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Restaurant manager

Run a restaurant so customers can enjoy delicious food and good service, and the business makes a profit.

About skillsGetting in

About the job

Salary

Source: National Careers Service

Weekly

£346

Entry level

£538

Experienced

Monthly

£1,500

Entry level

£2,333

Experienced

Yearly

£18,000

Entry level

£28,000

Experienced

9,300

people are currently employed

High growth

700 more jobs in 5 years

These figures refer to this job and similar ones with comparable skills and qualifications. They only apply to Scotland. Source: Oxford Economics

What it's like

You would run a restaurant so that customers can enjoy delicious food and good service. You’d be responsible for making sure that the restaurant runs efficiently and makes a profit.

You could work in:

  • Hotels

  • Small independent restaurants

  • Restaurants that are part of a large chain

  • Fast food outlets

You would:

  • Advertise vacancies and recruit staff

  • Make sure staff are fully trained

  • Keep staff motivated to provide the highest standard of service

  • Organise staff shifts and rotas

  • Order supplies

  • Monitor and control finances

  • Ensure strict hygiene, health and safety rules are followed

If you own the restaurant, you would work closely with the chef to select recipes and create menus.

Hours

Your working hours would include evenings, weekends and public holidays. Shift work and split shifts (working mornings and evenings, with time off in the afternoon) are common. Overtime may often be required around important events, for example Christmas or Easter.

Environment

You would usually be based indoors, splitting your time between the front of the restaurant and the kitchen.

Travel

There may be travel involved for meetings or to provide cover for other restaurants within the same company.

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Top skills

Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!

It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.

Here are some of the skills you'll need to do this job:

  • taking responsibility
  • motivating others
  • making decisions
  • delegating
  • managing resources
  • developing a plan
  • problem solving
  • verbal communication
  • cooperating

Your skills are important

Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.

Discover skills

Getting in

Explore the sections shown for more information about getting into this career.

You might have qualifications which are not shown here but will allow you access to a course. You can compare your qualifications by looking at their SCQF Level. For more information about this, check out the SCQF website.

Always contact the college, university or training provider to check exactly what you'll need.

Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:

  • Business Management

  • Food Health and Wellbeing

  • Hospitality: Practical Cookery

  • Skills for Work: Hospitality

  • Foundation Apprenticeship: Business Skills

You can get a head start in this career by doing a Foundation Apprenticeship in S5 and S6.

You'll get an SCQF level 6 qualification which is the same level as a Higher. You'll also learn new skills and gain valuable experience in a work environment.

Discover what's on offer at your school on  Apprenticeships.scot.

You would need a Higher National Diploma (SCQF level 8) or a degree (SCQF level 9/10) in hospitality management or business. Or relevant work-based experience and qualifications such as a Scottish Vocational Qualification in Hospitality: Supervision and Leadership (SVQ level 3) or Institute of Hospitality Certificate or Diploma.

You can enter Higher National Certificate (SCQF level 7) or Higher National Diploma courses (SCQF level 8) with National 4/5 qualifications and one to two Highers or equivalent qualifications.

To enter a degree (SCQF level 9/10) usually requires National 5 qualifications and a minimum of threeHighers or a relevant HNC/HND. 

Qualifications and experience that show an understanding of the industry, customer care and management skills such as Skills for Work Hospitality (SCQF level 4/5).

Relevant work-based qualifications such as Scottish Vocational Qualifications in Hospitality (SVQ level 2/3/4) or Management (SVQ level 3/4/5).

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