General Manager

ArkDal Hospitality; Dallas (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Dining privileges

Job summary

Velour in Dallas seeks a General Manager to own the total restaurant performance, including financials, operations, and culture. This hands-on leader will drive revenue, manage costs, and elevate the Velour guest experience across every shift.

The GM will lead a high-energy team, partner with culinary leadership, and ensure brand standards while growing private-dining and events in a multi-concept Arkdal Hospitality Group environment.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of restaurant management experience, including high-volume concepts.
• Proven P&L ownership with cost control.
• Strong leadership and staff development capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Own the full restaurant P&L and drive revenue while controlling prime costs.
• Lead and develop FOH management and service teams; recruit and onboard staff.
• Oversee beverage and food costs, inventory, and vendor relations.
• Monitor guest feedback and manage recovery with the team, maintaining Velour standards.
• Drive signature programming and special events to maximize covers and guest satisfaction.
• Prepare weekly business reviews for ownership on sales, labor, and cost trends.

Skills

P&L ownership

Labor management

Toast POS

Leadership

Guest service

Excel/Sheets

Tools

Toast POS

Excel/Sheets

Job description

Velour is an upscale Southern dining destination in the heart of Victory Park, Dallas. Built on the philosophy of "grits, glamour and gourmet," Velour delivers elevated Southern cuisine, an intentional cocktail program, and a polished, high-energy guest experience — including signature programming such as Afro Beats Fridays and Sunday concept nights. Velour is the flagship concept of Arkdal Hospitality Group, a growing Dallas-based multi-concept restaurant group that also operates Wings by the Pound (Deep Ellum) and Cashmere. Velour surpassed $1M in net sales within its first seven months and continues to scale with disciplined operations and a strong brand identity.

Position Summary

The General Manager is the single point of accountability for the total performance of Velour — financial, operational, cultural, and experiential. The GM owns the P&L, leads and develops the management team, protects the brand standard on every shift, and partners directly with ownership and the Director of Culinary to drive revenue, control costs, and deliver a guest experience worthy of the Velour name. This is a hands-on, floor-present leadership role, not an office role. The GM sets the tone of the building.

Reporting Relationships

• Reports to — Founder & Owner, Arkdal Hospitality Group.
• Directly leads — FOH Manager, Shift Manager(s), host team, service team, bar team; partners with the Director of Culinary on all BOH matters.
• Key partners — Director of Culinary (kitchen leadership), Arkdal corporate/ownership on finance, marketing, and multi-concept initiatives, and external partners (vendors, landlord, POS, accounting).

Core Responsibilities

• Own the full restaurant P&L: sales, prime cost, controllable expenses, and flow-through to profit.
• Manage all-in labor to target (Velour benchmark: approximately 27% or better), using daily and weekly labor tracking against sales, with proactive schedule adjustments by daypart.
• Partner with the Director of Culinary to hold food cost to target through recipe adherence, portioning, waste tracking, and vendor/invoice review.
• Oversee beverage cost, pour standards, inventory counts, and variance investigation for the bar program.
• Review Toast POS reporting daily (net sales, comps, voids, discounts, check averages, category mix) and act on trends immediately.
• Enforce the comps and voids policy without exception; every comp is documented, coded, and justified.
• Support accurate, on-time payroll by verifying punches, tip pooling and distribution records, and hours prior to each pay period close.
• Own cash handling standards: drawer counts, deposits, safe audits, and reconciliation with zero tolerance for variance.
• Prepare a weekly business review for ownership: sales vs. forecast, labor %, food/beverage cost trends, staffing status, guest sentiment, and upcoming risks or opportunities.

2. Guest Experience & Brand Standards

• Be the guardian of the Velour standard: lighting, music, table settings, uniform and footwear compliance, pacing, and hospitality tone on every shift.
• Execute and coach the manager table touch standard — every table, every shift, with genuine connection rather than a scripted drive‑by.
• Coach servers on the "Sell the Experience" selling standards, including cocktail and feature knowledge, upsell paths, and storytelling that fits the brand.
• Own guest recovery: resolve issues on the spot using the de‑escalation standard, empower managers appropriately, and ensure no guest leaves with an unresolved problem.
• Monitor and respond to guest reviews across Google and social platforms in the Velour voice, and feed recurring themes back into operations and training.
• Drive execution of signature programming (Afro Beats Fridays, Sunday concepts, holiday and event nights) at full standard, including staffing, pacing, and atmosphere.
• Recruit, hire, onboard, and develop FOH talent; maintain proactive hiring pipelines so the building is never held hostage by a resignation.
• Build weekly schedules that balance labor targets, service quality, and team member needs, published on time, every time.
• Develop the management team (FOH Manager, Shift Managers) through clear expectations, shift‑by‑shift coaching, and structured development conversations.
• Run effective pre‑shift meetings daily: features, 86s, VIPs, sales focus, and one coaching point.
• Enforce all policies consistently and fairly — dress code, footwear, attendance, conduct — with proper documentation of coaching and corrective action.
• Own performance management end to end: reviews, progressive discipline, and terminations executed lawfully and with dignity.
• Protect the culture: high standards, zero drama, mutual respect between FOH and BOH, and a team that is proud to wear the brand.

4. Operations, Facilities & Compliance

• Ensure full compliance with TABC requirements, food handler and manager certifications, health code standards, and all federal, state, and local labor laws (including tip pooling and minor work rules).
• Lead health inspections and internal audits; maintain inspection‑ready cleanliness and documentation at all times.
• Own facilities upkeep: preventive maintenance schedules, repair vendor management, and immediate resolution of anything guest‑facing.
• Manage opening and closing procedures, security, alarm protocols, and key control.
• Maintain accurate operational documentation: SOPs, checklists, temperature logs, and incident reports.
• Serve as the on‑site point of contact for landlord, vendors, and third‑party partners, escalating to ownership as appropriate.

5. Revenue Growth & Community Presence

• Partner with ownership on local marketing, cross‑promotions, influencer collaborations, and event programming that drives covers.
• Identify and capitalize on high‑opportunity nights tied to Dallas events, Victory Park traffic (games, concerts), and seasonal moments — staffing and prepping accordingly.
• Grow private dining, buyouts, and catering revenue in partnership with the Arkdal catering program.
• Build relationships with hotels, concierges, neighboring businesses, and Victory Park stakeholders to keep Velour top of mind.

Qualifications

Required

• 5+ years of restaurant management experience, including 2+ years as a General Manager or Senior AGM in a full‑service, high‑volume concept ($3M+ annual sales preferred).
• Proven P&L ownership with documented results in labor and cost‑of‑goods control.
• Strong working knowledge of Toast POS or comparable systems, scheduling platforms, and Excel/Sheets‑based reporting.
• TABC certification and Food Manager certification (or ability to obtain within 30 days of hire).
• Demonstrated ability to hire, develop, and retain hourly and salaried teams.
• Working knowledge of Texas wage‑and‑hour law, tip pooling regulations, and standard HR practices.
• Full schedule flexibility, including nights, weekends, and holidays; peak presence expected Thursday through Sunday.

Preferred

• Experience in upscale or lifestyle‑driven dining, cocktail‑forward concepts, or high‑energy nightlife‑adjacent restaurants.
• Experience opening restaurants or operating within a multi‑concept group.
• Familiarity with review management, social media presence, and community‑driven marketing.
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) a plus.

What Success Looks Like

• Sales growing year over year; labor and prime cost consistently at or better than target.
• A stable, developed management bench with low hourly turnover relative to market.
• Guest sentiment trending upward: review scores, repeat guests, and event bookings.
• Clean audits — health, cash, payroll, and compliance — with no surprises for ownership.
• Ownership can step away from daily floor operations with full confidence.

Physical Requirements & Work Environment

• Ability to stand and walk for 10+ hour shifts in a fast‑paced restaurant environment.
• Ability to lift up to 50 lbs and navigate stairs, kitchen, and dining areas safely.
• Exposure to typical restaurant conditions: heat, noise, and variable temperatures.
• Competitive base salary commensurate with experience, plus performance‑based bonus tied to sales, labor, and cost targets.
• Dining privileges across all Arkdal Hospitality concepts.
• Growth path within a scaling multi‑concept group — Velour is the flagship, not the ceiling.