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Bar manager vs restaurant general manager

The differences between bar managers and restaurant general managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a bar manager, becoming a restaurant general manager takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a restaurant general manager has an average salary of $56,521, which is higher than the $46,828 average annual salary of a bar manager.

The top three skills for a bar manager include customer service, wine and beverage orders. The most important skills for a restaurant general manager are customer service, strong analytical, and customer satisfaction.

Bar manager vs restaurant general manager overview

Bar ManagerRestaurant General Manager
Yearly salary$46,828$56,521
Hourly rate$22.51$27.17
Growth rate10%6%
Number of jobs165,633339,757
Job satisfaction-4.5
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 50%Bachelor's Degree, 44%
Average age3944
Years of experience46

What does a bar manager do?

Bar managers are also called bar owners or supervisors of bar establishments. The managers are in charge of managing customer complaints, ensuring stocks in the bar, and in scheduling the jobs of employees. They oversee the overall operations of the bar, manage its staff, and ensure that the standards of products and services are met. They maintain the licensure of liquor and make sure that their staff follows the local regulations. Also, they see to it that customers are served promptly.

What does a restaurant general manager do?

A restaurant general manager is someone whose responsibility is to handle the daily operations of the restaurant. Restaurant general managers ensure compliance with the overall operations to the company's standards. They oversee the preparation and delivery of products, restaurant repair and maintenance, team management, inventory management, and customer relations. To become a restaurant general manager, one should have excellent customer relations and service skills, and commercial awareness. Good personal skills, flexibility, and strong communication skills are also necessary.

Bar manager vs restaurant general manager salary

Bar managers and restaurant general managers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Bar ManagerRestaurant General Manager
Average salary$46,828$56,521
Salary rangeBetween $33,000 And $65,000Between $40,000 And $79,000
Highest paying CityGreenwich, CTWashington, DC
Highest paying stateNew JerseyNew York
Best paying companyGreenwich Country ClubTesoro
Best paying industryGovernmentHospitality

Differences between bar manager and restaurant general manager education

There are a few differences between a bar manager and a restaurant general manager in terms of educational background:

Bar ManagerRestaurant General Manager
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 50%Bachelor's Degree, 44%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeCornell UniversityUniversity of Pennsylvania

Bar manager vs restaurant general manager demographics

Here are the differences between bar managers' and restaurant general managers' demographics:

Bar ManagerRestaurant General Manager
Average age3944
Gender ratioMale, 56.0% Female, 44.0%Male, 62.2% Female, 37.8%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 10.7% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.0% Asian, 7.9% White, 60.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%Black or African American, 6.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.4% Asian, 6.4% White, 67.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage10%10%

Differences between bar manager and restaurant general manager duties and responsibilities

Bar manager example responsibilities.

  • Manage liquor and wine inventory and develop cocktail menus taking advantage of fresh ingredients.
  • Inventory and order bar stock and manage FOH staff, as well as ensured food quality and timeliness of service.
  • Manage front-of-house operations for upscale wine bar and restaurant, including assisting in monitoring and management of inventory and finances.
  • Perform typical bartending duties including all aspects of customer service.
  • Direct all bartending operations as well as ordering and inventory management.
  • Help with shift movement according seniority while abiding by the bartender and culinary CBA.
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Restaurant general manager example responsibilities.

  • Train and manage culinary art student to achieve significant improvements in their productivity.
  • Manage the acquisition and resale of appropriate property investments maximizing ROI for all partner investors.
  • Develop and implement strategic merchandising plans to achieve revenue objectives and reduce expenditures while ensuring payroll remains within budget.
  • Utilize labor effectively to meet budgets while ensuring high-quality of service and cleanliness.
  • Develop and implement strategic merchandising plans to achieve revenue objectives and reduce expenditures while ensuring payroll remains within budget.
  • Oversee catering events and may also offer culinary instruction and/or demonstrate culinary.
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Bar manager vs restaurant general manager skills

Common bar manager skills
  • Customer Service, 21%
  • Wine, 17%
  • Beverage Orders, 7%
  • Bartending, 5%
  • Payroll, 5%
  • POS, 5%
Common restaurant general manager skills
  • Customer Service, 20%
  • Strong Analytical, 11%
  • Customer Satisfaction, 7%
  • Cleanliness, 6%
  • Human Resources, 5%
  • Restaurant Operations, 4%

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