HorecaHire
Quick answer: A Restaurant General Manager is hired to lead a restaurant’s commercial performance, guest experience, staffing and operating standards. The exact scope depends on the property, team and authority.
Employers can use the complete advertisement below as a starting point. Replace all bracketed details with verified information about the actual opening before publishing.
Restaurant General Manager job description template (copy and customize)
Job title: Restaurant General Manager
Company: [Employer / property]
Location: [City and state]
Department: [Relevant department]
Reports to: Owner, Area Manager or Director of Operations
Employment type: [Actual arrangement]
Experience: [Relevant experience needed]
Salary: [Approved range and period]
Work schedule: [Shift, roster and rest-day details]
Role summary
We are looking for a Restaurant General Manager to join our hospitality team. This role will lead a restaurant’s commercial performance, guest experience, staffing and operating standards. You will work with relevant departments to achieve consistent standards and a positive guest experience.
Key responsibilities
- Own daily operations across dining, kitchen coordination and service readiness.
- Build sales forecasts, budgets and practical labor plans.
- Review food cost, payroll, wastage and operating variances.
- Recruit, train and coach department leaders and service teams.
- Resolve guest complaints and implement service improvements.
- Coordinate marketing promotions, menus and local partnerships.
- Maintain hygiene, equipment maintenance and documented safety procedures.
- Monitor POS accuracy, cash controls, inventory and supplier performance.
Required skills and experience
- Restaurant P&L and cost-control understanding.
- Team leadership, hiring and coaching.
- Strong guest recovery and service operations judgment.
- Comfort with POS reporting and demand forecasting.
- Ability to enforce practical operating procedures.
Benefits and working conditions
[List only genuine benefits, meals, accommodation, insurance or training opportunities, and describe the actual shift pattern.]
Application instructions
[Add the real job application link or employer-approved contact method and recruitment steps.]
How to customize this Restaurant General Manager job description
Clarify single-unit versus multi-unit authority, alcohol service where applicable, budget approval limits and the operating model. Confirm authority levels, staffing numbers, systems used and must-have qualifications. Don’t advertise unverifiable salary ranges or guaranteed benefits.
Interview questions for a Restaurant General Manager
- Which five metrics do you check daily and weekly?
- How would you improve table turnover without rushing guests?
- How would you handle persistent staff turnover?
- How do you investigate food-cost variance?
Assess answers using specific examples and documented evidence. Ask the same core questions of candidates applying for the same vacancy.
Practical skills assessment
Suggested exercise (45–60 minutes): Review a hypothetical restaurant P&L showing rising labor and food costs, then propose a four-week recovery plan that protects guest service. Share the scenario and relevant assumptions beforehand, and use fictitious commercial or guest data.
100-point hiring scorecard
| Assessment area | Points | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Role-specific technical judgment | 20 | Record observed evidence and examples |
| Planning and prioritization | 20 | Record observed evidence and examples |
| Guest or stakeholder communication | 20 | Record observed evidence and examples |
| Problem-solving and controls | 20 | Record observed evidence and examples |
| Leadership and accountability | 20 | Record observed evidence and examples |
Two reviewers can score each category from 0 to 20 before comparing notes. Define critical requirements before assessing candidates; the numerical score is a hiring aid, not a replacement for eligibility and reference checks.
Frequently asked employer questions
Can this job description be published without changes?
No. Complete every employer-specific field, check that responsibilities match the workplace and confirm actual application instructions.
Should the advertisement mention salary?
A genuine range and pay period improves clarity for applicants. Confirm the figures and follow applicable local requirements.
How should the practical assessment be adapted?
Keep the exercise relevant to the establishment and seniority. Use the same brief and scoring criteria for every candidate for that opening.
Explore more HorecaHire resources
See hospitality hiring and career guides, browse hospitality jobs or post a job on HorecaHire.
Editorial note: This is a reusable employer template, not a live vacancy. Employers should verify local requirements and all specific vacancy details.
Related HorecaHire reading: For restaurant-management KPIs, see the restaurant food cost calculation guide and the average-check and table-turnover formulas.
