In the hospitality arena, outlets consist of bars, restaurants, cafes, room service and other establishments for food and beverage in a hotel or resort. These food or drink stops can offer convenient service for hotel or resort guests. Outlet managers take charge of these places in the hotel. The following explanation of the job duties, qualifications and career prospects reflect how running food and beverage outlets in a hotel may differ from standalone restaurants or other retail places.
What Does an Outlet Manager Do?
Outlet managers hold many of the basic duties common to managers in retail and service industries. As a result, the skill set will in many cases follow those of, for example, retail store managers. However, the description of the outlet manager’s responsibilities and ability to fulfill them takes into account the specific nature of the hospitality and food and beverage industries.
Outlet Manager Job Description for Resume — Responsibilities
- Train and supervise cooks, servers, bartenders and other outlet or dining room staff
- Schedule staff shifts and ensure sufficient level of workers
- Assign outlet employees to specific tasks
- Enforce company service standards
- Ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations on food handling, sanitation and workplace safety
- Track inventory of food, ingredients, condiments and beverages
- Order food, beverages and supplies and advise upper level management of equipment needs
- Request repairs and maintenance to equipment or other areas of outlet
- Advertise or publicize menu and beverage selections
- Create and manage budgets for outlet operations
Outlet Manager Required/Essential Skills
Detail-Oriented. The outlet manager job description calls for attention to details imposed by particular standards of the company and health and safety agencies. For instance, certain foods must be stored at particular temperatures, while other regulations prohibit food preparation in certain areas. The manager must ensure cooks or bartenders correctly size portions and integrate ingredients according to recipes or customer preferences.
Interpersonal. Outlet managers need the patience and courtesy to respond to customer requests and complaints about the quality of service, food and beverages. Tactfully handling declined credit cards and disputes among employees and from customers over charges constitute part of the interpersonal skill set.
Management. To efficiently run outlets, the managers must be able to clearly instruct employees on standards imposed by the company and regulations. Management skills also include the ability to anticipate times of high numbers of guests and diners and schedule and staff personnel accordingly.
Math. The ability to perform basic calculations and measurements helps outlet managers prepare and oversee budgets, compute revenues and expenses, track quantities of food and ingredients and properly charge guests.
Record-keeping Organization, memory and attention to comments or observations help outlet managers keep records of inventory, safety and sanitation inspections and sales.
Becoming an Outlet Manager
Prospective outlet managers spend years becoming familiar with the food, beverage and hospitality industry. Post-secondary education and work experience build the necessary background and qualifications for those pursuing outlet management positions.
Education and Training
As a general rule, outlet managers should have at least an associate’s degree or bachelor’s degree in hospitality management or a related field. Hospitality programs cover management-related topics such as finance, accounting, human resources, business, operations of hotels and restaurants, sales and marketing. Students also take classes more specific to outlets, such as food or beverage preparation and sanitation.
Companies and colleges afford aspiring managers training in the facets of food and beverage operation and management. Recent graduates of four-year or associate-level hospitality or food and beverage programs may enter management trainee programs. In the training, participants learn on a practical basis the standards of food safety, sanitation, food and beverage preparation and management of staff.
Corporation or establishment-led training in particular exposes candidates to specific items and services offered by the company, as well as the company’s brand, history and overall culture.
Work Experience
Outlet managers generally need at least five years experience in the food and beverage industry. Some applicants can qualify with a combination of a post-secondary degree and experience in hospitality management and food and beverage operations.
To acquire experience in the industry, aspiring managers usually start as wait staff, bartenders, servers, cooks and hosts or hostesses. Other entry-level work can include housekeeping, room service or front desk agents or clerks. Supervisory positions in kitchens, standalone restaurants or other food or beverage establishments can furnish management experience necessary to run a food and beverage outlet.
With food service management experience, specialized food safety training and passage of a test, outlet managers earn the status of Foodservice Management Professional from the National Restaurant Education Foundation. The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) awards a Food Protection Managers Certification (FPMC) to those who pass a food safety examination.
Work Schedules
Typically, outlet managers log full time hours and, on occasions, may work beyond 40 hours per week. Shifts depend on the hours at which the outlet operates. In many resorts or hotels, restaurants open early for breakfast and reopen late afternoon for dinner. Some establishments may open outlets from early morning to late evening or nighttime. As resorts and hotels operate seven days a week, outlet managers can expect to work weekends and many holidays.
Career Prospects
In 2016, travel and tourism in the United States generated $1.5 trillion of economic activity. Deloitte reports that spending in global business travel reached $1.5 trillion in 2015.
These figures suggest a continued demand for outlet managers to run the hotel restaurants, room service operations and other food and beverage outlets. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of “Food Service Managers” overall should rise by five percent, or by 15,700, by 2024. Depending on the company, though, only one outlet manager may be hired to run all of the food and beverage operations at the hospitality establishment. Such consolidation may reduce some hiring of outlet managers.
Conclusion
Becoming an outlet manager in a resort or other lodging requires a union of skills in management to a background in hospitality or food and beverage service. Mastering these skills and knowledge requires many years of education, training and experience. Upon achieving the qualifications, aspiring outlet managers can find ample job prospects in the continually active hospitality sector.