How to write an effective restaurant manager cover letter
Restaurant managers have many essential responsibilities within the service industry including managing staff, resolving customer conflicts, and ensuring a restaurant operates smoothly. To become a restaurant manager, you must write a cover letter that captivates the attention of employers.
In this guide, we will teach you how to write an effective cover letter as a restaurant manager in 5 easy steps. Keep reading to learn all about:
- How to craft your restaurant manager header & headline
- Why you should tailor your cover letter for each specific employer
- What details you need to include in your cover letter introduction
- Ways to describe your skills & accomplishments as a restaurant manager
- How to give your restaurant manager cover letter a persuasive conclusion
1. How to craft your restaurant manager header & headline
The first step any restaurant manager must take when writing a cover letter is to create a header and headline. These are important elements that help create a strong first impression on employers.
Your cover letter header is the first bit of information an employer will see and is located at the very top of the document. This header should include:
- Your name and professional title
- Your professional contact information
- The name of the restaurant or establishment you are applying to
- The address of the restaurant or establishment
Here is an example of a well-formatted restaurant manager header
Jack Jills, Restaurant Manager
(123) 456-7890 | jackjills@email.com | linkedin.com/in/jack-jills
To: Mountain Top Restaurant & Resort
Management Department
1234 Street Address
Denver, CO, 80014
With your header in place, you will now create your cover letter headline – a short title statement that should include:
- A keyword related to the position
- An eye-catching number or trigger word
- A powerful adjective or verb
- A promise to the employer that the letter is written specifically to them
Here is an example of an effective restaurant manager headline, followed by a brief breakdown of its main parts
How My 3-Step Approach to Restaurant Management Can Benefit Your Establishment
Trigger Word/Number: 3-Step Approach
Keyword: Restaurant Management
Adjective/Verb: Benefit
Promise: Your Establishment
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2. Why you should tailor your cover letter for each specific employer
After you have finished up your header and headline, you will now begin the tailoring process for your cover letter. To tailor a cover letter means to edit the information and details to be as relevant to a specific employer as possible, requiring you to research the restaurant thoroughly.
As you research the restaurant, look for key details such as:
- What the company’s values and current goals are
- What the company looks for in its staff members
- Who at the company is responsible for reviewing job applications
This last detail will be used to create a personalized greeting – a type of greeting that addresses a specific person by name – that indicates to the employer the level of research you have completed.
Here are 3 examples of personalized cover letter greetings
- Dear Mrs. Jane Doe,
- Dear Restaurant Supervisor Jane Doe,
- To Mrs. Jane Doe & the Management Team,
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3. What details you need to include in your cover letter introduction
Now that you have all the information you need to tailor and personalize your cover letter, it’s time to write your introductory paragraph.
To make a restaurant manager introduction compelling, you must include:
- An overview of your professional history (years of experience, specializations, etc.)
- An opening statement on why you are a great fit for this company
- A mutual acquaintance (when possible) – including a mutual acquaintance can be a major power move, as it provides the employer with a trusted professional reference immediately.
Pro Tip: To grow your professional network and gain more potential mutual acquaintances, build a professional profile on LinkedIn and connect with colleagues in your industry.
Here is an example of an excellent restaurant manager cover letter introduction
Dear Restaurant Supervisor Jane Doe,
I am a talented restaurant manager with 7+ years of experience working in fast-paced, fine dining environments. In my previous position, I worked with Ms. Kate Miller – an incredibly skilled bartender who now works as a bar manager at your establishment. Ms. Miller informed me of this management opening at your restaurant and strongly recommended I apply.
4. Ways to describe your skills & accomplishments as a restaurant manager
With your introduction out of the way, it’s time to jump into your body paragraphs where you will provide greater detail and insight into your best skills and accomplishments as a restaurant manager.
As you describe your skills and accomplishments, make sure to include details that are highly relevant, contextual, and quantifiable. Remember that this information shows the employer the value you can bring to their restaurant, so make it as specific as possible.
Here are 6 great restaurant management skills to consider describing in a cover letter
- Staff supervision
- Hiring and onboarding processes
- Knowledge of restaurant safety standards
- Exceptional verbal communication
- Bookkeeping and basic accounting
- Schedule management
Here is an example of how to describe an accomplishment in a restaurant manager’s cover letter
As a restaurant manager at [Former Employer], one of my core objectives set forth by my former employer was to find ways to cut back on staffing expenses. By re-organizing the seating arrangements and developing a new schedule with more efficient shift blocks, I was able to reduce staffing expenses by 45%.
5. How to give your restaurant manager cover letter a persuasive conclusion
To conclude your restaurant manager cover letter, you need a persuasive closing statement that includes:
- An enthusiastic sentence saying you are looking forward to hearing from them
- How and when they can contact you
- When you intend to follow up
- A formal sign-off
Here is an example of an effective closing statement from a restaurant manager's cover letter
If selected as your new restaurant manager, I am confident I can provide your team with the support and leadership needed to succeed. I greatly look forward to hearing from you and am available Mondays through Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. The best way to reach me is at (123) 456-7890. I plan to follow up next Wednesday if I have not yet heard back.
Warm Regards,
[Applicant Name]
If you have ever wondered how a cover letter differs from a resume, this article will tell you everything about the key differences between the two.
