How much does a restaurant general manager make?

The average restaurant general manager salary in the United States is $56,521. Restaurant general manager salaries typically range between $40,000 and $79,000 yearly. The average hourly rate for restaurant general managers is $27.17 per hour. Restaurant general manager salary is impacted by location, education, and experience. Restaurant general managers earn the highest average salary in New York.

Restaurant general manager salary

Q: What state pays Restaurant General Managers the most?

New York pays Restaurant General Managers the most in the United States, with an average salary of $80,257 per year, or $38.59 per hour.

Q: How do I know if I'm being paid fairly as a restaurant general manager?

You know if you are being paid fairly as a restaurant general manager if your pay is close to the average pay for the state you live in. For example, if you live in New York you should be paid close to $78,166 per year.

Q: Do restaurant general managers make good money?

Yes, restaurant general managers make good money. 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.

Q: How much do Chick-fil-A GMs make?

Chick-fil-A GMs (general managers) make around $52,000 per year, on average. 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.

Q: 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.

Q: How much money do general managers of restaurants make?

Restaurant general managers make 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.

Q: 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.

Average restaurant general manager salary

$56,521

$27.17 hourly rate

Entry-level restaurant general manager salary

$40,000 yearly salary

Updated December 15, 2025

Understanding Restaurant General Manager Salaries

The average salary for a Restaurant General Manager is around $56,521 per year. This figure can fluctuate based on various factors, including geographic location, years of experience, and type of establishment. For instance, managers in high-end restaurants or urban areas often earn significantly more than those in smaller venues or rural locations.

Experience plays a crucial role in determining salary levels. Entry-level managers may start at lower salaries, while those with several years in the industry can command higher pay. Additionally, specific skills such as financial management, staff training, and customer service expertise can enhance earning potential.

According to recent data, the highest paying states for restaurant general managers include California, New York, and Texas. In these locations, salaries frequently exceed the national average due to higher living costs and demand for experienced management.

For those looking to advance their career, gaining experience in different restaurant types, such as fine dining or fast casual, can provide valuable insights and increase salary prospects. Consider pursuing further education or certifications in restaurant management to enhance your qualifications.

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Restaurant general manager salary by:

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Where can a Restaurant General Manager earn more?

Compare salary by location

102k

82k

62k

42k

22k

Columbus, OH$80,333

Las Vegas, NV$52,370

Compare salary by company

117k

97k

77k

57k

37k

Tesoro$95,842

Which Wich$66,969

Restaurant general manager salaries by experience level

Experience level	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
Entry-level restaurant general manager	$23,300	$11.19
Mid-level restaurant general manager	$36,000	$17.29
Senior-level restaurant general manager	$65,200	$31.34

Restaurant general manager salary estimates from across the web

Based on the latest salary information compiled by Zippia, Salary.com, Glassdoor and Ziprecruiter, the average salary for a restaurant general manager typically falls between $54,214 and $68,661.

zippia

$56,521yearly

glassdoor[1]

$68,661yearly

Salary.com[2]

$54,214yearly

ZipRecruiter[3]

$65,615yearly

Average restaurant general manager salary by state

The highest-paying states for restaurant general managers are New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. The lowest average restaurant general manager salary states are Vermont, Utah, and Missouri.

State view
County view

Average salary:

Highest paying states for restaurant general managers

Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
1	New York	$78,166	$37.58
2	New Jersey	$77,084	$37.06
3	Delaware	$68,624	$32.99
4	Connecticut	$73,991	$35.57
5	North Carolina	$59,859	$28.78
6	Pennsylvania	$57,669	$27.73
7	Illinois	$57,350	$27.57
8	District of Columbia	$80,257	$38.59
9	Virginia	$61,275	$29.46
10	Rhode Island	$63,866	$30.70
11	New Hampshire	$63,883	$30.71
12	Massachusetts	$66,704	$32.07
13	Washington	$62,652	$30.12
14	Michigan	$55,362	$26.62
15	Maryland	$61,849	$29.74
16	Colorado	$60,712	$29.19
17	Indiana	$53,198	$25.58
18	Ohio	$52,528	$25.25
19	Louisiana	$53,431	$25.69
20	Texas	$52,094	$25.05
21	California	$61,521	$29.58
22	Wisconsin	$57,694	$27.74
23	South Dakota	$57,974	$27.87
24	Alaska	$59,161	$28.44
25	Alabama	$49,570	$23.83
26	Hawaii	$61,300	$29.47
27	Tennessee	$48,608	$23.37
28	Arizona	$51,290	$24.66
29	Nevada	$52,563	$25.27
30	Minnesota	$53,310	$25.63
31	South Carolina	$48,295	$23.22
32	Maine	$53,992	$25.96
33	Oregon	$54,133	$26.03
34	Kentucky	$45,573	$21.91
35	Montana	$48,472	$23.30
36	Georgia	$50,158	$24.11
37	West Virginia	$45,770	$22.00
38	North Dakota	$50,017	$24.05
39	Florida	$46,831	$22.51
40	New Mexico	$49,725	$23.91
41	Utah	$44,162	$21.23
42	Oklahoma	$45,600	$21.92
43	Missouri	$43,597	$20.96
44	Kansas	$45,089	$21.68
45	Iowa	$45,621	$21.93
46	Arkansas	$41,834	$20.11
47	Nebraska	$47,070	$22.63
48	Idaho	$45,151	$21.71
49	Mississippi	$40,328	$19.39
50	Wyoming	$40,388	$19.42
51	Vermont	$45,048	$21.66

Top restaurant general manager jobs near you

Highest paying cities for restaurant general managers

The highest-paying cities for restaurant general managers are Washington, DC, New York, NY, and Boston, MA.

Rank	City	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
1	Washington, DC	$80,333	$38.62
2	New York, NY	$78,275	$37.63
3	Boston, MA	$66,743	$32.09
4	Seattle, WA	$62,943	$30.26
5	San Francisco, CA	$62,812	$30.20
6	Greenville, NC	$62,068	$29.84
7	Columbia, MD	$61,840	$29.73
8	Virginia Beach, VA	$61,536	$29.58
9	Denver, CO	$60,694	$29.18
10	Philadelphia, PA	$57,915	$27.84
11	Milwaukee, WI	$57,878	$27.83
12	Chicago, IL	$57,764	$27.77
13	Grand Rapids, MI	$54,609	$26.25
14	Portland, ME	$54,180	$26.05
15	Portland, OR	$53,993	$25.96
16	Richmond, IN	$53,982	$25.95
17	Cleveland, OH	$53,859	$25.89
18	Baton Rouge, LA	$53,500	$25.72
19	Minneapolis, MN	$53,330	$25.64
20	Las Vegas, NV	$52,370	$25.18

Restaurant General Managers are the most in-demand in these five cities:

Restaurant general manager salary details

A restaurant general manager's salary ranges from $40,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $79,000 at the 90th percentile.

Average restaurant general manager salary graph, trends, and summary

What is a restaurant general manager's salary?

Percentile	Annual salary	Monthly salary	Hourly rate
90th Percentile	$79,000	$6,583	$38
75th Percentile	$67,000	$5,583	$32
Average	$56,521	$4,710	$27
25th Percentile	$47,000	$3,917	$23
10th Percentile	$40,000	$3,333	$19

Highest paying restaurant general manager jobs

The highest paying types of restaurant general managers are lead manager, general manager of operations, and general service manager.

Job title	Annual salary	Monthly salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
Store Manager	$46,950	$3,912	$22.57	446,127
Shift Manager	$32,110	$2,676	$15.44	335,517
Floor Manager	$43,813	$3,651	$21.06	442,213
Night Manager	$41,998	$3,500	$20.19	384,150
Co-Manager/Store Manager	$41,516	$3,460	$19.96	359,826
Lead Manager	$101,883	$8,490	$48.98	385,395

Top companies hiring restaurant general managers now:

Which companies pay restaurant general managers the most?

Restaurant general manager salaries at Tesoro and Morton's The Steakhouse are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average restaurant general manager salary at companies like On The Border and Romano's Macaroni Grill are highly competitive.

Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate
1	Tesoro	$95,842	$46.08
2	Morton's The Steakhouse	$80,313	$38.61
3	On The Border	$79,058	$38.01
4	Romano's Macaroni Grill	$78,951	$37.96
5	Club	$74,114	$35.63
6	Firebirds Wood Fired Grill	$69,726	$33.52
7	Sage Hospitality Group	$69,152	$33.25
8	Hersha Hospitality	$69,022	$33.18
9	Highgate Hotels	$68,805	$33.08
10	Radisson Hotels International Inc	$68,074	$32.73
11	Sage Hospitality	$68,060	$32.72
12	Hyatt Hotels	$67,981	$32.68
13	HEI Hotels & Resorts	$67,851	$32.62
14	Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants	$67,847	$32.62
15	Radisson	$67,512	$32.46
16	Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts	$67,343	$32.38
17	Montage Hotels & Resorts	$67,261	$32.34
18	Skyline Chili	$67,169	$32.29
19	Memphis Country Club	$66,998	$32.21
20	Which Wich	$66,969	$32.20

Wage gap by gender, race and education

$59,000$57,800$56,600$55,400$54,200$53,000

MaleFemale

Restaurant general manager salary trends

The average restaurant general manager salary has risen by $4,635 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average restaurant general manager earned $51,886 annually, but today, they earn $56,521 a year. That works out to a 4% change in pay for restaurant general managers over the last decade.

Compare restaurant general manager salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.

Average restaurant general manager salary over time

Compare restaurant general manager salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.

Restaurant general manager salary by year

Year	Avg. salary	Hourly rate	% Change
2025	$56,500	$27.17	+2.8%
2024	$55,000	$26.42	-0.1%
2023	$55,000	$26.46	+0.5%
2022	$54,800	$26.32	+1.1%
2021	$54,200	$26.04	+1.6%

Recently added restaurant general manager salaries

Company	Job	Location	Date added	Salary
Dibella's Subs	Restaurant General Manager	Fine, NY	06/30/2025	$60,000
Dibella's Subs	Restaurant General Manager	Columbus, OH	06/30/2025	$55,000
Dig	Restaurant General Manager	Philadelphia, PA	06/29/2025	$80,000
Davis	Assistant Restaurant General Manager	Davis, CA	06/29/2025	$56,349
Zaxby's	Restaurant General Manager-Immediate Opening	Jesup, GA	06/29/2025	$36,000
and Go Concepts	Restaurant General Manager	Phoenix, AZ	06/29/2025	$59,000
Taco Bell	Restaurant General Manager	Savannah, GA	06/28/2025	$55,000
Taco Bell	Restaurant General Manager	Charleston, SC	06/28/2025	$55,000
Taco Bell	Restaurant General Manager	Ellenton, FL	06/28/2025	$55,000
Auberge Resorts	Bear Restaurant General Manager	Napa, CA	06/28/2025	$110,000