Guest Relations Manager

Position Summary

The Guest Relations Manager is responsible for leading and developing the front door team, including Maître D’s, Hosts, and Reservationist. This role oversees all aspects of the guest experience from first touchpoint through arrival, ensuring a seamless, thoughtful, and highly personalized experience for every guest.

As the primary steward of the reservation book and front door operations, the Guest Relations Manager plays a critical role in shaping service flow, building guest relationships, and maintaining the tone of hospitality for the restaurant. This individual serves as a key liaison between the guest relations team, dining room management, and senior leadership.

This is a hands-on leadership role, requiring an active presence on the floor during service to support the team, manage the door, and ensure smooth, consistent execution across all areas of the restaurant.

Reports To : General Manager

Core Responsibilities

• Oversee all front door operations, ensuring a warm, polished, and organized guest arrival experience
• Support the door in real time during service, adjusting seating, pacing, and guest flow as needed
• Manage and optimize the reservation book to maximize covers while maintaining service standards and pacing
• Ensure all guest communication, including confirmations and special requests, is handled with care and attention to detail
• Maintain accurate guest profiles and detailed notes to deliver a highly personalized experience
• Serve as the primary point of contact for VIP guests, special accommodations, and service recovery
• Oversee and optimize the use of reservation platforms (e.g., Resy), including booking strategy and release management
• Continuously evaluate and refine reservation strategies to support business needs
• Create and manage guest relations schedules to ensure proper staffing, efficiency, and compliance with labor laws
• Recruit, train, and develop a high-performing guest relations team, including front door staff, and reservations team

Leadership & Team Development

• Lead, mentor, and develop a dining room team of 70+ employees, including servers, bartenders, hosts
• Foster and maintain a culture of accountability, professionalism, and hospitality that reflects the company’s core values
• Support AGM with all dining room recruitment, hiring, onboarding, and training
• Lead pre-service meetings for the team, setting clear expectations for each shift
• Identify and cultivate high-potential team members for growth and advancement within the organization
• Oversee training, and ongoing performance management to ensure consistency and growth across the team
• Maintain a strong presence on the floor to support, guide, and motivate the team
• Lead by example, demonstrating professionalism, composure, and a solution-oriented mindset
• Contribute to a positive, inclusive, and high-performing work environment
• Foster strong cross-functional collaboration between dining room and kitchen teams

Service & Guest Experience

• Uphold and continuously refine service standards to reflect company values and expectations
• Oversee daily dining room operations, including opening and closing, ensuring smooth and efficient service
• Maintain a strong, visible presence on the floor, anticipating guest needs and resolving issues proactively
• Act as the primary point of escalation for service-related challenges
• Support the kitchen with expediting during service
• Ensure seamless coordination between the dining room, bar, and kitchen teams
• Manage reservations and seating to optimize flow, covers, and guest satisfaction in a high-volume environment
• Uphold and refine service standards, ensuring alignment with company values
• Maintain expert knowledge of the menu, beverage program, and brand standards
• Ensure all guest-facing areas meet the highest standards of cleanliness, organization, and compliance with health regulations
• Align staffing levels with business needs, making real-time adjustments as needed
• Lead guest recovery efforts to ensure concerns are resolved and guests leave with a positive experience

Qualifications

• 2+ years of experience in a management role within a high-volume restaurant environment
• 2+ years of experience in a guest relations specific role
• Proven ability to lead large teams (50+ staff) in a fast-paced setting
• Strong knowledge of reservations, floor management, and pacing (Resy experience preferred)
• Ability to manage high-volume service while maintaining exceptional guest experience, including VIP engagement and service recovery
• Experience leading on the floor during peak service periods
• Working knowledge of labor, scheduling, and operational efficiency
• Excellent communication, organization, and composure under pressure
• Professional, accountable, and hospitality-driven
• Flexible availability, including evenings, weekends, and holidays
•  Ability to stand and walk for extended periods (8+ hours), and to crouch, bend, and lift or move 25+ lbs, with or without reasonable accommodation