Finding the best manager for any restaurant is tricky; there are many great managers out there who may not be right for your restaurant. There are also managers who have experience but don't get the best results. So, with that in mind, here are some questions you must ask any potential manager for your restaurant.

Were Their Restaurants Successful?

You want to see that your new manager has years of successful experience in restaurant management. Let them back up that claim with the facts. Those could be statistics on how each of their restaurants was performing before, during, and after their tenure as manager. It could be statistics on how they improved a specific part of the restaurant's business, such as their sales or ratings.

What Is Their Niche?

The right manager for your restaurant should also have experience relating closely to what your restaurant does. Someone who comes from a background in dealing with an affordable family restaurant setting is probably not the right person to take on a role in a trendy, small shop that focuses on quality and smooth service. Make sure that the manager has the right personality fit to deliver high quality service to your patrons and deliver appropriate training and feedback to staff.

What Do They Specialize in?

Each manager may have a task that they are particularly good at accomplishing. Some managers like to come into a new restaurant and help set the tone of the restaurant for years to come. Other managers are more interested in making a restaurant more efficient by streamlining inventory or managing food waste. Yet other managers are best at working with poorly-received restaurants to improve ratings. Find someone who's passionate about the stage your restaurant is in.

What Are their Strengths and Weaknesses as a Manager?

Every restaurant manager is human. That means they will have hard and soft skills that they are better or worse at. This is simply something to know about the person you're hiring; you may need supporting staff that are better at certain aspects to compensate for the weaknesses of your manager. Better yet, hire a food service management services consultant to handle some of the aspects of management that your restaurant leader needs help with. If you completely take their weakest job tasks off of their plate and outsource them to a knowledgeable consultant, you can help your new manager shine in the aspects of the job where they stand to deliver the most value.