What to Expect as a Restaurant Assistant Manager

By Brittany Loeffler on September 20, 2017

One of the most difficult and exciting industries to work in is the food industry. Whether you are a waitress, line cook, or the restaurant’s assistant manager, you will always be moving and will never feel like your day repeats itself.

As a restaurant assistant manager, you acquire much more responsibility than someone working on the floor of the restaurant. You are required to play multiple roles when needed, stay calm in intense situations, and help the restaurant manager run the restaurant smoothly.

via Pixabay

Job description

As a restaurant assistant manager, your main job is to, well, assist the manager with anything they need. You will be responsible for the operations of the restaurant and know company policies as well as do paperwork. This may include calculating budgets, payroll, and coming up with schedules. You must be knowledgeable of everything that goes on in the restaurant because when the manager is either out sick or on vacation, you will step in and play the role of manager. That means you will be responsible for overseeing the work of a number of people.

You will be expected to not only fill in for the manager but also for a waitress, bartender, host, or help in the kitchen. It’s important to know that the role is versatile when needed. You may also be expected to lead training and hire staff.

via Pixabay

Education requirements

Depending on where you apply, you typically do not need a degree or even a high school diploma to become a restaurant assistant manager. The skills and knowledge needed for the role can’t be learned in a classroom but from the experience of working in a restaurant. It can, however, put you ahead of other applicants if you do have a degree in hospitality or management.

Expected pay

Different than a waitress, restaurant assistant managers are paid salary on average around $36,200 per year. You may be able to receive bonuses and pay raises depending on the company or restaurant.

via Pixabay

Customer service

Just because you are responsible for operations behind the scenes doesn’t mean you get to skip out on offering excellent customer service as a restaurant assistant manager. When there is an unhappy customer and they demand to speak to the manager, this responsibility may fall on you depending on if the manager is busy or not. Your job is to calmly address the situation and satisfy the customer the best you can.

via Pixabay

Multi-skilled

As a restaurant assistant manager, you will be pulled in all different directions throughout your shift. The manager may need you to assist them with some tasks or a waitress may have a complaint about the restaurant that you need to address.

It’s essential that you are able to multitask and have multiple skills in order to fulfill all of the necessary duties handed to you. If you need to stand in for a waitress, you must know how to take orders, turn them into the kitchen, and take care of customers at the table.

via Pixabay

Leadership

Holding a higher position in a company requires you to oversee the work of employees and staff. This means that you are responsible for making sure the wait staff and cooks are doing their jobs well and efficiently. Your team should look up to you and respect the authority that you hold.

This also means that it is necessary for you to have excellent leadership skills such as listening attentively to your staff, delegating work, and offering a good work experience.

via Pixabay

Office work

If you were working on the floor of the restaurant before, as the assistant manager, you will most likely be in the office more often. Get used to doing paperwork and working on the computer rather than interacting with customers. This part of the job also requires you to be very organized and good at prioritizing tasks. Be prepared to sometimes stay late after the restaurant closes to sit in the office and review numbers from the day while the staff goes home to their families.

Room for advancement

A benefit of being a restaurant assistant manager is that there is room for advancement. If you enjoy working in the restaurant industry and want to gain more responsibility and an increase in pay, you may look into becoming the restaurant manager. After years of experience in the food industry, you may even decide to open your own restaurant. After working in a management position at a restaurant, this gives you a great advantage for opening a successful restaurant.

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