Hubwo...
Some support systems make a measurable difference in owners’ profitability, while others are no more than words in a sales pitch. So how can a fran...
Managing a restaurant or any startup can be a difficult task. Knowing each complicated element that goes into the day-to-day of a manager is a must...
Restaurant managers may feel that they don’t have enough time to pursue advanced business intelligence (BI) analytics. In this article, we introduc...
Are you entering the restaurant business but don’t know if you want to buy an existing restaurant or build your own? While purchasing an existing r...
Learn how to use social media properly, and you can look forward to increased customer loyalty, a better reputation, and a valuable opportunity to ...
Today, social media is often the first place people go to find a restaurant’s menu, hours, and reviews before heading out. Let’s look at some effec...
If you’ve been in the restaurant business for some time, it’s highly likely you’ve seen trends come and go, but, everyone knows quality is always h...
Honey is universally known as a natural sweetener and is composed of natural sugars. Pure honey, in its raw form, is also used as a remedy for vari...
Many restaurants do not fully understand the effect of customer loyalty on their business success. They endlessly spend money on marketing services...
A bagel is made of wheat-based pastry or bread, which is first boiled or steamed before being baked. Once kneaded and shaped, the bagel is proofed ...
Whether you are planning to start a new restaurant business or you already have an established business, there are certain things you must take int...
Not utilizing these tried and true best practices for inventory control has caused many restaurants to fail before they ever get a chance to thrive...
Storytelling is a powerful marketing strategy that builds trust and helps you connect with your clients. You need to leverage your brand story to e...
The restaurant management software you use is essential to your business’ success. Many owners and managers get caught up in the human aspect of ma...
As you grow older, you may begin to notice that you suffer more from common ailments, like the cold and flu, during the colder seasons. To combat t...
While Thanksgiving is often associated with food, loved ones, and overly full stomachs, if you’re hosting Thanksgiving, it can also be correlated w...
Your food runner is one of your most important restaurant employees. Choose the right food runner, server, waiter, and waitress to be the collectiv...
Sunflower oil is a healthy option for all your favorite recipes as it’s valued for its light taste and frying performance. High in Vitamin E, Sunfl...
You need to be on Google. It’s the largest of all search engines, and it is proven to help restaurants boost their business. Let’s take a look at s...
Whether you are running late or not feeling hungry, no reason justifies skipping breakfast. Your body needs energy, which is obtained through food,...
Every bar is different, but one uniting element is the need for inventory counts. With an inventory management app, such as Zip Inventory by Hubwor...
Do you enjoy seafood, like crab and lobster, but struggle with being able to eat it because of the shell? Combat this problem by learning how to br...
A quality restaurant POS system can be utilized to help users better understand their business’ performance and improve upon vulnerabilities, by pr...
As I slowly ascend the vibrant and healthy moss-covered hillside, I methodically scan my immediate vicinity with a patiently focused gaze. It doesn...
Shortcuts aren’t always a bad thing. When it comes to running a restaurant, you need to find ways to get tasks done quickly without sacrificing qua...
There are so many food holidays in a year and with a little creativity here and there, any restaurant owner or manager can attract more customers a...
Surprisingly, one of the most common problems of restaurants is its menu. Whether it’s the design or the number of pages the menu has, it’s certain...
Zip Clock, from Hubworks, is being honored as this year’s Editor’s Choice Award for it’s affordability and advanced functionality.. Zip Clock is a ...
CREAM founder and co-president, Gus Shamieh, tells us the whole story.
Scheduling solutions are garnering a lot of interest lately from operators. Due to a perfect storm of rising wages, health care costs, and employer...
With eRestaurant 2018, Altametrics continues to break new ground.
When subzero temperatures start creeping in, ice cream shops tend to see less and less customers walking through the door. So, here’s the big quest...
Having the knowledge of how much your food costs you to sell is critical to running a successful operation. Your food cost percentage should be ut...
Millennials are claiming their stake as the most engaged group of diners yet. They go out to dinner more often than their predecessors ever did, an...
A lot has been written about how to manage Millennials versus Baby Boomers. And that’s valuable information – for many employers, the differences b...
Restaurateurs need to ensure that food safety is top of their agenda when they open their business. Their commercial kitchen, and all areas of the ...
The restaurant industry is rising and expanding again with the support of cutting edge technologies. This signifcant increase of technology has bol...
Before you place incoming meat, poultry, or seafood in its rightful storage, a proper inspection following a detailed guide should take place. This...
Restaurant security should be one of the biggest priorities for owners of a restaurant operation, especially when you consider how much cash and cr...
The menu is a main driving force in getting customers in the door, and they want to pay for the quality they are receiving. The prices on the menu ...
Managing staff is both the most complex and rewarding part of becoming a restaurant manager for the first time. You have a vision for how you want ...
Off-premise orders are driving growth for restaurants, so how can you get your share? Adding catering to your business is one way to go. Sound inti...
Food has long held its rank in the business setting. Increasingly, however, companies are moving beyond taking a decision maker out for a nice meal...
One of the best ways for restaurateurs to improve their business is to listen to their customers and take their opinions on board, whether they are...
Restaurant owners and managers are really starting to feel the effects of a rising minimum wage and increased labor costs. Today, more and more res...
Point of sale (POS) systems have given the restaurant industry a huge boost over the last few years, and as the technology continues to develop, so...
In order for your restaurant to run smoothly during every service, the right equipment has to be in store and on hand so that your servers can deli...
Your menu is your moneymaker, which means it plays a huge role in attracting guests to eat at your restaurant and consider it their usual haunts. Y...
CKE Restaurants CEO Andy Puzder loves the company’s flirtatious TV spots, he hates big government, and he gets why his 23-year-old son wonders wher...
Taco Bell has managed to successfully captivate the attention of Millennials everywhere and they continue to gain their loyalty. How has the once s...
One of the biggest emerging trends in restaurants is the return of the communal table. Communal tables are long, shared tables where people are typ...
Who can resist a sweet, fluffy, doughnut? With flavors like huckleberry and maple bacon being served up fresh every hour, Sidecar Doughnuts in Sout...
The Denver-based fast-casual chain has millions of followers — but that doesn't stop them from going all-in with customers on social channels.
I was lucky enough to sit down for a Q&A with one of Popbar’s founders; Reuben BenJehuda to indulge myself in some of the techniques the chain ...
How Corner Bakery Cafe sifted OT out of its restaurant payrolls with a pull-no-punches, intelligent timeclock solution
RMagazine had the pleasure to sit down and pick the mind of Elie Ayrouth, the founder of Foodbeast, the “TMZ of food news.” He has his head down w...
The expeditor is your sentry at the kitchen window, the human linchpin who operates where the expectations of the seated customer — in terms of foo...