Why do you need a good restaurant general manager?
A good restaurant general manager is a critical piece of a restaurant’s success. The general manager plays a pivotal role in overseeing all aspects of the restaurant’s operations, ensuring that it runs smoothly, efficiently, and profitably while providing exceptional service to customers. For owners, you’ll want a partnership with someone you can fully trust. It’s important to take your time with the hiring process and find the right person to assist you with running your business.
Where to find quality restaurant general manager candidates?
Before you can ask your interview questions, you’ll need to find general manager candidates for your restaurant. You can post your job listing through Grub Gigs to help you find quality candidates who love the restaurant industry. When you post with us, your jobs are distributed to Google For Jobs so they show up in the search results if someone searches “restaurant manager jobs near me”. This can help you find local candidates who are looking to work specifically as a restaurant GM in their community. We also have a talent pool of restaurant industry workers that you can search through to find potential candidates.
Other websites like LinkedIn and Indeed can also be good resources for finding experienced general managers for your restaurants. Another great strategy is to check out local culinary schools, job fairs, industry meetups, and professional associations in your area. These events are great for making connections in the industry!
What to look for on your general manager candidate’s résumé?
When you’re reviewing applications for your general manager position, you should look for several key qualifications and skills. Candidates should have a strong background in the restaurant industry, including experience in supervising staff, scheduling, training, and overseeing day-to-day operations. Check for experience in budgeting, cost control, and P&L management. A good general manager should have a solid understanding of financial principles and be able to manage expenses while maximizing profits.
The best applicants likely have relevant training or education, such as a degree in hospitality management or certifications in food safety and management. Skills to look for include problem-solving, communication, sales and marketing, and leadership.
Closely evaluating the resumes will help ensure you’re only considering top candidates for the position and giving your restaurant the best chance at success! Once you have your applicants narrowed down, you can begin the interview process.
Interview Questions For A Restaurant General Manager
During the interview process, you’ll need to ask questions to evaluate your potential hires. Asking strong questions helps open up the conversation, and helps you get to know the person better. When trusting someone with running your restaurant, you’ll need to know how they will handle themselves, and whether or not they’ll be a fit for you and your staff. While the decision in the end is up to you, here are some potential interview questions to ask a restaurant general manager candidate.
Experience and Motivation:
- Can you describe your experience managing a restaurant or food service establishment?
- What motivated you to pursue a career in restaurant management?
Leadership and Team Management:
- How do you handle stressful situations in a fast-paced restaurant environment?
- Can you discuss your approach to managing and motivating a diverse team of restaurant staff?
- How do you handle conflicts or disputes among restaurant staff members?
- What steps do you take to foster a positive work culture within the restaurant team?
- Can you discuss your experience with training and developing restaurant staff members?
- How do you prioritize tasks and manage time effectively as a restaurant manager?
- How do you ensure that the restaurant maintains high standards of cleanliness and sanitation?
- How do you handle situations where restaurant equipment or technology malfunctions?
- How do you ensure that the restaurant is compliant with all local and state regulations?
- Can you discuss your experience with crisis management and emergency preparedness in a restaurant?
- What steps do you take to promote teamwork and collaboration among restaurant staff members?
- How do you stay motivated and maintain a positive attitude as a restaurant manager, especially during challenging times?
Customer Service and Satisfaction:
- What strategies do you employ to ensure excellent customer service in your restaurant?
- Describe a situation where you had to deal with a difficult customer. How did you handle it?
- How do you handle complaints or feedback from customers to ensure their satisfaction?
- How do you ensure that the restaurant maintains a positive online reputation through reviews and social media?
- How do you handle situations where a customer has a special dietary requirement or food allergy?
- Have you ever implemented a strategy for getting more customer reviews?
- Describe what good customer service in a restaurant means to you.
- Describe your approach to creating a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere for customers and staff alike.
Operations and Efficiency:
- What methods do you use to assess and improve restaurant efficiency and productivity?
- Can you provide an example of a time when you successfully implemented cost-saving measures in a restaurant?
- Can you discuss your experience with inventory management and controlling food costs in a restaurant?
- Can you discuss your experience with financial management and budgeting in a restaurant?
- Describe your approach to creating and updating restaurant menus to meet customer preferences and dietary trends.
- How do you go about creating and updating restaurant menus to meet customer preferences and dietary trends?
- How do you handle situations where restaurant sales are lower than expected?
- How do you handle situations where restaurant sales are higher than expected, leading to increased demand?
- How do you ensure that the restaurant remains competitive in the local market?
- Describe your approach to implementing and enforcing restaurant policies and procedures.
- Can you discuss your experience with sustainability initiatives in the restaurant industry?
Marketing and Promotion:
- What strategies do you use to promote the restaurant and attract new customers?
- Can you provide examples of successful marketing initiatives or promotions you’ve implemented in the past?
- Can you provide examples of successful partnerships or collaborations you’ve established for the restaurant?
Menu Management and Food Quality:
- Can you discuss your experience with menu engineering and optimizing menu profitability?
- What measures do you take to prevent and address customer complaints related to food quality or service?
- Can you discuss your experience with food sourcing and vendor management in a restaurant?
Financial Management:
- How do you handle situations where a staff member is consistently underperforming?
- Describe your approach to managing cash flow and handling financial transactions in a restaurant.
- What measures do you take to ensure that the restaurant is adequately staffed during peak hours?
Staffing and Operations:
- How do you ensure that all restaurant staff members adhere to health and safety regulations?
- Can you share your approach to scheduling staff and managing labor costs in a restaurant?
- How do you handle situations where restaurant staff members aren’t following established protocols?
- What steps do you take to ensure that the restaurant is compliant with all local and state regulations?
- What measures do you take to prevent and address employee theft or dishonesty in a restaurant?
Performance Evaluation and Development:
- Describe your approach to creating and implementing employee performance evaluations in a restaurant.
- How do you handle firing an employee?
- Describe your approach to creating and implementing employee training programs in a restaurant.
These questions should help get you a good idea of who your candidate is, the skills they have for the position, how they would perform in the role, and how they would fit into your company culture. Their answers will help you determine whether or not they’re the right fit for your team.
Finding a great restaurant manager is a critical piece in your business success, so take your time during the evaluation process, have follow-up interviews, and perform background checks. You should contact their previous employers to make sure they’re trustworthy enough to lead your business.
We wish you luck as you search for the best staff for your restaurant! Be sure to check out our blog for more hiring tips.