Restaurant Manager Resume: Guide & Top Tips
Between recruiting and overseeing your employees, juggling customer complaints, and ensuring the smooth running of our eatery, do you really have time to revise your Restaurant Manager resume in anticipation of your next job? Worry not, as our professional resume temples do the work for you!
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If you have your sights set on becoming a restaurant manager, the first thing to realize is that it’s going to take a five-star resume to land a job in this field.
What might be on the menu when considering the details needed to put together a strong resume?
Before you prepare your application for the role you want, some food for thought would be:
- Which format would work best for my resume?
- How should I place essential skills in a resume for a restaurant management position?
- What other details could I add to my resume that might whet the appetite of a hiring manager?
By following our advice and checking out our resume examples, you’ll soon have all the info you need to put your resume at the front of the house!
So, get ready to feast your eyes on restaurant manager resume examples to help you create the type of document you need to land your dream job.
Before long, you’ll have all the ingredients you need to use our resume builder to whip up the sort of restaurant manager resume that will open the doors to your future.
Restaurant Manager Resume Sample
For the main entrée of this article, we present a restaurant manager resume sample to inspire you when it comes to writing yours.
[Robert Cooke]
[Restaurant Manager]
[ NJ 08000 | 201-555-9469 | r.v.cookefoodboss@randomemail.com ]
Summary
Customer-oriented, experienced restaurant manager with 5+ years of experience leading in a fast-paced food establishment. In addition to providing exceptional customer service, also proven success in team building, revenue management, and marketing development. Leadership practices led to decreased staff turnover, increased customer satisfaction, innovation in menu planning, growth in brand recognition, and improvement in profits.
Experience
Restaurant Manager
01/2020 to Current
The Food House, Paterson, NJ
- Oversaw and increased sales of food and beverage and ensured satisfactory dining experience for all patrons.
- Designed and modified budgets.
- Monitored restaurant operations expenditures and revenue.
- Hired, trained, and supervised staff of 12 servers, busboys, hostesses, and kitchen personnel.
- Created staff schedules and coordinated responsibilities.
- Managed supply inventory.
- Conducted periodic reviews of and oversaw changes in food and beverage menus.
- Directed changes in suppliers leading to decreased ingredient costs and higher profit margins for select menu items.
- Developed training and employee incentive programs leading to 20% increase in retention.
Assistant Restaurant Manager
01/2018 to 12/2020
The Food House, Paterson, NJ
- Oversaw employee tasks to ensure compliance to federal and local safety and food sanitation standards.
- Assisted in the control of daily expenses relating to restaurant operations.
- Designed promotional programs to increase sales.
- Directed personnel in the cleaning and maintenance of restaurant equipment.
Education
Bachelor of Science in Hotel and Restaurant Management, 2018
University of North Texas – Denton, TX
Relevant coursework: Restaurant Management, Food Production Management, Dining Room Service, Food Service Operations, Quality Service Management, Food Cost Control and Analysis, Hospitality Marketing
Skills
- Accounting procedures
- Budget development
- Knowledge of labor laws
- Understanding of food safety/sanitation laws
- Customer service orientation
- Planning and organizational skills
- Strong communication skills
- Attention to detail
- Time management
Accomplishments
- Introduced an improved storage process leading to a 5% decrease in food waste. Maintained no lower than a 96 sanitation rating from the state health inspection office between 2020 – present.
- Reached a 6% reduction in variable costs through control of overtime hours and decreased inventory waste.
Sample for Entry Level Restaurant Manager Resume
If you’re just starting out in the field, your resume might not have all the ingredients of a seasoned restaurant manager’s resume. Here is an example of what yours might look like in this case:
[Darcy Barr]
[Restaurant Manager]
[ NJ 07000 | 973-555-0729 | missdarcy.barr.1200@randomemail.com ]
Career Objective
Passionate, hardworking individual with strong background in management seeking to fill a Restaurant Manager position in a busy establishment. Looking to leverage exceptional customer service and leadership skills to maintain a desirable dining experience for patrons. Bringing demonstrated ability to increase employee productivity and revenue performance.
Experience
Manager
08/2021 to Present
Sew What, Teaneck, New Jersey
- Oversee daily operations of arts and crafts store including scheduling, promotions, marketing, and accounting.
- Maintained store website.
- Hired and trained staff of six employees.
Education
Associate of Applied Science in Hospitality Management
2021 Middlesex College – Edison, NJ
Completed required coursework addressing:
- Foodservice sanitation
- Food purchasing and cost control
- Food and cooking fundamentals
- Marketing for the hospitality industry
- Quantity food production and menu design
- Management and leadership in the hospitality
- Accounting practices for hotels and restaurants
Skills
- Retail operations
- Staff development
- Customer interaction
- Accounting skills
- Attention to detail
- Organizational and planning
- Written and oral communication
Dishing Out the Right Format for Your Restaurant Manager Resume
While there’s no hard and fast rule for preparing your resume, it’s most effective to list your experience first, immediately following a career objective or summary.
Since a good restaurant manager must often wear many hats, such as finance manager, staff trainer, menu planner, inventory controller, and customer service manager, a list of your skills should be served up early in the resume.
Did you have a hand in increasing the patronage of a specific establishment? Play a role in helping a restaurant save money through inventory control or reach a higher sanitation rating? Maybe you redesigned the menu or improved overall dining experience?
Do not have any reservations about adding any of these types of accomplishments to your resume.
To get some ideas, check out our professional resume templates. You’ll find exactly what you need to turn a resume from what might be a “blue-plate special” into a main entrée!
Starting Off Your Best Restaurant Manager Resume
You don’t start a menu with the side items, right? For your resume summary or objective, you’ll want to get right into the meat of what you have done and can do.
If you have specific experience in the food industry, great. If not, then highlight the skills and abilities that will easily translate into a restaurant management role. These might include management experience, leadership capabilities, customer service experience, and performance evaluation.
💡 Top Tip
If you were hiring yourself for this job what would you want to know about yourself immediately based on its job description? This can help you write the summary.
Wrong ❌
Restaurant manager with some experience in the food industry seeking greater responsibilities in an active food preparation environment. Completed extensive hours in menu planning, customer satisfaction, and restaurant operations.
While it contains a few elements of what a hiring manager might look for, this example is as bland as white rice.
Right ✅
Results-driven and motivated Restaurant Manager with 4+ years of experience in the food service industry. Adept at developing strategies designed to enhance customer satisfaction, expand menu offerings, and grow revenue. Proven success in areas of cost control, food sanitation, and sales acceleration. Extensive knowledge of Italian and Mediterranean cuisines.
A professional summary with the right garnishments such as this will surely draw more attention and get your resume a seat at the chef’s table!
Serving Up Your Experience on a Restaurant Manager Resume
As in food service, presentation is everything when it comes to your resume.
If your career summary or resume objective is your appetizer, your Experience section is the list of entrees. Add all the details you can. Make it shine!
💡 Top Tip
You can add any food service or culinary internship that might have been part of your educational experience to your work history.
Wrong ❌
Restaurant Manager
April 2019 – April 2020
Top Eats N Treats, Setauket, NY
- Opened and closed restaurant during weekends.
- Managed staff of waiters, busboys, and cooks.
- Decided on daily lunch specials Friday – Sunday.
This cold dish would be sent right back to the kitchen in any respectable restaurant.
Time to turn and burn this section and provide the details that will get your resume to stand out like a signature dish.
Right ✅
Restaurant Manager
April 2019 – April 2020
Top Eats N Treats, Setauket, NY
- Increased favorable dining experience for diners, resulting in 4.9-star rating (up from a previous 4.2 rating) from Google Reviews.
- Reworked menu, eliminated six items, introduced four new dishes while reducing menu pricing and overall food supply costs for a net revenue increase of 12%.
- Introduced the use of customer comment cards, receiving a 98% approval rating and positive reviews.
- Streamlined communications and processes between BOH and FOH staff, increasing delivery of meals to tables by an average of 2.3 minutes.
- Developed training processes for kitchen staff, reduced turnover by 5%.
- Managed job recruiting and training processes for waiters, waitresses, and busboys.
- Redesigned kitchen stocking schedule, leading to reduced wait times for some menu items that resulted from re-stocking issues.
- Created all staff schedules on a daily basis, greatly reducing understaffing issues.
Even if you don’t have experience in specific restaurant management duties, you still might be able to cook up a tasty section if you know how to build up your accomplishments and achievements in any managerial role.
Like this:
Experience
Manager
Pro Records, Astoria, NY
August 2021 – Present
- Recruited, hired, and trained all staff.
- Oversaw promotional strategies leading to 10% increase in brand recognition.
- Redesigned store layout for shopper comfort, resulting in a 97% favorable response from store patrons and a 6% increase in sales.
- Integrated new inventory software to streamline ordering/stocking process.
- Handled all accounting processes, including payroll, vendor payments, and other expenditures.
While you may not have a professional background in food preparation or service, you still have the abilities many restaurants would love to have in their management staff.
Hiring, training, promotions, inventory management, and accounting are all important duties for successful restaurant managers, and a restaurant would have NO reservations hiring someone with a proven track record in these areas.
Prepare Your List of Restaurant Manager Resume Skills
You wouldn’t list side items on a menu without revealing the main entrees, right?
For a restaurant management resume, you can mention or supply examples of skills in your Experience section, but it stands out to a hiring manager when they can see a list of those skills on a resume.
So, be sure to put together a combo of hard and soft skills that will really appeal to any restaurant hiring manager.
Soft Skills
Communication
Customer Service
Collaboration
Team Building
Decision Making
Creativity
Adaptability
Hard Skills
Restaurant Operations
Food Safety Standards
Food Sanitation Guidelines
Regulations Compliance
Food Inventory Control
Menu Planning
Catering Management
This menu of skills is quite impressive; however, do not simply use this list. It’s best to review the job description of the position you are applying for and select those attributes that a particular employer is seeking.
Make Sure Your Education Section Has All the Ingredients It Needs
You can approach the education section of your resume in a number of ways.
If you have obtained a diploma, certificate, or degree in restaurant management, hospitality management, or a related area, that would be all you need to list on the resume.
Certifications
Certificate in Hospitality Restaurant Management
Wake Technical Community College, Raleigh, NC
2021
Or, if you are currently pursuing a degree, you can add relevant coursework:
Education
Majoring in Restaurant & Foodservice Management
University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL
Expected Graduation: 2022
- Relevant Coursework: Restaurant Management; Foodservice Marketing, Sales, and Distribution; Supply and Procurement Management; Food, Beverage, and Labor Cost Controls; Catering and Banquet Organization; Restaurant Leadership Strategies
If you have restaurant management experience, you would typically list that before your education; if not, but you have earned or are completing a degree program, then you would list your education before your experience.
💡Top Tip
Look over the job posting for the position you are pursuing for the educational requirements they are seeking.
Restaurant Manager Resume Sample: Extra Sections
If you belong to any professional associations, hold any relevant certifications, or have even held any volunteer positions in the foodservice industry, you could add a few extra sections to your resume to convey these details.
Some professional memberships you might want to list are:
- National Restaurant Association
- Association of Nutrition & Foodservice Professionals (ANFP)
- Society for Hospitality and Foodservice Management (SHFM)
- International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP)
Professional federal, state, or local certifications you should include:
- Certified Food Manager (CFM)
- Foodservice Management Professional® (FMP®)
- Certified Professional – Food Safety (CP-FS)
- ServSafe® Manager Certification
Any volunteer positions held at a local food bank, community meal program, or a church food pantry are noteworthy and should be added under a “Volunteer” heading.
Key Takeaway
Armed with all of the information you need to create an effective restaurant manager resume, the table is now set for you to go out and land the job you’re seeking.
Use our resume templates in your preferred format (Google Docs or Microsoft Word) to create, edit, and download a customized resume that is sure to get a starred review.
Remember to follow our tips!
- Start off with a powerful objective or summary.
- Emphasize duties and accomplishments in the experience section.
- List all skills to underscore your ability to take on the demands of a restaurant manager job.
- Name relevant certifications, awards, volunteer positions, and other credentials to showcase your knowledge and successes in food service.
With a resume that’s been cooked to order, you’re well on your way to starting a mouthwatering career in restaurant management.
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