Restaurant Manager
Also advertised as: Assistant Restaurant Manager, Deputy Manager (Hospitality), Food and Beverage Manager, General Manager (Restaurant), Restaurant General Manager, Restaurant Manager
Runs the daily operation of a restaurant, from staffing to customer experience and profit.
What the job involves
Restaurant managers are responsible for everything that happens on the floor and behind the scenes during service, including staffing, stock, health and safety, and customer satisfaction. You set rotas, manage budgets and step in whenever something goes wrong during a busy service. Most managers work up through front of house or kitchen roles first.
Typical responsibilities
- Manage front of house and kitchen staff rotas
- Oversee stock ordering and cost control
- Ensure food hygiene and licensing compliance
- Handle customer complaints and feedback
- Monitor sales and profitability
Common employers
- Restaurant chains
- Independent restaurants
- Hotels
- Pub groups
Pay, hours and working environment
Typical pay
£24,000 – £28,000 a year
With experience
£32,000 – £42,000 a year
Typical hours
45+ hours including evenings and weekends
Working environment
Restaurant floor and kitchen, on your feet all shift
Remote working
on_site
Demand for this work
steady
Pay ranges are indicative guidance drawn from advertised UK vacancies and published careers information. They are not an offer, and actual pay varies by employer, location and experience.
Skills and qualifications
Core skills
- Leadership
- Financial management
- Customer service
- Problem solving under pressure
- Health and safety knowledge
Transferable skills you may already have
- Hospitality shift work
- Team supervision
- Cash handling
Requirements employers ask for
- Leadership
- Financial management
- Customer service
- Problem solving under pressure
- Health and safety knowledge
- GCSEs including maths and English
- Level 2 Food Safety
- Personal Licence
- Level 2 Food Safety
Useful but not essential
- Hospitality shift work
- Team supervision
- Cash handling
- Hospitality management degree or Level 4 qualification
- Personal Licence for alcohol sales
Helpful qualifications
- Hospitality management degree or Level 4 qualification
- Personal Licence for alcohol sales
Licences and checks
- Personal Licence
- Level 2 Food Safety
Ways into this career
A degree is only one route. Where an apprenticeship, work-experience or qualification route exists, it is listed here alongside the academic option.
Apprenticeships and work-based routes
- Hospitality Team Member (Level 2)
- Hospitality Manager (Level 4)
Degree and college routes
- Related subject: Hospitality and catering
- Related subject: Business studies
Where this career can lead
next
Multi-site Restaurant Manager
next
Area Manager
next
Operations Director
The good parts and the hard parts
What people enjoy
- Fast progression for capable staff
- Every day is different
- Transferable leadership experience
What people find hard
- Long unsociable hours including weekends
- High pressure during busy services
Common questions
- Do you need a degree to become a restaurant manager?
- No. As well as degree routes, this career can be entered through an apprenticeship or by building experience and qualifications on the job. not_required
- How much does a restaurant manager earn in the UK?
- Typical advertised pay runs from £24,000 to £28,000 a year, rising towards £42,000 with experience. Figures are indicative guidance rather than an offer.
- What skills transfer into this career?
- Skills that transfer well include Hospitality shift work, Team supervision, Cash handling.
Related careers
Bar and Waiting Staff
Serves food and drink, looks after guests and keeps service running smoothly.
Chef
Prepares and cooks food to standard, and helps run the kitchen section.
Hotel Manager
Runs a hotel: guest experience, staff, revenue, standards and budgets.
Events Coordinator
Plans and delivers events, from logistics and suppliers to the day itself.
Sous Chef
Deputises for the head chef, running sections of the kitchen and supervising chefs.
Kitchen Manager
Manages the business side of a kitchen, including staffing, budgets and compliance.
Where this information comes from
- National Careers Service
- Institute for Apprenticeships
Last reviewed 14 September 2026.
Read how our career data is built and reviewed, or tell us if something here is wrong.