The General Manager is responsible for overseeing the overall operation, service execution, financial performance, team culture, guest experience, safety, compliance, and daily management of the restaurant, bar, and event-related food and beverage operations. This role reports directly to management/ownership and is expected to provide visible, hands-on leadership during key service periods. The General Manager ensures the operation maintains high standards, consistent communication, disciplined controls, and a guest-focused culture.

Core Responsibilities

Restaurant and Daily Operational Leadership

• Lead daily restaurant operations with clear standards and consistent follow-through.

• Ensure the outlet is properly prepared for each shift, including staffing, cleanliness, reservations, guest flow, service readiness, and manager coverage.

• Maintain a strong floor presence during service.

• Set expectations for team members and department leaders, ensuring accountability for service, compliance, guest satisfaction, and professionalism.

• Conduct regular pre-shift meetings to communicate reservations, VIPs, events, menu updates, service priorities, and guest concerns.

• Ensure opening, closing, side work, cash handling, and service checklists are completed consistently and verified by management.

Communication

• Maintain timely and professional communication with management/ownership.

• Provide clear updates regarding staffing, service issues, guest complaints, event execution, maintenance needs, revenue performance, and operational risks.

• Acknowledge leadership communications promptly and provide expected completion timelines when follow-up is required.

• Escalate urgent matters early, including guest incidents, safety concerns, equipment failures, staffing gaps, payment issues, and major service failures.

Guest Experience and Service Standards

• Set and enforce elevated service standards for restaurant, VIPs, private events, and special occasions.

• Ensure all guests are greeted, served, and assisted professionally and consistently.

• Monitor guest feedback, online reviews, and other feedback channels to identify trends and improve operations.

• Handle escalated guest concerns with urgency, professionalism, and proper documentation.

• Ensure service recovery efforts are appropriate, controlled, and aligned with company standards.

• Maintain a hospitality culture focused on warmth, attentiveness, professionalism, and guest retention.

Food Quality, Menu Execution, and Culinary Coordination

• Partner with culinary leadership to ensure consistent food quality, presentation, timing, cleanliness, and menu execution.

• Ensure menu items are available, accurately described by staff, and served according to established standards.

• Monitor ticket times, guest comments, food returns, waste, and service breakdowns to identify corrective actions.

• Support effective communication between front-of-house and back-of-house teams.

• Ensure food safety, sanitation, storage, labeling, temperature logs, and health department requirements are followed and documented.

Financial Oversight, Revenue Protection, and Cost Control

• Drive financial performance through disciplined labor control, revenue protection, cost awareness, and service quality.

• Monitor daily sales, labor, covers, average check, discounts, voids, comps, gratuities, service charges, and payment activity.

• Ensure cash handling, credit card processing, gift cards, house accounts, and payment procedures are properly followed.

• Review revenue trends and collaborate with leadership on pricing, promotions, events, menu strategy, and revenue opportunities.

• Protect the business from unnecessary discounts, revenue leakage, poor documentation, and uncontrolled service recovery.

• Maintain appropriate cost controls without compromising guest experience, food quality, safety, or brand standards.

POS, PMS, Systems, and Reporting Discipline

• Ensure proper use of POS systems, payment systems, reservation systems, and reporting tools.

• Ensure guest room charges, guest checks, service charges, tips, discounts, voids, and end-of-day reports are accurate and properly documented.

• Maintain access controls and protect confidential guest, employee, and financial information.

• Ensure managers and staff are properly trained on systems relevant to their roles.

• Review daily reports and ensure errors are corrected promptly.

• Coordinate with hotel and corporate leadership when POS, PMS, payment, or reporting issues affect operations.

Human Resources, Hiring, Training, and Team Culture

• Lead hiring, onboarding, training, coaching, scheduling, and performance management for restaurant and service team members.

• Ensure staffing decisions align with approved staffing plans, business levels, and company standards.

• Maintain a fair, respectful, and professional workplace where employees are held accountable and treated consistently.

• Ensure employees receive proper training in service standards, safety, food handling, alcohol service, cash handling, guest interaction, and company policies.

• Address performance concerns promptly through coaching, documentation, retraining, or escalation as appropriate.

• Monitor morale, turnover, workload, scheduling balance, and team communication to maintain a stable and productive work environment.

Cleanliness, Maintenance, and Inspection Readiness

• Maintain the restaurant in a clean, organized, and inspection-ready condition.

• Ensure daily walkthroughs are completed and deficiencies are assigned, corrected, and rechecked.

• Ensure health department, fire safety, alcohol service, and company inspection requirements are followed.

• Protect the physical condition, appearance, and reputation of the outlet through consistent upkeep and accountability.

Safety, Security, and Risk Management

• Ensure the outlet operates safely and follows company safety procedures, emergency procedures, and incident reporting standards.

• Ensure accidents, injuries, guest incidents, intoxication concerns, property damage, theft, and security issues are reported and documented promptly.

• Proactively identify operational risks and take corrective action before issues escalate.

Reputation, Sales Support, and Business Development

• Support the growth of the restaurant through strong guest experiences, local reputation, events, private dining, and repeat business.

• Identify opportunities to improve restaurant visibility, guest engagement, social reputation, and community presence.

• Ensure the team understands current promotions, events, offerings, and guest service expectations.

Physical and Operational Requirements

• Ability to stand, walk, and move throughout the restaurant for extended periods.

• Ability to work evenings, weekends, holidays, private events, and peak service periods based on business needs.

• Ability to lift, push, pull, or carry up to 25–50 lbs. occasionally using safe lifting practices.

• Ability to manage multiple priorities under pressure while maintaining a calm, professional, guest-focused leadership presence.

• Ability to communicate clearly with guests, employees, vendors, and ownership.

GM Experience Required: 2 years+

Publié Le 17 Août 2026

General Manager - Fine Dining

South Orange County Restaurant