First part of the day: Upon arriving at the store, Frauke looks the building over carefully to make sure that nothing has been damaged overnight and that the area around the store is clean. Then she goes inside the store and greets all of the employees. Next, she goes through a report with a shift manager to verify that all needed morning tasks like stocking and quality control are done. Frauke also checks with the employee who does maintenance to make sure that needed work like washing windows and cleaning fryers is finished. Just like the assistant manager, she has a "To Do" list. But her list is different because it is a list of goals and objectives rather than specific tasks that need to be done. For example, she might have the goal of increasing sales by pushing the sale of a promotional item. Frauke's list gives her work direction. It makes her job more than just working a shift.
Her basic morning routine includes checking the work schedule that an assistant manager makes. She must make sure that the store has sufficient workers, for she has found that being short workers really demoralizes the crew and affects customer service. She also studies the books noting such things as profit figures, sales trends and labor costs. Frauke must also check that the books are done correctly. Her store is not yet computerized. Part of her routine includes making sure that the assistant manager has done the product ordering, which is done three days a week except for the bakery products that are ordered every other day. Frauke's routine also includes seeing that the bank deposit is ready. Once Frauke has done these things, she is ready to go out on the floor of the restaurant.
Before the lunch rush: Frauke walks around the restaurant finding out what is going on. This is also an excellent time for giving pats on the back to workers who are doing a good job. As she walks around the restaurant, Frauke checks to see if training is going on and that it is being done properly. She may also do some informal training. At this time, she talks to the assistant manager to find out if he or she has any questions. Often the assistant manager will ask: "How do I do this?" or "Can you go over this point in the management book?" She feels that it is vital to make time for management development.
The lunch rush: During the lunch rush, Frauke will work a position, if necessary. She is usually busy at this time observing the positions and training new workers along with the shift manager. During lunch there is also an assistant manager working in the store. After the rush is over, Frauke will eat her own lunch. But first she always checks that all crew workers have had their breaks.
The afternoon's work: Frauke tries to do the routine work in the morning so she can keep her afternoons free for a variety of tasks. She is always looking through employment applications, which also means checking references before scheduling interviews. She is willing to schedule interviews for good prospects whenever they can come in so that the store won't lose these valuable people to another restaurant. During some afternoons, Frauke may conduct meetings in the store with different groups of employees. Once a month she attends a meeting with all the other managers of stores that her franchise owner has.
Winding up the day's work: To stay really involved with what is going on, Frauke must greet her night manager, talk over the night shift with him or her, and answer any questions the manager has. She also likes to greet crew workers as they come on their shifts. Once she is sure that things are going well and that the night shift is adequately staffed, she goes home around 5:00 P.M. Her day is not totally over then, for she may be called at home if an emergency develops at the store. Fortunately, this does not happen often because her assistant managers are capable of taking care of most emergencies.
Summing up a manager's experience: Frauke works for a McDonald's franchise owner who has three stores. She likes working for this small company, believing that it is more flexible than a larger company. She appreciates the "open door" policy of the supervisor of the stores and the owner/operator, which allows her to talk with either of them about any problems. Frauke also likes her job because it challenges her. As far as the future goes, Frauke sees herself climbing up the management ladder in the fast food industry.
Restaurant Management-An Interesting Job
Being an assistant manager or manager of a fast food restaurant is a rewarding job. It is never boring. Managers can expect daily challenges. This job requires capable people. It also requires people who can work long hours and manage their time in such a way that they can accomplish a large number of tasks. At the same time, restaurant managers have to be able to relate to both customers and employees. One thing that so many managers like about this job is that they are actually running a business. They are hiring people, training them, and trying to form a team that works together smoothly. They are also busy trying to increase sales and profits. Furthermore, they are going out in the community and participating in business activities. They are also handling a great deal of money. In 1987, the average annual sales total for a single McDonald's unit was over $1.5 million. Restaurant management is one area in which people can exercise all their business skills.
