Unique Challenges of Restaurant Management

Unique Challenges of  Restaurant Management

Managing a restaurant is perhaps a bit more difficult than managing a bookstore or a car showroom. Restaurant deals with food and people. It is critical combination because most people are very sensitive about their food. They like eating, they like eating well. But, the ‘other’ people that a restaurant business deals with, one that is involved in the making and presenting of the food consumed by the first lot of people, are the employees of the restaurant. Human resource management in restaurant business is not an easy task.

Restaurants therefore are divided in different work segments, with managers in each segment. Classifying the whole work team in smaller groups make it easy to manage them. The number of workers in a restaurant depends on the size of the restaurant. The whole management of the restaurant is run by a number of managers. The number of these managers also depends on the size of the restaurant and the number of employees. Usually regular descent size restaurants have a front manager, a kitchen manager and a general manager. Bigger restaurants might have more front managers, sometime one front manager and one bar manager. Bigger restaurants may also have more than one kitchen managers. General Managers, also called restaurant managers, are the ones who run the show, in coordination with all departments. General Managers take orders from the restaurant owners and CEOs, and are responsible for the successful operation of the restaurant. It is also the responsibility of the general managers to make sure the restaurant is being promoted well.

Floor managers basically take care of the front end of the restaurant – the dining area. His responsibilities would include oversee all waiting services, including arranging work schedule of all waiters, welcoming guests, waiting tables, etc. Floor managers will chiefly be the first person of contact for the patrons of the restaurant. Therefore it is a very important position in restaurant.

In big size restaurants, there are two floor managers, because of the physical size of the restaurant one may not be able to cover all floor area. At some restaurants though, there will be one floor manager and one bar manager. Bar managers overall responsibility is the bar. He keeps inventory of liquor and other drinks, keeps track of the liquid orders, assigns talk to the barmen, and maintain their work schedule. It is also the bar manager’s responsibility to conduct promotions and welcome guests in the bar area.

The responsibilities of the kitchen managers are pretty obvious. The kitchen managers responsibilities would include planning and maintaining menu in coordination with chef of the restaurant. It is also his responsibility to set the amount of preparations to be made everyday. He should make sure the kitchen remains clean and hygienic, as per the rules and regulations of the place. The duty of the kitchen manager also includes to monitor food orders and supply, and to write kitchen schedule. Food preparation time, cost analysis, quality control, verification of food and ingredient stock, also lies under the responsibility of the kitchen manager.