General Manager (Chicago)
Position Summary The Restaurant General Manager is responsible for the overall operation, profitability, and success of the restaurant. This individual leads the management team and hourly staff to deliver exceptional guest experiences, maintain high food quality and service standards, control operating costs, and achieve financial goals. The General Manager serves as the leader of the restaurant, creating a positive work environment, developing employees, maintaining operational excellence, and ensuring compliance with company policies and all applicable health, safety, and employment regulations. Essential Duties and Responsibilities 1. Operations Management Oversee all daily restaurant operations, including opening, closing, food preparation, service, and sanitation. Ensure consistent food quality, portion control, presentation, and ticket times. Maintain company standards for cleanliness, organization, and overall restaurant appearance. Ensure compliance with food safety, sanitation, alcohol service, and workplace safety regulations, as applicable. Monitor equipment, facilities, and maintenance needs; coordinate repairs as necessary. Ensure adherence to company policies, procedures, and operating standards. 2. Leadership and Staff Management Recruit, interview, hire, train, and develop management and hourly team members. Create and maintain employee schedules based on business volume and labor budgets. Conduct performance evaluations, coaching sessions, and disciplinary actions when necessary. Foster a positive, professional, and accountable work environment. Maintain appropriate staffing levels and ensure employees are properly trained in their roles. Promote teamwork, communication, employee retention, and professional development. 3. Financial and Cost Control Manage restaurant performance to achieve sales, profitability, and budget objectives. Monitor food costs, labor costs, inventory, waste, and controllable operating expenses. Review sales reports, labor reports, invoices, and other financial performance indicators. Establish procedures to minimize food waste, theft, over-portioning, and unnecessary expenses. Oversee inventory counts, ordering, receiving, and vendor relationships. Ensure accurate cash handling, deposit procedures, and point-of-sale transactions. Develop and implement action plans to improve restaurant profitability. 4. Guest Service and Satisfaction Ensure guests receive friendly, prompt, professional, and consistent service. Address guest complaints and resolve issues promptly and appropriately. Monitor online reviews and customer feedback, implementing improvements when needed. Maintain strong guest relationships and encourage repeat business. Lead by example in delivering hospitality and exceeding guest expectations. 5. Sales and Business Development Implement strategies to increase sales, average check, and guest frequency. Execute company promotions, marketing initiatives, and seasonal campaigns. Identify opportunities for catering, private events, local partnerships, and community engagement. Monitor sales trends and develop strategies to improve performance during peak and off-peak periods. Ensure the team understands menu offerings, promotions, and suggestive selling techniques. 6. Inventory and Purchasing Maintain appropriate inventory levels and ensure products are available to meet demand. Follow established purchasing, receiving, storage, rotation, and waste-tracking procedures. Verify product quality, quantities, and delivery accuracy. Maintain effective vendor communication and ensure purchasing remains within budget. Enforce proper food storage, labeling, temperature monitoring, and FIFO procedures. 7. Reporting and Administration Prepare and submit required sales, labor, inventory, and operational reports. Review financial results and communicate performance trends and concerns to ownership or the Director of Operations. Maintain accurate employee records, schedules, training documentation, and incident reports. Ensure compliance with company administrative procedures and reporting deadlines. Participate in management meetings and implement agreed-upon action plans. Qualifications Minimum of 3–5 years of restaurant management experience preferred. Demonstrated ability to lead, motivate, and develop a team. Strong understanding of restaurant operations, food safety, labor management, and cost controls. Experience with POS systems (Tonic - a plus), scheduling platforms, inventory management, and basic financial reporting. Strong communication, problem-solving, organizational, and customer service skills. Ability to analyze financial performance and implement corrective action plans. Food safety certification required or obtainable within the timeframe established by the company. Alcohol service certification required where applicable. Physical Requirements Ability to stand and walk for extended periods. Ability to lift and carry up to 25–50 pounds, with or without reasonable accommodation, depending on job requirements. Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, including exposure to hot kitchen equipment, varying temperatures, and cleaning chemicals. Ability to perform essential job functions with or without reasonable accommodation. Work Schedule This position requires a flexible schedule, including evenings, weekends, holidays, and occasional extended hours based on business needs. The General Manager is expected to maintain a visible leadership presence during key operating periods. Performance Expectations The General Manager will be evaluated on: Sales growth and overall restaurant profitability. Food cost, labor cost, and controllable expense management. Guest satisfaction, complaint resolution, and online review performance. Food quality, service consistency, cleanliness, and food safety compliance. Employee retention, training completion, and team development. Inventory accuracy, waste reduction, and adherence to company procedures. Achievement of company goals, budgets, and operational standards. Acknowledgment This job description outlines the primary responsibilities and qualifications of the position but is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties. Responsibilities may change based on business needs. The company is an equal opportunity employer and complies with applicable federal, state, and local employment laws.
