Restaurant Manager

Our Why

Vision: To build a Great and Caring Company

Mission: To deliver the Ultimate Guest Experience by serving quality food, consistently, in a clean and safe environment, by people who care and who are willing to go the Second Mile to make a difference.

Purpose: To make a difference in the communities in which we live and serve.

Our Core Values — PRIDE

Our values define how we expect one another to show up every day.

P — Take Pride in Your Work

We care about the details. We take ownership of our restaurant, our appearance, our performance, and the experience we create.

R — Be Resourceful

We solve problems. We think critically, take initiative, and find a way forward rather than waiting for someone else to solve the problem.

I — Serve with Integrity

We do what is right, even when no one is watching. We are honest, trustworthy, and consistent in our decisions.

D — Be Dependable

We do what we say we will do. Our team, our guests, and our leaders can count on us.

E — Do Everything with Excellence

We pursue a high standard in everything we do. Excellence is not perfection – it is consistently giving our best and continually getting better.

Role Purpose

The Restaurant Manager is responsible for leading the restaurant, developing people, protecting the business, and delivering the Ultimate Guest Experience. The Restaurant Manager serves as a primary leader of the restaurant and is accountable for ensuring each shift operates safely, efficiently, profitably, and in alignment with our mission, vision, purpose, and core values.

The Restaurant Manager is expected to:

Know the business.

Own the operation.

Develop people.

Protect the business.

Create exceptional experiences.

Most importantly, the Restaurant Manager should help us fulfill our vision of building a Great and Caring Company by creating a restaurant where people want to work, guests want to return, and the community is better because we are there.

The Restaurant Manager Leadership Model — SERVE

Our Restaurant Managers lead through five consistent behaviors:

S — Scan the Business

Know what is happening in the restaurant.

• Understand business performance and key metrics.
• Review the Daily Report.
• Review CARES calls, voicemails, and other guest feedback.
• Conduct restaurant and facility walkthroughs.
• Conduct and Review RSA
• Identify operational, guest, team, and facility opportunities.
• Understand what is happening now and what needs attention next.

Manager Question: What is happening in my restaurant, and what does it need from me?

E — Execute Operations

Own the shift and deliver the standard.

• Complete the Manager Daily Checklist.
• Complete effective shift setup.
• Lead talent deployment and productivity.
• Manage breaks and labor.
• Monitor speed of service and car counts.
• Maintain cleanliness, safety, food quality, and operational standards.
• Enforce uniform and appearance standards.
• Resolve guest concerns.
• Make real-time adjustments when the operation requires them.
• Hold team members and leaders accountable to expectations.

Manager Question: Is the restaurant operating at the standard our guests and team deserve?

R — Report the Shift

Communicate what happened and what happens next.

• Maintain the Transfer Log.
• Maintain the Discipline Log.
• Maintain the Change Fund Log.
• Maintain the Warmer Log.
• Maintain the Car Count Log.
• Enter complete and accurate Shift Notes.
• Communicate significant guest, team, facility, cash, and operational issues.
• Complete effective transitions between leaders.
• Ensure the next leader understands the current state of the business.

Manager Question: Does the next leader know what happened, what is happening, and what needs to happen next?

V — Value the Team

Build people while building the business.

• Lead by example.
• Coach in the moment.
• Recognize positive behaviors and performance.
• Hold people accountable with care.
• Develop Assistant Managers and emerging leaders.
• Provide meaningful feedback.
• Support training and onboarding.
• Create an environment where people know what is expected of them.
• Use recognition intentionally to reinforce our culture.
• Help team members become better because they worked with us.

Manager Question: Are the people I lead better because I lead them?

E — Elevate the Experience

Go the Second Mile.

• Create an exceptional guest experience.
• Look for opportunities to exceed expectations.
• Serve with genuine hospitality.
• Protect food quality and consistency.
• Maintain a clean and safe environment.
• Respond to guest concerns with care and urgency.
• Look for ways to make a difference in the lives of team members, guests, and our community.
• Pursue continuous improvement rather than settling for "good enough."

Manager Question: How can I take this experience from good to great?

Core Areas of Accountability

Business Management

The Restaurant Manager is responsible for understanding and managing the health of the business.

Responsibilities include:

• Complete Daily Report.
• Review CARES calls.
• Review voicemails.
• Complete and Review RSA.
• Complete and follow up on CFA Help Tickets.
• Monitor business performance.
• Identify trends and opportunities.
• Communicate important business information to leadership.

Operations Management

The Restaurant Manager owns the execution of the restaurant's operational standards.

Responsibilities include:

• Complete Manager Daily Checklist.
• Conduct restaurant and facility walkthroughs.
• Enforce uniform standards.
• Resolve guest problems.
• Complete shift setup.
• Manage breaks.
• Manage productivity.
• Monitor speed of service.
• Monitor car counts.
• Maintain cleanliness and safety standards.
• Maintain food quality and operational standards.
• Adjust the operation in real time to meet business needs.

Cash Management

The Restaurant Manager protects the financial integrity of the restaurant.

Responsibilities include:

• Verify large bills.
• Manage cash tills/drawers.
• Manage change funds.
• Process Paid In/Out transactions.
• Verify TBC and collected sales.
• Approve refunds within established guidelines.
• Submit cash deposits.
• Manage Loomis deposits.
• Investigate and address cash shortages.
• Ensure cash handling procedures are followed consistently.

Shift Management

The Restaurant Manager ensures each shift is accurately documented and effectively transitioned.

Responsibilities include:

• Transfer Log
• Discipline Log
• Change Fund Log
• Warmer Log
• Car Count Log
• Shift Notes
• Shift-to-shift communication
• Follow-up on outstanding issues

Key Performance Indicators

Restaurant Managers are accountable for understanding and influencing the following measures:

Operations

• Productivity
• Speed of Service
• Car Counts

Guest Experience

• CEM
• Smart Shops
• CARES calls and guest feedback

Financial Controls

• Cash Shortage
• TBC / Collected Sales
• Labor and productivity

Managers are expected not only to know the numbers, but to understand the behaviors that drive them and take action when performance is below expectation.

Daily Leadership Rhythm

Opening Manager

Check

• Complete Opening Checklist.
• Review Business Management.
• Understand the current state of the business.

Execute

• Lead Operations Management.
• Establish expectations.
• Set the restaurant up for success.

Report

• Document important Shift Management information.
• Communicate priorities and opportunities.

Transition

The outgoing and incoming Restaurant Managers intentionally transition the business.

The transition should cover:

• Business performance
• Guest experience
• Team member needs
• Productivity
• Speed of Service
• Car Counts
• Cash
• Facility/equipment concerns
• Operational opportunities
• Outstanding tasks
• Priorities for the next shift

Closing Manager

Check

• Review Business Management.
• Evaluate the day's performance.

Execute

• Lead Operations Management through the close.
• Reset the restaurant for the next day.

Report

• Complete Shift Management documentation.
• Enter thorough Shift Notes.
• Communicate follow-up needs.

Close

• Complete Closing Checklist.
• Ensure cash, facility, cleanliness, equipment, and security procedures are complete.

What Great Restaurant Managers Do

A great Restaurant Manager:

Takes PRIDE in the restaurant. They care about the details and take ownership.

Is RESOURCEFUL. They solve problems instead of passing them along.

Leads with INTEGRITY. They do the right thing even when it is difficult.

Is DEPENDABLE. Their team and leaders know they can be counted on.

Pursues EXCELLENCE. They refuse to settle for "good enough."

They SERVE their restaurant by:

Scanning the Business.

Executing Operations.

Reporting the Shift.

Valuing the Team.

Elevating the Experience.

Ultimately, the Restaurant Manager's job is bigger than running a shift. It is to build a Great and Caring Company—one team member, one guest, and one shift at a time.

Working at a Chick-fil-A® restaurant is more than a job – it’s an opportunity for teamwork and leadership development in a positive, people-focused environment. Most Chick-fil-A restaurants are locally owned and operated by independent, franchised Operators who invest in the future of their Team Members and give back to their communities.