Restaurant Manager Job Description in the GCC: Roles, Requirements & Responsibilities

Restaurant Manager Role Overview

Restaurant managers in the GCC oversee operations in one of the world’s most vibrant and competitive food and beverage markets. The GCC’s F&B sector is valued at over USD 60 billion and growing at 7-9% annually, driven by a young population, high disposable incomes, tourism growth, and a dining-out culture that is deeply embedded in Gulf social life. With over 30,000 restaurants in the UAE alone and Saudi Arabia rapidly expanding its entertainment and dining landscape under Vision 2030, the demand for skilled restaurant management professionals is substantial and sustained.

The GCC dining scene is uniquely diverse. Fine dining establishments from internationally acclaimed chefs (Gordon Ramsay, Nobu Matsuhisa, Massimo Bottura) operate alongside regional chains (Al Baik, Shakespeare and Co., The Cheesecake Factory Middle East), fast-casual concepts (Shake Shack, Five Guys, local brands like Salt, Pickl), cloud kitchens, and traditional Arabic restaurants. Dubai alone hosts over 13,000 licensed food outlets, making it one of the most restaurant-dense cities globally per capita.

Major employers include hospitality groups such as Jumeirah Group, Emaar Hospitality (including At.mosphere, Armani Hotel restaurants), Marriott International, Hilton, Accor, and IHG which operate hundreds of hotel restaurants across the GCC. Standalone restaurant groups include Sunset Hospitality Group, Bulldozer Group, Gates Hospitality, Addmind Hospitality, and SALT in the UAE; Alamiya Food Company, Elior Group, and Barn’s Café in Saudi Arabia; and Alshaya Group which operates global franchise brands (Starbucks, The Cheesecake Factory, P.F. Chang’s) across the entire GCC region. The franchise model is particularly dominant in the Gulf, with operators like Americana Group and Apparel Group managing dozens of international brand outlets.

Restaurant management in the GCC carries specific challenges not found in Western markets. Halal compliance is non-negotiable across all GCC countries. Ramadan fundamentally transforms operations — daytime dining virtually ceases while iftar and suhoor service creates peak demand during evening and pre-dawn hours. Alcohol licensing varies dramatically between jurisdictions (available in Dubai hotel restaurants, completely prohibited in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait). Staff accommodation, transportation, and visa management are direct responsibilities of GCC restaurant operators. And the multicultural workforce — teams spanning the Philippines, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, North Africa, and Eastern Europe — requires multilingual communication skills and cross-cultural management expertise.

Key Responsibilities

A restaurant manager in the GCC manages all aspects of daily operations, financial performance, and guest experience:

Operations Management

• Oversee daily restaurant operations including opening and closing procedures, service flow management, kitchen coordination, and quality control. GCC restaurants often operate extended hours (11 AM to midnight or later), with Ramadan hours shifting entirely to evening service.
• Maintain food safety and hygiene standards in compliance with local municipality regulations. Dubai Municipality, Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA), Saudi SFDA (Saudi Food and Drug Authority), and Qatar Ministry of Public Health conduct regular inspections with strict grading systems. A failed inspection can result in temporary closure.
• Manage inventory, procurement, and supplier relationships across food, beverage, and equipment. GCC supply chains rely heavily on imports (70-80% of food is imported), making supplier management, cold chain logistics, and cost control particularly critical.
• Ensure halal compliance across all food preparation, storage, and service operations. Halal certification from recognized bodies (EIAC in UAE, SFDA in Saudi Arabia) must be maintained and documented. This extends to ingredient sourcing, kitchen equipment separation, and staff training.

Financial Management

• Manage restaurant P&L including revenue targets, food cost (typically 28-35% in the GCC), labor cost (20-30%), and operational expenses. Monthly financial reporting to ownership or corporate headquarters.
• Control costs through waste reduction, portion control, menu engineering, and procurement optimization. GCC food costs are impacted by import duties, logistics costs, and seasonal supply fluctuations.
• Implement revenue growth strategies including upselling programs, menu optimization, delivery platform management (Deliveroo, Talabat, Noon Food, Careem Food), and catering services. Third-party delivery now accounts for 25-35% of revenue for many GCC restaurants.
• Prepare and manage annual budgets with monthly variance analysis. GCC restaurant budgets must account for Ramadan revenue shifts, summer slowdown (June-August) in some markets, and peak season surges (October-April in Dubai).

Team Management

• Recruit, train, and manage restaurant staff typically comprising 20-80+ employees across front-of-house, kitchen, and support functions. GCC restaurant teams are predominantly expatriate, requiring visa processing, accommodation arrangement, and often basic life-skills support for staff newly arrived from home countries.
• Develop training programs covering service standards, menu knowledge, hygiene compliance, and brand-specific protocols. Training must accommodate multiple languages and educational backgrounds.
• Manage staff scheduling across split shifts, extended hours, and Ramadan adjustments. GCC labor laws mandate rest periods, overtime compensation, and summer heat-hour restrictions for delivery riders and outdoor workers.
• Handle staff welfare including accommodation standards (MOHRE requirements in UAE), transportation, medical insurance, and grievance resolution. Staff wellbeing directly impacts service quality and retention in the GCC’s competitive hospitality labor market.

Guest Experience & Marketing

• Maintain exceptional guest experience standards including service quality, ambiance, cleanliness, and complaint resolution. GCC diners have high expectations, and online review platforms (Google, TripAdvisor, Zomato) significantly influence restaurant traffic.
• Coordinate local marketing activities including social media content, influencer partnerships, seasonal promotions, and community engagement. Instagram is the dominant discovery platform for restaurants in the GCC.
• Manage online presence across delivery platforms, Google Business Profile, TripAdvisor, and social media channels. Responding to reviews and maintaining ratings above 4.0 stars is a standard KPI.

Required Qualifications

Education

A bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management, Hotel Management, or Business Administration is preferred. Graduates from recognized hospitality schools (Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne, Cornell, Les Roches, Glion, Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management) are highly valued. However, the restaurant industry also promotes extensively from within, and proven operational experience can substitute for formal education, particularly in standalone or owner-operated establishments.

Technical Skills

• POS systems: Proficiency in restaurant POS platforms (Micros/Oracle, Lightspeed, Toast, Foodics, iiko) for order management, billing, and reporting. Foodics is particularly dominant in the Saudi market.
• Inventory management: Experience with inventory control systems and food cost analysis tools. Understanding of FIFO, par levels, and waste tracking in an import-dependent supply chain.
• Food safety certifications: HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points) certification is mandatory for restaurant managers in most GCC jurisdictions. Dubai Municipality Food Handler certification, CIEH (Chartered Institute of Environmental Health) Level 3 or 4 in Food Safety.
• Financial management: P&L management, budgeting, cost control, and basic accounting. Proficiency in Excel and restaurant analytics platforms.
• Delivery platform management: Experience optimizing presence on Deliveroo, Talabat, Noon Food, and Careem Food including menu curation, pricing strategy, and commission negotiation (typically 25-35% per order).

Experience Levels & Salary Ranges

• Assistant Restaurant Manager (2-4 years): Supports daily operations, manages shifts, handles guest complaints. Typical salary: AED 7,000-12,000/month.
• Restaurant Manager (4-8 years): Full P&L responsibility, team leadership, operational autonomy. Typical salary: AED 12,000-22,000/month.
• Senior Restaurant Manager/General Manager (8-12 years): Multi-outlet oversight, strategic planning, concept development. Typical salary: AED 22,000-35,000/month.
• F&B Director/Operations Director (12+ years): Group-level leadership, brand portfolio management. Typical salary: AED 35,000-55,000+/month.

Preferred Qualifications

These qualifications enhance competitiveness in the GCC restaurant management market:

• Arabic language skills: Valuable for guest interaction, supplier negotiation, and government authority communication. Essential for roles in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait where Arabic is the primary business language for licensing and inspections.
• Sommelier certification (WSET): For fine dining and hotel restaurant roles in markets where alcohol is served (UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman). WSET Level 2 or 3 is preferred.
• GCC F&B experience: Understanding of Ramadan operations, halal compliance, GCC supply chains, and the multicultural workforce dynamic. Employers strongly prefer candidates with existing GCC experience.
• Multi-unit management experience: Managing multiple outlets simultaneously is valued by franchise operators and hospitality groups expanding across the region.
• Cloud kitchen/delivery expertise: Experience with delivery-only or hybrid restaurant models is increasingly relevant as dark kitchens proliferate across the GCC.

Work Environment & Benefits

Restaurant management positions in the GCC offer competitive packages within the hospitality sector:

• Base salary plus service charge distribution (in countries/establishments where applicable) and performance bonus
• Housing allowance or company-provided accommodation (AED 3,000-8,000/month depending on seniority)
• Annual flight tickets for employee (and family for senior roles)
• Health insurance covering employee and dependents
• Meals on duty (standard across the GCC hospitality industry)
• 30 days annual leave plus public holidays
• End-of-service gratuity per local labor law
• Career development: Internal promotion paths, brand training programs, international transfers within hotel groups or franchise networks

Restaurant managers work long hours by nature — 10-12 hour days are standard, with split shifts common. Weekend work (Friday-Saturday in the GCC) is expected, with days off typically falling on weekdays. The work environment is fast-paced, physically demanding, and high-pressure, particularly during peak service periods, Ramadan, and major events (Dubai Food Festival, Saudi Seasons, Formula 1 weekends). Fine dining establishments in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and increasingly Riyadh and Jeddah offer the most prestigious and best-compensated management positions.

How to Stand Out as a Candidate

The GCC restaurant market attracts hospitality professionals from around the world. To differentiate yourself:

• Showcase financial results: “Grew restaurant revenue by 28% year-over-year while maintaining food cost at 30%” or “Increased covers from 180 to 250 per day through service optimization and delivery expansion” demonstrates business impact.
• Highlight GCC-specific experience: Ramadan operations management, halal certification processes, municipality inspection track record, and delivery platform optimization are GCC differentiators.
• Demonstrate team building: Show how you have built, trained, and retained multicultural teams. GCC hospitality faces high turnover (40-60% annually), so retention strategies and team development examples are highly valued.
• Present a digital portfolio: Include photos of restaurant setups, event execution, and social media campaigns you have managed. Visual evidence of operational excellence resonates with F&B hiring managers.
• Network within the industry: Attend GCC hospitality events (Gulfood, Hospitality Design Middle East, GRIF Forum), connect with F&B directors on LinkedIn, and engage with hospitality media (Caterer Middle East, Hospitality News ME).

Sample Restaurant Manager Job Description Template

Use this template to craft your own job description or to understand exactly what GCC employers expect when reviewing restaurant manager job postings:

Position: Restaurant Manager

Department: Food & Beverage
Reports to: F&B Director / General Manager / Operations Director
Location: [City], [Country]
Employment Type: Full-time

About the Role

We are seeking a passionate and commercially minded Restaurant Manager to lead operations at [restaurant name/concept]. You will be responsible for delivering exceptional guest experiences, managing a team of [X]+ staff, and driving profitability in a high-volume [concept type] restaurant.

What You’ll Do

• Manage all daily restaurant operations including service, kitchen coordination, and quality control
• Own the restaurant P&L including revenue targets, food cost, and labor cost management
• Recruit, train, and develop a multicultural team of [X]+ employees
• Maintain food safety compliance (HACCP, municipality requirements, halal standards)
• Manage inventory, procurement, and supplier relationships
• Optimize delivery platform performance (Deliveroo, Talabat, Noon Food)
• Handle guest relations including complaint resolution and review management
• Execute local marketing activities and seasonal campaigns (Ramadan, National Days)
• Manage staff scheduling, welfare, and accommodation standards

What We’re Looking For

• Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management or equivalent
• [X]+ years of restaurant management experience, preferably in the GCC
• HACCP certification
• Proven P&L management with demonstrated revenue growth
• Experience managing teams of [X]+ in a multicultural environment
• POS system proficiency (Micros, Lightspeed, Foodics)
• Strong knowledge of food safety regulations and halal compliance

Nice to Have

• Arabic language skills
• WSET certification (for licensed establishments)
• Multi-unit management experience
• Cloud kitchen or delivery-first concept experience
• Fine dining or Michelin-star background

What We Offer

• Competitive salary + performance bonus
• Housing allowance
• Annual flight ticket
• Health insurance
• Meals on duty
• 30 days annual leave
• Career development and internal transfer opportunities

Tailoring Your Resume to Restaurant Manager Job Descriptions

When applying for restaurant management roles in the GCC, your resume must balance operational expertise with business acumen:

1. Lead with revenue and P&L metrics: “Managed AED 8M annual revenue restaurant with 32% food cost and 25% labor cost, achieving 18% GOP margin” communicates business impact. Every role should include financial metrics.
2. Quantify team and volume: Specify team sizes managed, average daily covers, peak capacity, and outlet size (sqm or seats). “Led team of 45 across 200-seat fine dining restaurant serving 300+ covers daily” provides clear scale context.
3. Highlight food safety credentials: Place HACCP, food safety certifications, and municipality compliance track records prominently. A clean inspection record is a significant selling point in the GCC.
4. Showcase Ramadan expertise: Describe specific Ramadan operational adaptations, iftar event management, and revenue performance during the holy month. This signals immediate GCC operational readiness.
5. Include digital performance: Reference delivery platform ratings (4.5+ stars), online review scores, social media follower growth, or delivery revenue percentage. Digital restaurant management is now a core competency in the GCC market.