What does a restaurant supervisor do?
A restaurant supervisor supervises all the restaurant's tasks to keep the restaurant running smoothly. Besides controlling the restaurant staff members' work schedules, restaurant supervisors also screen, interview, hire and train restaurant staff members. They inspect the restaurant kitchen from time to time to ensure the staff members maintain proper sanitation and hygiene standards. Moreover, these professionals oversee food storage, presentation, and preparation to ensure they comply with the food safety regulations and food health regulations.
Restaurant supervisor responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real restaurant supervisor resumes:
- Manage the bar, restaurant and in-room dinning.
- Coordinate service and set-up functions base off BEO, with meeting planner, sales and kitchen, to manage events smoothly.
- Maintain fine dining expectations, including diverse food and wine menu, and anticipation of customer needs.
- Inventory of all bars and stock room
- Supervise the restaurant, bar, and in-room dining.
- Make real time edits, necessary changes, and additions to the POS system.
- Prepare proper individualize special diets for each resident, paying close attention to specific allergies.
- Organize all culinary menu items including, plait dinners, buffets, coffee breaks, and beverage stations.
- Attend culinary exhibitions and educational seminars to stay abreast of the development in the food and beverage industry.
- Supervise preparation of food items to ensure that products are processed in accordance with special dietary restrictions and food allergies.
- Operate POS system as well as process gift cards, memberships, and cash, credit, and debit cards regularly.
- Coordinate wine selection and cash management
- Implement a daily inspection of restaurant cleanliness.
- Ensure that reservations and require seating arrangements are correct.
- Play leadership role directing staff members toward implementing daily assignments.
Restaurant supervisor skills and personality traits
We calculated that 14% of Restaurant Supervisors are proficient in Cleanliness, Customer Service, and Restaurant Operations. They’re also known for soft skills such as Business skills, Customer-service skills, and Detail oriented.
We break down the percentage of Restaurant Supervisors that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Cleanliness, 14%
Maintain cleanliness and organization in the Dining Room according to established standards of sanitation.
- Customer Service, 8%
Managed and coordinated the overall restaurant operations, including customer service, inventory and marketing.
- Restaurant Operations, 7%
Assisted general manager with daily restaurant operations, including: inventory control, ordering and ensuring daily production pars were completed.
- Guest Service, 5%
Maintain a clean, sanitary, and safe work area in a fast paced environment, while providing superior guest service.
- Culinary, 4%
Organized all culinary menu items including, plated dinners, buffets, coffee breaks, and beverage stations.
- Wine, 4%
Coordinated wine selection and cash management
Most restaurant supervisors use their skills in "cleanliness," "customer service," and "restaurant operations" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential restaurant supervisor responsibilities here:
Business skills. The most essential soft skill for a restaurant supervisor to carry out their responsibilities is business skills. This skill is important for the role because "food service managers must understand all aspects of the restaurant business, including how to budget for supplies, comply with regulations, and manage workers." Additionally, a restaurant supervisor resume shows how their duties depend on business skills: "evaluated condition of business cleanliness 3 times a day. "
Customer-service skills. Another essential skill to perform restaurant supervisor duties is customer-service skills. Restaurant supervisors responsibilities require that "food service managers must be courteous and attentive when dealing with patrons." Restaurant supervisors also use customer-service skills in their role according to a real resume snippet: "ensured great guest service in all areas to meet applicable standards of quality, value, and cleanliness. "
Organizational skills. For certain restaurant supervisor responsibilities to be completed, the job requires competence in "organizational skills." The day-to-day duties of a restaurant supervisor rely on this skill, as "managers have many different responsibilities, including scheduling and overseeing staff, budgeting, and maintaining financial records." For example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies to what restaurant supervisors do: "leveraged sharp organizational skills to reconcile daily receipts and monitor payroll documentation. "
Physical stamina. Another common skill required for restaurant supervisor responsibilities is "physical stamina." This skill comes up in the duties of restaurant supervisors all the time, as "managers often work long shifts and sometimes spend entire evenings actively helping to serve customers." An excerpt from a real restaurant supervisor resume shows how this skill is central to what a restaurant supervisor does: "designed physical menus for all beverage outlets in microsoft publisher. "
Communication skills. While "communication skills" is last on this skills list, don't underestimate its importance to restaurant supervisor responsibilities. Much of what a restaurant supervisor does relies on this skill, seeing as "food service managers must give clear orders to staff and be able to convey information effectively to employees and customers." Here is a resume example of how this skill is used in the everyday duties of restaurant supervisors: "make schedules for front house staff train new hires meet & greet customers/ handle customer complaints interdepartmental communication computer system use"
The three companies that hire the most restaurant supervisors are:
- Red Lobster140 restaurant supervisors jobs
- Great Wolf Resorts79 restaurant supervisors jobs
- Taco Bueno
49 restaurant supervisors jobs
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Compare different restaurant supervisors
Restaurant supervisor vs. Line chef
Line Chefs are in charge of cooking or preparing meat, vegetables, soup, and other ingredients according to area guidelines. Their responsibilities include managing and supervising kitchen staff, coordinating with fellow chefs, replenishing supply inventories, and setting-up cooking areas, ensuring adequate and high-quality ingredients. Among their other usual tasks involve cutting vegetables and meat, preparing sauces, and resolving issues should any arise. Moreover, they must maintain their designated area's cleanliness, all while enforcing and adhering to the health and sanitation standards.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a restaurant supervisor are more likely to require skills like "restaurant operations," "guest service," "wine," and "guest satisfaction." On the other hand, a job as a line chef requires skills like "kitchen equipment," "broilers," "patients," and "chefs." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
Line chefs earn the highest salaries when working in the education industry, with an average yearly salary of $28,064. On the other hand, restaurant supervisors are paid more in the utilities industry with an average salary of $43,228.The education levels that line chefs earn slightly differ from restaurant supervisors. In particular, line chefs are 1.9% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a restaurant supervisor. Additionally, they're 0.3% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Restaurant supervisor vs. Executive chef
Executive chefs are considered the lead chefs in a restaurant. They manage the restaurant's kitchen, including all other chefs employed by the restaurant. Executive chefs are in charge of creating menu items and ensuring that the restaurant's menu is in line with the restaurant's identity. They handle the management of the pantry and ensure that it is well-stocked. They also ensure that all kitchen equipment and fixtures are working well. Executive chefs are responsible for training new chefs on the job to ensure consistent food quality.
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, restaurant supervisor responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "restaurant operations," "guest service," "cash handling," and "pos." Meanwhile, an executive chef has duties that require skills in areas such as "kitchen operations," "menu development," "food quality," and "patients." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
Executive chefs may earn a higher salary than restaurant supervisors, but executive chefs earn the most pay in the hospitality industry with an average salary of $60,122. On the other hand, restaurant supervisors receive higher pay in the utilities industry, where they earn an average salary of $43,228.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Executive chefs tend to reach similar levels of education than restaurant supervisors. In fact, they're 0.5% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.3% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Restaurant supervisor vs. Dining room manager
Dining Room Managers are responsible for supervising the operations of a dining establishment or restaurant. Their duties include ensuring workers adhere to operational and service standards, implement training and recruitment processes, addressing customer concerns, achieving customer satisfaction, and overseeing a restaurant's inventory and budget. Dining Room Managers compile daily reports, greet customers, introduce menus, and ensure the dining area is healthy and clean. They also assist in the orientation of workers.
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, restaurant supervisors are more likely to have skills like "cash handling," "basic math," "safety procedures," and "bars." But a dining room manager is more likely to have skills like "good judgment," "taking care," "banquet events," and "quality service."
Dining room managers make a very good living in the hospitality industry with an average annual salary of $46,045. On the other hand, restaurant supervisors are paid the highest salary in the utilities industry, with average annual pay of $43,228.When it comes to education, dining room managers tend to earn similar degree levels compared to restaurant supervisors. In fact, they're 0.4% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.3% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Restaurant supervisor vs. Food and beverage manager
A food and beverage manager is an individual responsible for ensuring that quality food and drinks are being served at a restaurant or hotel. Food and beverage managers are required to be excellent with customers and should have great management skills to meet the organization's labor and financial goals. They create food and drink menus and guarantee customers that they comply with their food and safety regulations. They are also required to negotiate with suppliers to arrange the delivery of food and beverage products.
Types of restaurant supervisor
Updated January 8, 2025
