How much do general managers of restaurants make?

General managers of restaurants make about $65,000 a year. On the low end of the pay range for general restaurant managers is a salary of approximately $55,000 annually. Meanwhile, the highest-paid general restaurant managers make $80,000 in a year.

How much should a restaurant manager be paid?

A restaurant manager should be paid according to their education and experience levels. The median pay for restaurant managers is around $52,000 per year. On the lower end of the pay scale, a person may make just under $50,000 annually. Meanwhile, restaurant managers at the highest pay bracket can expect a salary of around $77,000 in a year.

What education is required to become a restaurant general manager?

The education needed to become a restaurant general manager varies, but the minimum qualification is a high school diploma or its equivalent. This, paired with restaurant experience, will position a person to become a restaurant manager.

What is a restaurant general manager and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted Experts

Dr. John C. Niser,

Kerem Cakirer Ph.D.

A restaurant general manager oversees the day-to-day operations of a restaurant. They manage staff, create schedules, ensure quality, and handle customer complaints. They also work with budgeting, ordering supplies, and financial reporting. A restaurant general manager must have strong leadership skills and the ability to multitask. They must also have excellent communication skills to manage staff and interact with customers. A successful restaurant general manager balances the needs of the business, employees, and customers.

What general advice would you give to a Restaurant General Manager?

Dr. John C. Niser

Director, Fairleigh Dickinson University

The wrong approach is to look for a job for the sake of employment alone. The right approach starts by understanding who you are, what you are passionate about, and what you are good at doing. Think of it as choosing a business partnership in which you have to be sure you can bring something valuable to the enterprise and, in exchange, get something that is rewarding for you. It is also OK to try things out, especially using internships, but always put your heart into the job, even if it turns out not to be your favorite long term option. Lastly, cultivate your network, make sure you give a lot, and take as little as possible from it until you really need it.

ScoreRestaurant General ManagerUS Average

Salary

4.4

Avg. Salary $56,521

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

9.6

Growth Rate 6%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

3.5

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.47%

Asian 6.43%

Black or African American 6.25%

Hispanic or Latino 15.43%

Unknown 4.35%

White 67.06%

Gender

female 37.76%

male 62.24%

Age - 44

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 44

Stress Level

9.6

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

9.2

Complexity Level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

3.6

Work Life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a Restaurant General Manager?

Pros

Competitive salary and benefits
Opportunities for career advancement
Ability to create and implement processes
Being part of a community
Ability to be creative in menu development

Cons

Long and irregular work hours
High levels of stress
High pressure to meet financial goals
Working weekends and holidays
Balancing work and personal life

Newest jobs for Restaurant General Manager in Ashburn, VA

Receive alerts for the newest job postings.

Key steps to become a restaurant general manager

Explore restaurant general manager education requirements

Most common restaurant general manager degrees

Bachelor's

44.4 %

Associate

22.8 %

High School Diploma

20.4 %

Start to develop specific restaurant general manager skills

Skills	Percentages
Customer Service	19.68%
Strong Analytical	10.53%
Customer Satisfaction	7.02%
Cleanliness	5.88%
Human Resources	4.94%

Complete relevant restaurant general manager training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New restaurant general managers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a restaurant general manager based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real restaurant general manager resumes.

Gain additional restaurant general manager certifications

Restaurant general manager certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific restaurant general manager certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for restaurant general managers include ServSafe Alcohol and Food Safety Manager Certification.

More About Certifications

Research restaurant general manager duties and 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.

Prepare your restaurant general manager resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your restaurant general manager resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a restaurant general manager resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Restaurant General Manager Resume templates

Build a professional Restaurant General Manager resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Restaurant General Manager resume.

Apply for restaurant general manager jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a restaurant general manager job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do restaurant general managers rate their job?

4.5/5

Out of 2 Restaurant General Manager reviews, 100% were positive.

5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

Based On 2 Ratings

Pay / Salary

3.0

Work/Life Balance

2.0

Overall Rating

4.5

Career Growth

3.0

Restaurant General Manager reviews

4.0

A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2023

Pros

High energy job, fast paced, social interactions.

Cons

Long hours, late nights, staffing, constantly adjusting to economic changes.

A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2022

Pros

I have leadership skills I always hire employees who like to work in a team I like to see sales increase and love to see the best customer service is given

Cons

In reality, i do not complain as its who i am

A zippia user wrote a review on Jun 2020

Cons

I don't like it when moral is low and nothing seems to perk employees up to become more productive at work.

Pros

Educating employees and getting everyone on the same mindset about what it takes for a company to succeed.

What is a restaurant general manager and how to become one

What general advice would you give to a Restaurant General Manager?

What are the pros and cons of being a Restaurant General Manager?

Newest jobs for Restaurant General Manager in Ashburn, VA

Restaurant General Manager career paths

Key steps to become a restaurant general manager

Explore restaurant general manager education requirements

Most common restaurant general manager degrees

Start to develop specific restaurant general manager skills

Complete relevant restaurant general manager training and internships

Gain additional restaurant general manager certifications

Research restaurant general manager duties and responsibilities

Prepare your restaurant general manager resume

Choose From 10+ Customizable Restaurant General Manager Resume templates

Apply for restaurant general manager jobs

How Did You Land Your First Restaurant General Manager Job

Average restaurant general manager salary

How do restaurant general managers rate their job?

Restaurant General Manager reviews

Restaurant General Manager FAQs

How much do general managers of restaurants make?

How much should a restaurant manager be paid?

What education is required to become a restaurant general manager?

Search for restaurant general manager jobs

Restaurant General Manager jobs by state