Restaurant Team Leader

Dobbies Garden Centres; Southampton; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading garden centre retailer in Southampton is seeking a Restaurant Team Leader to ensure exceptional customer experiences. You will support staff, drive sales, and maintain high service standards in the restaurant. The ideal candidate will have supervisory experience and a passion for hospitality. This role offers generous holiday planning and store discounts.

Benefits

Generous annual leave

50% discount in restaurants

Development opportunities

Qualifications

• Experience in a customer-facing role with supervisory experience.
• Relevant food safety qualifications are advantageous but not essential.
• Ability to work well within a team and build relationships.

Responsibilities

• Support and coach staff and deputise for management.
• Provide excellent customer service and assist with transactions.
• Maintain cleanliness and uphold restaurant standards.

Skills

Customer service

Team leadership

Communication

Job description

Our Restaurant Team Leaders play an essential role in delivering an exceptional customer experience across our Restaurants by providing tasty food, ensuring food hygiene, mentoring our Restaurant Customer Advisors, and supporting the management team.

Responsibilities

• Supporting and coaching staff and deputising for management in their absence
• Providing excellent customer service by assisting customers with transactions
• Collaborating with the team to ensure staff efficiency, covering all stations, and maintaining high service standards
• Driving sales through customer interactions and promoting the Dobbies Club membership
• Ensuring compliance with restaurant operational procedures, monitoring standards, and following company guidelines
• Handling customer queries with product knowledge, including allergies and dietary requirements
• Maintaining cleanliness and upkeep of the restaurant
• Performing keyholder responsibilities as required

Who We Are Looking For

• A passion for food, hospitality, and delivering a great customer experience with a friendly attitude
• Experience in a customer-facing role with supervisory experience
• Relevant food safety qualifications are advantageous but not essential
• Ability to work well within a team, build relationships, and enjoy celebrating success
• Reliable, well-presented, and proactive with a positive attitude
• Eager to learn new skills and gain experiences
• Thrives in a busy, fast-paced environment
• Demonstrates our values: teamwork, continuous improvement, positivity, passion for gardens, and customer focus

What We Offer

• Generous annual leave entitlement with flexible holiday planning
• Uncapped store discounts: 50% in restaurants, 25% in the Garden Centre, 10% in food halls
• Access to Wagestream for financial wellbeing support
• Support from Retail Trust including confidential support, virtual GP, and counselling
• Development opportunities through Dobbies Academy and eLearning
• A passionate, diverse, and supportive team culture

About Us

Founded in 1865 by James Dobbie, Dobbies is the only garden centre retailer with stores across every UK nation. We celebrate garden living and showcase a wide range of products and services, including in-store restaurants and coffee shops that create a welcoming environment for customers. We organize community events, support charities, and aim to be a great place to work, encouraging colleagues to be their best every day and to celebrate successes together.