Restaurant Manager

Job role: Cafe manager / executive Department: Hotel and restaurant operations Location: South India (Karnataka, Goa & Kerala) Experience: Minimum 2 years About The Hosteller The Hosteller is India's largest self-operated backpacker hostel chain, with 70 properties across North and South India. We are a people-first brand built around travel, community and shared experiences. Our cafes sit at the heart of that. They are where travellers eat, work, meet each other and stay long after the plate is cleared. At The Hosteller you'll be part of a fast-growing, entrepreneurial environment where ownership is encouraged and growth is real. Role overview This role runs the cafe as a business, not a service station. You own an 80 to 100 cover outlet attached to a backpacker hostel, serving a crowd of in-house travellers and walk-in guests, from early breakfast through to late evening. The scope covers the full outlet: floor service and guest experience, kitchen coordination and food quality, menu and pricing execution, food cost and wastage, inventory and purchase, hygiene and statutory compliance, cash and billing accuracy, and the cafe team itself. Everything runs on documented SOPs, a QR-based digital menu and ordering system, and the GO dashboard, so accurate records matter as much as good food. How the two levels differ? The role is the same. The scope of judgement is not, and you'll be placed at the level you're ready for. Executive, 2 to 4 years - Runs shifts independently on the floor and in the kitchen pass. Owns service quality, order accuracy, hygiene routines and daily reporting. Handles standard guest complaints and refers exceptions up. Reports to the cafe manager, GM or AGM. Manager, 4 years and above - Owns the cafe's commercial and quality outcome end to end. Controls food cost, wastage, purchase and inventory. Rosters, trains and appraises the team. Handles escalations and statutory inspections. Reports to the GM or AGM, dotted to the corporate chef and Area Manager. Key responsibilities 1. Own the guest's F&B experience end to end Greet and seat guests warmly, guide them through the QR menu, and make ordering effortless for guests who are new to it. Know the menu completely, including allergens, spice levels, vegetarian, vegan and jain options, and preparation times. Read the table correctly, whether it's a solo traveller working through the afternoon, a group settling in for the evening, or a guest who needs to eat and leave in twenty minutes. Check back after service, and mean it. 2. Run the floor Manage service across 80 to 100 covers through peak breakfast, lunch and dinner without letting standards slip. Control table turns, waiting time and seating flow. Keep dining areas, table settings, service stations, crockery and cutlery clean and correctly set at all times. Ensure the outlet opens ready and closes properly, with opening and closing checklists completed, not signed blind. Drive average spend per cover through genuine recommendation rather than pressure: suggest what suits the guest, and let specials, combos and beverages do the work. 3. Kitchen coordination and food quality Work the pass with the kitchen so orders go out complete, correct, at the right temperature and within the committed turnaround. Check every plate before it leaves. Send back anything that doesn't meet standard, and hold that line even at peak. Communicate item unavailability to the floor and update the digital menu immediately, so guests never order something the kitchen can't make. 4. Food safety, hygiene and compliance Enforce food safety and hygiene standards without exception: personal hygiene and grooming, handwashing, temperature control, storage and labelling, FIFO rotation, allergen handling, pest control and waste segregation. Maintain the FSSAI licence, statutory registers and inspection readiness at all times. Cooperate with local health and food safety authorities and keep the relationship professional and cordial. Report any food safety incident immediately, the same day, with full detail. 5. Cost, inventory and cash Control food cost, portion cost and wastage against target, and investigate variance rather than explaining it away. Run daily and periodic stock counts, indent accurately, and manage local purchase for quality and rate. Reconcile billing, cash, digital collections and complimentary or staff meals daily. Ensure every order is billed, every void is authorised, and the books match the plates. 6. Complaints, recovery and reporting Handle food and service complaints promptly and professionally, log them per the food complaints SOP, and apply the cancellation, replacement and refund policy consistently rather than by feel. Identify repeat complaints as a systems problem, not a one-off, and fix the cause. Submit daily sales, cost, wastage and stock reports to HO on schedule, and raise requirements through the correct escalation route with supporting detail. Qualifications Diploma, graduate or post-graduate in hotel management or a relevant hospitality course Minimum 2 years in a restaurant, cafe, QSR, hotel, hostel or guest house F&B outlet. Manager level requires prior outlet-level P&L or supervisory experience. Hands-on knowledge of F&B service operations across breakfast, all-day dining and beverages. Barista or bar exposure is an advantage Working knowledge of a POS and digital ordering systems, plus comfort with stock trackers, indents and daily reporting formats Outstanding spoken and multi lingual expert High attention to detail, particularly on hygiene, portioning, billing and stock Willing to work rotational shifts, split shifts, weekends and peak season Flexible to relocate anywhere across South India