Restaurant Manager careers guide & job profile

Getting into restaurant management careers

Every morning you’ll go into work, survey the restaurant and know this is your world, your castle – and you rule your domain. You’ll have tasted life on the restaurant floor as waiting staff, and maybe you’ll even have worked in a kitchen. You’ll know how to inspire your workers with a vision of delicious food for all. You’ll know what makes customers want to visit your restaurant and come back time and time again.

But a thriving restaurant that’s on everyone’s lips isn’t just about great food and amazing service. You’ll have a real business head on your shoulders, too. From how much money is going out to how best to make money come in, you’ll oversee every aspect of the business.

Working hours

It is not uncommon for a restaurant manager to work over 40 hours a week, often including weekends and evenings.

Shift work and working on public holidays is also typical.

When considering this role, it is important to remember that you must be willing to work until the job is completed, which may mean overtime.

Useful skills to put in your CV for restaurant manager jobs:

• ability to lead and motivate a team of staff
• awareness of hygiene, and health and safety regulations
• a flexible and hands-on approach to work
• problem-solving ability
• strong planning and organisational skills
• ability to work independently and make decisions confidently
• strong written and oral communication skills
• ability to cope under pressure in a fast-paced environment
• good business awareness

How do you get these skills?

Vocational qualifications and work experience will help you build these skills over time.

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School, College And Training

You’ll find GCSEs at grades 9-4 (A* to C) useful, especially in English and maths. You could also build up your skills and knowledge with a hospitality qualification. No-one magically knows how to run a great restaurant – there’s so much to learn, and a specialised qualification can help!

When considering what you need to enter the hospitality industry, practical experience, strong interpersonal skills and an understanding of business are key. Having a degree is not always a necessity as it’s possible to train on the job and work your way up into the role of a restaurant manager.

Hospitality Apprenticeships

If you want to get straight into a role and don’t have directly relevant qualifications or experience, you can train on the job and earn money at the same time by taking an apprenticeship in hospitality.

These are available at different levels. After gaining some experience you could take the:

• Hospitality and Catering Apprenticeship
• Food and Beverage Catering Management Apprenticeship
• Hospitality Management Higher Apprenticeship
• Level 3 Hospitality supervisor advanced apprenticeship
• Level 4 Hospitality manager higher apprenticeship

Once you are ready, the GOV.UK Find an Apprenticeship service can help you to find suitable positions.

Developing Your Skills With Training

If you want to develop your skills in the industry, the type of training opportunities available usually depend on the size of the restaurant you’d be working for and whether it’s an independent operation or part of a chain.

Larger restaurant chains typically offer structured training schemes, while independent restaurants are more likely to offer informal on-the-job training.

Key training areas include:

• First aid
• Health and hygiene
• Management skills

Career Progression

You might think that as a restaurant manager you’re already at the top of the food chain. However, with time and experience you could expand your reach to become a regional restaurant manager for larger chains.

You could also take your skills in a slightly different direction and become a hotel manager. Once you’ve got management experience in the catering industry, a lot of career doors are wide open to you.

Hospitality Management Training

Many large restaurant and fast food chains have management trainee schemes. A foundation degree or degree (along with hospitality and catering experience) will help you successfully apply for these.

A hospitality management trainee scheme is a not-to-be-missed way to work your way into catering management when you’re still young. You’ll gain insider knowledge and hands-on experience on the way, while getting a salary at the same time.

If you are currently working in a restaurant role you could develop your management skills by taking a relevant hospitality qualification such as:

• Level 3 Diploma in Hospitality Supervision and Leadership
• Level 4 Diploma in Hospitality Leadership

Hospitality Graduate Schemes

If you are interested in joining a graduate recruitment scheme you will need a degree. These schemes are usually available with large restaurants and fast-food chains. Having a degree in the following subjects could be beneficial when applying; business or management, hospitality management or hotel and catering.

Structured management training schemes for graduates generally last between 12 and 18 months. During this time, you could expect to gain practical experience within each function of the restaurant and be assigned a mentor to help you during your initial months.

Who Can Help?

Many professional bodies also offer a range of training opportunities, including activities that count towards continuing professional development (CPD). Find out more below:

• Hospitality Guild – lists training courses including college-based qualifications and apprenticeships, regulation and licensing courses, and CPD options.
• Institute of Hospitality – offers a range of hospitality-related qualifications, professional development workshops, webinars, online courses and networking events.
• UKHospitality – hosts various events across the year and provides publications and resources for members.

Work Experience Tips

You can start off building a relevant CV by getting work (part or full time) as counter service staff or waiting staff. This will help you learn the ins-and-outs of what it takes to make sure a restaurant runs smoothly. Whenever you take on a role – whether it’s customer service or catering or anything else – aim to soak up as much as you can, always put in that little bit extra into everything you do, and put yourself forward as someone your managers can trust to handle extra responsibility. That’s a good way to become a team lead.

• Planning menus
• Managing work shifts and rotas for everyone
• Keeping a firm eye on stock control and budgets
• Working with food and drink suppliers

• Sticking to licensing laws and health and safety regulations (the last thing a customer wants to see on their plate is mouse droppings!))
• Hiring (and, sometimes, firing) staff – and organising their training.

What would you like to know about catering & hospitality careers? Maybe we can help!

• Front of House vs Back of House – what’s the difference?
• Interview tips for hospitality & catering jobs
• What hospitality & catering apprenticeshps and degrees are there?
• 5 hospitality & catering career myths busted
• What types of jobs are there in the hospitality & catering industry?

See all

• graduate restaurant manager jobs
• graduate restaurant supervisor jobs

• graduate hospitality management jobs
• hospitality management apprenticeships
• hospitality leadership training

These employers all carry our Youth Friendly Employer Mark. We work with them to make sure that they are providing great support and opportunities to young people.

Click on an employer to find out more about them and the youth-friendly opportunities they offer, from work experience and apprenticeships through to graduate schemes.

These employers all carry our Youth Friendly Employer Mark. We work with them to make sure that they are providing great support and opportunities to young people.

Click on an employer to find out more about them and the youth-friendly opportunities they offer, from work experience and apprenticeships through to graduate schemes.