Restaurant General Manager

Restaurant General Manager

Location: San Francisco, CA
Employment Type: Full-Time
Compensation: Competitive salary based on experience, plus performance incentives

About Us

We are a fast-paced, independently owned San Francisco restaurant company committed to fresh ingredients, consistent food quality, exceptional hospitality, and a clean, welcoming environment. We serve local residents, tourists, families, late-night guests, and corporate catering clients.

We are looking for an experienced and hands-on General Manager who can lead our team, strengthen daily systems, control costs, and deliver an outstanding experience for every guest.

Position Summary

The General Manager is responsible for the restaurant’s overall performance, including daily operations, employee leadership, guest service, food quality, labor management, cost control, health and safety compliance, catering execution, and sales growth.

This is a working management position. The ideal candidate is comfortable leading from the floor, supporting the kitchen during busy periods, solving problems quickly, and holding employees accountable in a professional and respectful manner.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage all front-of-house and back-of-house operations
• Recruit, onboard, train, schedule, coach, and retain employees
• Establish clear expectations and hold the team accountable for performance
• Conduct daily pre-shift meetings and ongoing employee training
• Maintain friendly, professional, and consistent guest service
• Monitor order accuracy, ticket times, food presentation, and customer satisfaction
• Respond promptly and professionally to guest concerns
• Ensure recipes, portions, preparation methods, and quality standards are followed
• Monitor food costs, waste, inventory, purchasing, and vendor pricing
• Manage employee schedules and control labor costs and overtime
• Ensure employees clock in, clock out, and take required meal and rest breaks
• Maintain compliance with California labor laws and company policies
• Enforce food-safety procedures, including temperature logs, sanitizer checks, proper labeling, storage, and cleaning
• Maintain readiness for health department inspections
• Complete opening, closing, cleaning, safety, and management checklists
• Manage cash handling, deposits, register reconciliation, refunds, and voids
• Review sales, labor, food costs, and other performance reports
• Coordinate catering orders with customers, kitchen employees, and delivery teams
• Ensure catering orders are accurate, properly packaged, and completed on time
• Help increase restaurant sales through upselling, catering, local outreach, and excellent service
• Communicate regularly with ownership regarding results, challenges, staffing, and improvement plans
• Protect company property and maintain a safe, respectful workplace

Qualifications

• At least 3 years of restaurant management experience
• Experience managing both front-of-house and back-of-house operations
• Strong leadership, communication, organization, and problem-solving skills
• Proven ability to train employees and improve team performance
• Understanding of food cost, labor cost, inventory, scheduling, and restaurant profitability
• Knowledge of food safety and California employment requirements
• Ability to remain calm and make sound decisions in a fast-paced environment
• Comfortable using POS, scheduling, payroll, and reporting systems
• Availability to work evenings, weekends, holidays, and changing schedules as needed
• Valid California Food Protection Manager certification, or ability to obtain one
• Spanish-English bilingual ability is strongly preferred
• Catering and high-volume restaurant experience are preferred

What We Are Looking For

Our ideal General Manager:

• Leads by example and is not afraid to work alongside the team
• Treats employees and guests with respect
• Is dependable, punctual, organized, and accountable
• Pays close attention to cleanliness, quality, portions, and service
• Understands how to balance hospitality with profitability
• Identifies problems early and follows through until they are resolved
• Can build a positive culture while maintaining strong standards
• Takes ownership of the restaurant’s results

Performance Expectations

The General Manager’s performance will be evaluated based on:

• Sales growth
• Labor and overtime control
• Food-cost and waste management
• Guest satisfaction and order accuracy
• Food quality and consistency
• Cleanliness and health-code compliance
• Employee training, attendance, and retention
• Catering accuracy and on-time completion
• Completion of required operational checklists

Physical Requirements

• Ability to stand and walk for extended periods
• Ability to lift and carry up to 50 pounds
• Ability to work around hot cooking equipment and in a busy kitchen environment
• Ability to perform opening, closing, and operational duties as necessary

Benefits

Benefits may include:

• Competitive salary
• Performance-based bonus opportunities
• Employee meals and discounts
• Paid sick leave and other benefits required by law
• Opportunities for advancement as the company grows
• Supportive, locally owned work environment

How to Apply

Please submit your résumé along with a short explanation of your restaurant management experience. Include examples of how you have improved restaurant operations, controlled labor or food costs, trained a team, or increased sales.

We are an equal-opportunity employer. We consider qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

Taqueria Zorro is a lively, high-volume taqueria in San Francisco’s North Beach, serving authentic Mexican dishes with fresh ingredients and five-star hospitality. Locally owned and community loved, we offer a fun, fast-paced work environment with opportunities to grow. Join a team that values quality, teamwork, and making every guest feel like family.