Running a restaurant is not easy, which is why it usually takes a lot of skill and experience to become a restaurant manager. In all aspects of restaurant operations, the restaurant manager is responsible for overseeing, managing, and directing the activities of both kitchen and service staff. The typical workweek of a restaurant manager revolves around monitoring inventory, creating work schedules, supervising subordinate staff, generating work reports, and addressing guest concerns when needed. Also, they usually work with an assistant manager who helps them with administrative duties to ensure that the restaurant always runs smoothly.
Like many roles in the foodservice industry, a college degree is not a common requirement for the role of a restaurant manager, although it is a great advantage. Many restaurant managers have worked their way up from being regular staff members, while some enter the job directly after graduating with a management or hospitality degree. On average, the salary of a restaurant manager is around $23 per hour or roughly $48,000 a year. Depending on their employer, they may also make extra income through shared tips.
How to Become a Restaurant Manager
What is a Restaurant Manager
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a Restaurant Manager. For example, did you know that they make an average of $24.23 an hour? That's $50,390 a year!
Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 11% and produce 38,500 job opportunities across the U.S.
What Does a Restaurant Manager Do
There are certain skills that many Restaurant Managers have in order to accomplish their responsibilities. By taking a look through resumes, we were able to narrow down the most common skills for a person in this position. We discovered that a lot of resumes listed Business skills, Customer-service skills and Detail oriented.
How To Become a Restaurant Manager
If you're interested in becoming a Restaurant Manager, one of the first things to consider is how much education you need. We've determined that 50.4% of Restaurant Managers have a bachelor's degree. In terms of higher education levels, we found that 4.0% of Restaurant Managers have master's degrees. Even though most Restaurant Managers have a college degree, it's possible to become one with only a high school degree or GED.
Choosing the right major is always an important step when researching how to become a Restaurant Manager. When we researched the most common majors for a Restaurant Manager, we found that they most commonly earn Bachelor's Degree degrees or Associate Degree degrees. Other degrees that we often see on Restaurant Manager resumes include High School Diploma degrees or Diploma degrees.
You may find that experience in other jobs will help you become a Restaurant Manager. In fact, many Restaurant Manager jobs require experience in a role such as General Manager. Meanwhile, many Restaurant Managers also have previous career experience in roles such as Assistant Manager or Server.
What is the right job for my career path?
Tell us your goals and we'll match you with the right jobs to get there.
And if you’re looking for a job, here are the five top employers hiring now:
Restaurant Manager Career Paths
As you move along in your career, you may start taking on more responsibilities or notice that you've taken on a leadership role. Using our career map, a Restaurant Manager can determine their career goals through the career progression. For example, they could start out with a role such as General Manager, progress to a title such as Director Of Food And Beverage and then eventually end up with the title Director Of Food And Beverage.
Restaurant Manager Jobs You Might Like
What is the right job for my career path?
Tell us your goals and we'll match you with the rights job to get there.
Average Salary for a Restaurant Manager
Calculate your salary
Use Zippia's Salary Calculator to see how your pay matches up.
12 Restaurant Manager Resume Examples
Build a professional restaurant manager resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 12+ resume templates to create your restaurant manager resume.
 |
Ruth Freeman Restaurant Manager |
 |
 |
Teresa Robertson Restaurant Manager Experience Restaurant Manager2015 - Present Equinox•New York, NY
Shift Leader2014 - 2015 Dunkin' Donuts Northeast Distribution Center•New York, NY
Customer Service Representative2013 - 2014 Aramark•New York, NY
Food Service Specialist2011 - 2013 Aramark•New York, NY
Skills CommunicationCSRCost ControlMenu ItemsRestaurant OperationsWindowsGMStore CleanlinessMOSHigh Volume Education High School Diploma 2011 - 2011 |
 |
Learn How To Write a Restaurant Manager Resume
At Zippia, we went through countless Restaurant Manager resumes and compiled some information about how to optimize them. Here are some suggestions based on what we found, divided by the individual sections of the resume itself.
View Restaurant Manager Resume Examples And TemplatesAnd if you’re looking for a job, here are the five top employers hiring now:
Choose From 10+ Customizable Restaurant Manager Resume templates
Zippia allows you to choose from different easy-to-use Restaurant Manager templates, and provides you with expert advice. Using the templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your Restaurant Manager resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.
Find the best Restaurant Manager job for you
Restaurant Manager Jobs You Might Like
- High Paying Restaurant Manager Jobs - $66K and Up
- Entry Level Restaurant Manager Jobs
- Part Time Restaurant Manager Jobs
- Actively Hiring
- No Degree Restaurant Manager Jobs
Top Colleges for Restaurant Managers
1. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
2. SUNY College of Technology at Delhi
Delhi, NY • Private
3. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
4. New York University
New York, NY • Private
5. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Ponce
Mercedita, PR • Private
6. University of Akron
Akron, OH • Private
7. SUNY College of Agriculture & Technology at Morrisville
Morrisville, NY • Private
8. SUNY College at Plattsburgh
Plattsburgh, NY • Private
9. University of Alaska Anchorage
Anchorage, AK • Private
10. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Find the best Restaurant Manager job for you
Restaurant Manager Jobs You Might Like
- High Paying Restaurant Manager Jobs - $66K and Up
- Entry Level Restaurant Manager Jobs
- Part Time Restaurant Manager Jobs
- Actively Hiring
- No Degree Restaurant Manager Jobs
Online Courses For Restaurant Manager That You May Like
Earned Value Management, Project Management, Cost Control & Monitor, Budget, Schedule & Cost Variance, Performance Index...
For Existing Food & Restaurant Businesses & Start Ups. This course will significantly improve you chance of success...
Supply Chain Management Basics: An MBA style course to boost your career as a business operations & logistics manager...
Top Skills For a Restaurant Manager
The skills section on your resume can be almost as important as the experience section, so you want it to be an accurate portrayal of what you can do. Luckily, we've found all of the skills you'll need so even if you don't have these skills yet, you know what you need to work on. Out of all the resumes we looked through, 23.2% of Restaurant Managers listed Customer Service on their resume, but soft skills such as Business skills and Customer-service skills are important as well.
Best States For a Restaurant Manager
Some places are better than others when it comes to starting a career as a Restaurant Manager. The best states for people in this position are California, New Hampshire, Arizona, and Hawaii. Restaurant Managers make the most in California with an average salary of $64,781. Whereas in New Hampshire and Arizona, they would average $59,650 and $59,383, respectively. While Restaurant Managers would only make an average of $59,308 in Hawaii, you would still make more there than in the rest of the country. We determined these as the best states based on job availability and pay. By finding the median salary, cost of living, and using the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Location Quotient, we narrowed down our list of states to these four.
1. Oklahoma
$56,389
Avg. Salary
2. Utah
$58,817
Avg. Salary
3. Arizona
$59,383
Avg. Salary
How Do Restaurant Manager Rate Their Jobs?
1.0
1.0
Don't ever accept a job like mine! • December 2019What do you like the most about working as Restaurant Manager?
Sometimes, free food but sometimes cooks are not that good so I'd rather paid for better food Show MoreWhat do you NOT like?
Everything else, of course! What's to be liked when you work shifts, nights, always on holidays and go to the gym at 1am? Show MoreRestaurant Manager Videos
Becoming a Restaurant Manager FAQs
How long does it take to become a manager at a restaurant?
It takes about four to six years to become a manager at a restaurant. Restaurant managers usually work in the food industry for several years before being promoted to a managerial position.
Once a person turns sixteen, they can start gaining experience in the foodservice industry. Many aspiring restaurant managers gain experience working in restaurants as kitchen hands, servers, dishwashers, and bussers.
In addition to gaining experience working in a restaurant, most restaurant managers earn at least an associate's degree in business hospitality. This degree, which teaches about business and the hospitality industry, takes two years to complete.
While it is not necessary to become a restaurant manager, it can allow a person to move into the position more quickly than they otherwise would. Another way to move into the restaurant manager position more quickly is to get a certification in food handling and serving alcohol.
This certification is mandatory in some parts of the United States. Even where it is not compulsory, many restaurants prefer hiring managers with accreditation.
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.
Several variables influence the salary of a general manager at a restaurant, including experience, education, company, specific job duties, and even location.
For example, a general manager with significant experience overseeing multiple restaurants will earn closer to $80,000 in a year. At the same time, those just starting in the position will likely only make $50,000 in a year with only a high school education.
Additionally, general managers of restaurants make the most in major metropolitan areas on the east coast. The top-paying states for general manager salaries are New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Connecticut.
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.
Several variables influence the salary of a restaurant manager, including experience, education, company, specific job duties, and even location.
For example, a restaurant manager with significant experience overseeing multiple restaurants will earn closer to $80,000 in a year. At the same time, those just starting with only a high school education will likely only make $50,000 in a year.
Additionally, restaurant managers get paid the most in major metropolitan areas on the east coast. The top-paying states for general manager salaries are New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Connecticut.
Is it hard to become a restaurant manager?
No, it is not hard to become a restaurant manager. This industry is one of the few careers that offer the most entry-level flexibility to achieve the position. There are many ways to become a restaurant manager, depending on a person's aptitude and natural skill set.
Some people take a formal educational path by obtaining certifications, getting an associate's degree, or even a bachelor's degree related to restaurant management. Others can opt for on-the-job training with a high school diploma or its equivalent in hand to gather valuable knowledge in the foodservice industry.
A restaurant manager works under the leadership of the restaurant's general manager. Restaurant managers are the face of the dining establishment and usually intervene on behalf of the customer to ensure that they are being serviced with great food and a smile.
A restaurant manager is responsible for managing their staff and ensuring all the restaurant operations are going smoothly. This job may include duties like creating weekly work schedules and monitoring on-the-job performance. In essence, a restaurant manager is responsible for ensuring that there are no disruptions affecting service.
What qualifications do you need to become a restaurant manager?
The qualifications you need to become a restaurant manager vary, but the minimum qualification is a high school diploma or equivalent. This, paired with restaurant experience, will position a person to become a restaurant manager.
This is one of the few careers that offer the most entry-level flexibility to achieve the position. There are many ways to become a restaurant manager, depending on a person's aptitude and natural skill set.
Some people take a formal educational path by obtaining certifications, getting an associate's degree, or even a bachelor's degree related to restaurant management. Others can opt for on-the-job training with a high school diploma or its equivalent in hand to gather valuable knowledge in the foodservice industry.
A restaurant manager works under the leadership of the restaurant's general manager. Restaurant managers are the face of the dining establishment and usually intervene on behalf of the customer to ensure that they are being serviced with great food and a smile.
Juggling being the face of the restaurants and leading the restaurant staff behind the scenes is not easy and requires someone to be a good problem solver with an ability to quickly analyze and respond to the many issues that arise in a restaurant setting.