Restaurant General Manager

Smashburger | Connecticut; Waterford (CT); On-site; USD 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Quarterly Bonus

Free meals per shift

Paid time off

Job summary

Smashburger is seeking a Restaurant General Manager to oversee daily restaurant operations in Waterford, CT. You will lead Restaurant Managers, Shift Leaders, and crew to deliver excellent guest experiences while maintaining high standards of food safety and profitability.

This role requires 1–2 years GM experience, strong leadership, and a commitment to Smashburger training programs. Expect flexible schedules including nights, weekends, and holidays in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• 1-2 years of Restaurant General Manager experience in restaurants.
• Flexible to work nights, weekends, and holidays.
• Follow Smashburger uniform standards.
• Ability to follow all guidelines and procedures per Smashburger and laws.
• Must complete Smashburger training program.
• Strong written and verbal communication with staff and corporate teams.
• People management to coach, develop and lead restaurant teams.
• Attention to detail and time management.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop Restaurant Managers, Shift Leaders, and team members to foster a high-performance culture.
• Oversee staffing, scheduling, onboarding, training, and adherence to food safety and procedures.
• Deliver exceptional guest experiences by modeling service standards and resolving concerns quickly.
• Manage labor, inventory, cost of goods, and operating expenses; adjust staffing to sales trends.
• Drive local marketing, community engagement, and continuous operational improvement.

Skills

People management

Staff development

Communication

Time management

Leadership

Tools

POS system

Scheduling tools

Job description

At Smashburger, we don’t just make burgers—we create crave-worthy moments that keep guests coming back for more. We’re driven by a shared commitment to excellence, working as one team and taking bold action to deliver unforgettable experiences. Here, you’ll be part of a group that works hard and genuinely cares—where passion and dedication matter just as much as skill. At Smashburger, we live by our values:
Taste Obsessed– Bring flavor into every shift

Premium Experience– Lead Boldly. Deliver Flawlessly

Stay Hungry–Literally & Figuratively

One Team! One Smash!– Smash Together

Do What’s Right– Act with honesty and consistency.

If this sounds like your kind of place,we’dlove to have you on the team!

THE ROLE:

This role supports the Director of Operations/District Manager by overseeing the daily operations and performance of the restaurant location. Responsibilities include leading and developing Restaurant Managers, Shift Leaders, and team members while fostering a positive work environment and building future leaders. The position ensures proper staffing, training, and onboarding, manages employee performance and relations, and maintains compliance with company policies, food safety, and operational standards. Additionally, the role focuses on delivering excellent guest experiences, resolving customer concerns, managing financial performance such as labor, inventory, and operating costs, and driving sales through effective scheduling, community engagement, and local marketing initiatives.

What You’ll Do

• Lead and develop Restaurant Managers, Shift Leaders, and team members while fostering a positive, high-performance work environment and building future leaders.
• Oversee restaurant operations including staffing, scheduling, onboarding, training, and ensuring teams follow company policies, food safety standards, and operational procedures.
• Deliver an exceptional guest experience by modeling service standards, monitoring satisfaction metrics, and resolving guest concerns quickly and effectively.
• Manage financial performance by controlling labor, inventory, cost of goods, and operating expenses while adjusting staffing and operations based on sales trends.
• Drive restaurant success through strong team communication, community engagement, local marketing initiatives, and continuous improvement of operational performance.

What It Takes

• 1-2 years of Restaurant General Manager experience in restaurants
• Flexible to work nights, weekends, and holidays
• Follow Smashburger uniform standards
• Ability to follow all guidelines and procedures set forth by Smashburger, local, state, and federal employment regulations
• Must successfully complete Smashburger training program
• Possess strong communication skills, both written and verbal, to effectively communicate with restaurant management, front line employees and corporate support teams
• People management skills to effectively select, assess, coach/counsel, develop, motivate, and lead restaurant teams
• Excellent attention to detail
• Proven time management, consistency, and organizational skills

Why You’ll Love It Here

• High-Impact Role: Your leadership will shape the future of Smashburger and drive our success.
• Culture of Growth: We believe in leveling up—for our guests, our team, and ourselves.
• Work with Passionate People: Our team is all-in, committed to excellence, and ready to smash barriers together.
• Competitive Compensation & Perks: Because we value top talent who bring their A-game every day.
• Better Benefits:
  • Quarterly Bonus
  • Get Paid $ to Refer your Friends*
  • RGMs, RMs, & SLs are entitled to one (1) free meal each shift they work *
  • Paid time off – vacation and sick*
  • Medical, Dental and Vision Options*
  • 401K match (21 and older)
  • Flexible schedules in a fun, family friendly, team environment
  • Employee Assistance Program
  • Fast track for career opportunities
  • Free uniform

*Eligibility based off of time in position and average hours worked

*Referred employees must be manager level and in good standing & Referee must be employed with Smashburger at time of payout. Bonus is paid in two distributions

**All applicants and employees have an equal opportunity for employment and advancement within Smashburger.Smashburger is dedicated to the principles of equal employment opportunity.We prohibit unlawful discrimination against applicants, prospective applicants or employees on the basis of age 40 and over, race, sex, color, religion, national origin, disability, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, military or veteran status, or any other applicable status protected by state or local law.This prohibition includes unlawful harassment based on any of these protected classes.Unlawful harassment includes verbal or physical conduct which has the purpose or effect of substantially interfering with an individual’s work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment.We maintain a workplace free of racial slurs and bias. This policy applies to all employees, including managers, supervisors, co-workers, and non-employees such as customers, clients, vendors, consultants, etc. Any conduct in violation of these company policies is also a violation of the law.Employees who engage in, ratify, or perpetuate discrimination, harassment or retaliation will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including immediate discharge.

https://smashburger.com/job-applicant-privacy-policy

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