Restaurant Manager

Denny's; McKinney (TX); On-site; USD 60,000 - 83,000; Full time

Job summary

Keke’s Breakfast Cafe in McKinney, TX invites an experienced General Manager to lead our café operations, deliver exceptional guest experiences, and drive growth. You will develop a high-performing team, uphold brand standards, manage P&L, and implement strategic initiatives across operations, service, and marketing.

This role requires strong leadership, communication, and a passion for hospitality excellence.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent; associate or bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination.
• Minimum 2 years of experience in restaurant assistant management or equivalent supervisory roles, preferably in full service.
• Food Safety Manager certification required.
• Experience in a similar role preferred.

Responsibilities

• Oversee restaurant operations and brand standards.
• Coach and mentor Assistant Managers and hourly staff.
• Hire, onboard, and retain a talented team.
• Achieve profit and guest count growth through strong leadership.
• Analyze financial reports and implement improvements.
• Ensure compliance with health, safety, and labor rules.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Financial acumen

Staff development

Problem solving

Time management

Customer service

Attention to detail

Education

Food Safety Manager certification

High school diploma or equivalent

Bachelor's degree preferred

Tools

POS systems

Cash handling procedures

Job description

Job Summary

The General Manager is accountable for the total restaurant operation, ensuring the delivery of exceptional guest experiences, achievement of financial targets, development of team members, and protection of brand standards. This role leads the execution of Keke’s vision while modeling our guiding principles: “People First, Be Bold, Own It, Win Together” in every interaction. The General Manager is overall responsible for driving operational excellence, building high-performing teams, fostering a positive workplace culture, and promoting growth and profitability in the café.

Essential Functions (Key Responsibilities)

• Oversee all restaurant operations, ensuring consistency with Keke’s brand standards, guest service, food safety, and sanitation.
• Ensure each guest and team member receive an exceptional experience at Keke’s café.
• Develop, coach, and mentor Assistant Managers and hourly staff through Keke’s training programs and personal development plans.
• Oversee hiring, onboarding, and retention efforts to build a talented and engaged team.
• Achieve controllable profit and guest count growth goals through sound financial and operational leadership.
• Analyze financial reports, identify opportunities, and implement solutions to achieve targets.
• Ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local health, safety, and labor rules and regulations.
• Manage employee relations, providing guidance, corrective action, and policy compliance fairly and consistently.
• Be a brand ambassador and execute marketing and promotional plans, supporting community involvement to drive guest counts and community engagement.
• Ensure proper security procedures are in place to protect employees, guests, and company assets.
• Monitor equipment and facilities, maintaining safe, clean, and functional conditions.
• Manage labor scheduling and deployment to maximize productivity and meet guest demand.
• Maintain accurate cash handling and reconciliation processes.
• Uphold Keke’s brand values through a leadership presence during all business periods.
• Complete all required administrative paperwork, reporting, and scheduling in a timely and organized manner.
• Participate in corporate initiatives, new rollouts, and ongoing quality improvement programs.
• Take the lead and implement any ongoing brand updates, new systems, or menu rollouts as required.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Area Operations Leader or Operations leadership.

Education + Experience Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent required; associate or bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience. Minimum 2 years of experience in restaurant assistant management or equivalent supervisory roles, preferably in full service. Food Safety Manager certification required. Proven experience performing in a similar role.

Knowledge, Skills + Abilities

• Strong organizational skills with the ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, in the English language.
• Strong math skills and experience with point of sales systems and cash handling.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills and the ability to communicate with all levels of the organization.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule, including weekends, holidays, early mornings, and some evenings, with availability to work shifts between 6:00 am and 5:00 pm or as needed.
• Ability to adhere to Keke’s brand standards.
• Ability to interpret financial statements and understand contributing factors.
• Ability to perform job duties of every cafe position.
• Ability multitask in accordance with the demands of the business.
• Ability to identify and anticipate opportunities and implement corrective action steps.
• Proven ability to problem solve, handle conflict, and manage high stress situations while maintaining a positive attitude every shift.

Core Competencies

• Drives + Values: Achieves at a high level by setting goals and executing with a sense of urgency and demonstrating honesty and strong ethical principles.
• Guest Focus: Anticipates guest needs and ensures exceptional hospitality; ensures memorable guest experiences are delivered by the team.
• Leadership + Team Development: Coaches, motivates, and retains a high-performing team; constantly focuses on building a bench at every level of the team.
• Operational Excellence: Consistently maintains brand standards in food, service, safety, and cleanliness.
• Decision-Making + Problem Solving: Uses sound judgment and experience to resolve challenges.
• Business Acumen: Understands P&L statements, sales drivers, and labor management; drives performance on key metrics.
• Communication: Communicates clearly, respectfully, and effectively with all team members and guests.
• Adaptability: Responds positively to change and adjusts to shifting priorities.
• Community Involvement: Builds positive connections to support local guest growth.

Physical Requirements + Working Conditions

• Must be able to complete tasks and communicate information in a noisy environment.
• Must have the physical ability to work in a restaurant environment performing job functions like accessing items from various levels, remaining in a stationary position, and moving short distances for a minimum of 6-8 hour shifts.
• Must be able to move items in various ways that weigh up to 50 pounds.
• Must be able to safely operate kitchen equipment.
• Must be able to operate objects using gross manipulation skills to assess tactile sensations.
• Must be able to observe and comprehend information on documents, screens, and equipment display.

Pay

The typical pay range for this role is: Minimum:$60,000.00 - Maximum:$82,500.00. Please note that this range represents the pay range for all positions in the job grade within which the position falls. This job posting is not a promise of any specific pay for any specific employee as the actual pay will take into account a range of factors, including location and experience.

Keke's Breakfast Cafe is committed to providing equal employment opportunity for all persons regardless of age, race, creed, color, national origin, citizenship status, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, genetic information, military or veteran's status, criminal background, or any other characteristic protected by Federal, State, or local law.

Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process should contact 864-597-8000. PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT THIS NUMBER TO CHECK THE STATUS OF YOUR APPLICATION. Keke's Breakfast Cafe participates in E-Verify. We will provide the Social Security Administration, and if necessary, the Department of Homeland Security, with information from each new employee’s Form I-9 to confirm work authorization. For more information on E-Verify, please contact the DHS at 888-897-7781 or dhs.gov/e-verify. Please note that we do not use this information to pre-screen job applicants.

Why Keke's Breakfast Cafe?

Founded in 2006, Keke’s is a growing brand committed to fresh, quality ingredients prepared to order and fast, friendly service. We believe in our Guiding Principles of putting People First, Embracing Openness, and being Better Together as we Pursue Excellence. We work together to deliver an experience to our guests that is differentiated and drives our key metrics. We offer competitive pay, rapid opportunities for growth, and unmatched work‑life balance, as all cafes are only open from 7:00am-2:30pm. Not to mention an intentional focus on creating a culture that makes Keke’s Breakfast Cafe the BEST job in hospitality.