Restaurant Operations Manager

Milwaukee, WI, USA|

Job Overview

Benefits

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Life insurance

short term disability

long term disability

Pension Plan

401(k)

Paid Time Off

Employee assistance program

Tuition Reimbursement

Meal Discount

Childcare discount

Paid holidays

Calm app subscription

Telemedicine access

Job Description

First Watch is a renowned leader in the Daytime Dining sector, passionately serving made-to-order breakfast, brunch, and lunch with a focus on using only the freshest ingredients. Boasting an innovative "Follow the Sun" culinary philosophy, First Watch curates a chef-driven menu that changes multiple times per year to showcase the highest-quality flavors at their seasonal peak. This approach allows them to offer elevated takes on classic favorites alongside fresh juices like the Kale Tonic, and signature dishes such as Lemon Ricotta Pancakes, the Quinoa Power Bowl, and their famous Million Dollar Bacon. The brand is deeply committed to its community, donating a portion of every kid’s meal served to impactful organizations, having raised approximately $2.3 million to date. Recognized multiple times for excellence, First Watch earned the title of #1 Best Breakfast by Newsweek's Readers' Choice Awards 2025 and was named the #1 Most Loved Workplace in America for 2024 and 2025 by the Best Practice Institute, accolades highlighted by The Wall Street Journal. Currently operating over 660 restaurants across 33 states, First Watch is steadfastly dedicated to quality, hospitality, and community, continuously redefining the daytime dining experience. For more details, visit www.firstwatch.com.

First Watch is hiring a Restaurant Operations Manager who thrives on mornings, the aroma of fresh breakfast fare, and possesses a genuine passion for serving others. This role transcends traditional management boundaries by blending responsibility for both kitchen and dining room operations into one cohesive leadership position. Managers at First Watch not only ensure outstanding customer service and food quality but also foster a positive, empowering environment where team members are coached and developed to excel in their roles. The company prides itself on its "YOU FIRST" philosophy, prioritizing employee satisfaction and empowerment — enabling staff to make decisions that enhance the customer experience. This leadership position involves enforcing a chef-curated menu with strict adherence to recipes, achieving and surpassing sales and guest traffic goals, and upholding the high standards associated with the First Watch brand. The Restaurant Operations Manager executes daily operational tasks, supervises team performance, addresses maintenance and repair needs promptly, and maintains strict standards for food safety and employee conduct. Additionally, this role includes responsibilities such as recruiting and training new team members, securing company assets, managing daily revenues and deposits, and completing all necessary administrative paperwork punctually. Benefits for this position include no night shifts ever, career growth opportunities, quarterly performance bonuses, a comprehensive benefits package including health, dental, vision insurance, life and disability coverage, 401(k) retirement program, employee assistance programs, childcare support, paid time off, premium wellness app access, tuition reimbursement, and more. This position exemplifies First Watch’s values by fostering an atmosphere of respect, development, and exceptional daytime dining experiences for every guest and team member alike.

Job Requirements

high school diploma or equivalent
previous experience in restaurant management or supervisory role
food safety certification required
ability to work early morning shifts
strong leadership and team management skills
excellent communication and organizational abilities
capability to handle customer and employee concerns promptly
proficiency with point of sale systems and basic computer operations
must be able to multitask and thrive in a fast-paced environment

Job Qualifications

experience in restaurant management or similar leadership roles
certification in food safety
strong communication and interpersonal skills
ability to coach and develop team members
knowledge of daily restaurant operations and sales goals
understanding of high-quality food preparation and service standards
problem-solving and conflict resolution abilities
basic administrative skills
commitment to company core values and culture

Job Duties

learns and supports our you first culture and core values
puts their supervisory skills to work making sure daily operations runs according to plan and with high standards
understands that we source great food for a reason and that our recipes must be followed
knows the restaurant sales and traffic goals and works to exceed them
coaches and observes the first watch five steps of service being implemented at every table
understands the background story of our 10 commitments and puts them into action
responds with a sense of urgency to both customer and employee concerns
communicates and takes immediate ownership of repair and maintenance issues
is certified in food safety and identifies and coaches in all areas of safe food handling
is continuously scouting for and interviewing candidates to join our team
keeps our company assets secure including computers point of sale security systems and equipment
understands the key responsibilities of every position in the restaurant
puts an immediate stop to any inappropriate behavior investigates as needed
trains coaches and develops team members daily
recognizes performance that goes above and beyond
accounts for all daily revenues and deposits
completes our admin duties and gets required paperwork in on time