Food and Beverage Manager - Family Entertainment Center
1 day ago
Elmwood Park
Job Description Food & Beverage Manager Sales, Catering & Bar Operations Bergen County, NJ A Family Entertainment Center in Bergen County, NJ is seeking a commercially minded, hands-on Food & Beverage Manager to lead the full food, bar, and catering business within our high-energy family entertainment center. This leader will be equally focused on revenue growth, memorable guest experiences, strong team performance, and disciplined financial execution. You will build demand for parties and events, convert leads into booked business, elevate bar performance, and ensure every service period is staffed and executed to standard. The right candidate combines a hospitality mindset with the business acumen to manage sales, labor, product costs, inventory, and profitability. Compensation and Bonus $70,000–$80,000 annual base salary, based on experience, plus performance-based bonus potential tied to agreed goals for sales growth, catering and event revenue, profitability, cost control, and guest experience. What Success Looks Like · Grow revenue from parties, corporate events, catering, the bar, promotions, and repeat business. · Build a well-trained, accountable team that delivers fast, friendly, consistent service. · Meet agreed targets for labor, food cost, beverage and pour cost, waste, and inventory variance. · Deliver safe, organized events and a guest experience that earns strong feedback and return visits. Key Responsibilities Sales, Catering & Revenue Growth · Own the sales plan and pipeline for birthdays, corporate outings, team-building events, school and community groups, league and tournament packages, fundraisers, and other group business. · Respond promptly to inquiries, host site tours, develop packages and proposals, follow up consistently, and convert qualified leads into profitable bookings. · Develop a craveable, guest‐driven menu that people are excited to order, with core items that become ‘must‐have’ choices for parties, leagues, and regular visits. · Use smart menu design, combos, and upselling tools to encourage guests to add food and beverage to their visit. · Create menus, event packages, promotions, add-ons, and upselling tools that increase average spend while matching guest needs and operational capacity. · Plan seasonal features and limited‐time items that fit guest preferences and local demand, while keeping the core menu stable enough to build repeat habits and guest trust. · Build local relationships and referral sources with businesses, schools, community organizations, and event planners. · Maintain an accurate event calendar and sales pipeline; forecast revenue and covers, and track booking pace, conversion, average check, and repeat business. Bar & Beverage Management · Direct all bar operations, including bartender training, scheduling, service standards, opening and closing procedures, and a safe, welcoming guest experience. · Drive beverage revenue through thoughtful product mix, pricing, seasonal features, event packages, and responsible upselling appropriate to a family entertainment environment. · Manage beverage ordering, receiving, storage, rotation, par levels, product availability, and accurate physical inventory. · Protect margin by controlling pour cost, portions and recipes, waste, breakage, comps, voids, and inventory variance; investigate exceptions promptly. · Maintain strict ID verification, responsible alcohol service, cash and POS controls, sanitation, and compliance with applicable New Jersey alcohol-service requirements and company policies. Leadership & Staffing · Recruit, onboard, train, schedule, coach, and develop kitchen, counter, bar, and event team members; cross-train employees to improve flexibility and service. · Be a visible, hands-on leader during peak periods, parties, and events, stepping into service when needed and setting the pace for the team. · Lead effective pre-shift meetings that communicate sales priorities, event details, safety expectations, service goals, and individual assignments. · Match staffing to forecast demand, manage overtime and coverage, recognize strong performance, and address performance issues with consistency and accountability. · Build a positive, high-energy culture grounded in teamwork, hospitality, urgency, and ownership. Operations, Financial Management & Cost Controls · Oversee daily execution across the kitchen, snack bar, bar, party rooms, and catered events, coordinating closely with the General Manager and center operations. · Review daily and weekly results for sales, labor, food cost, beverage cost, gross margin, waste, comps, and inventory variance; act quickly when performance is off target. · Regularly review sales mix, margins, waste, and guest feedback to tweak the menu—retiring weak items, strengthening core “hero” dishes, and improving perceived value. · Manage purchasing, receiving, invoice verification, vendor relationships, pars, storage, cycle counts, and month-end inventory with strong controls and accurate records. · Use clear recipes, plating standards, and prep guides so every item looks and tastes the same, no matter who’s on the line or how busy it is. · Use POS and scheduling data to forecast demand, improve deployment, reduce overtime and avoidable waste, and identify sales opportunities. · Ensure consistent food and beverage quality, presentation, speed of service, cleanliness, equipment readiness, and supply availability. · Resolve guest concerns promptly and professionally, use feedback to improve the operation, and follow through on corrective action. Food Safety & Compliance · Maintain compliance with local health-department requirements, alcohol-service regulations, workplace safety standards, and company policies. · Enforce ServSafe, HACCP, allergen, sanitation, temperature-control, and incident-reporting procedures; conduct routine audits and maintain required records. Qualifications · 3+ years of supervisory or management experience in high-volume food service, hospitality, entertainment, or a comparable multi-outlet environment. · Hands-on experience managing food operations, a full-service bar, and parties or catered events; bowling, arcade, or family entertainment experience is strongly preferred. · Demonstrated ability to grow sales, convert event opportunities, develop promotions, and deliver profitable guest experiences. · Working knowledge of P&L drivers, labor management, food cost, beverage and pour cost, purchasing, inventory, waste control, cash controls, and POS reporting. · Strong leadership, communication, organization, follow-through, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to hold a team accountable while maintaining a positive culture. · Availability to work nights, weekends, holidays, and peak event periods as the business requires. · ServSafe Manager certification, or the ability to obtain it; responsible beverage-service training is preferred. What We Offer · $70,000–$80,000 annual base salary, based on experience, plus performance-based bonus potential. · Paid time off and employee discounts, subject to applicable eligibility requirements and company policies. · A visible leadership role with the opportunity to shape sales, catering, bar performance, operating discipline, and team culture. · A lively, fast-paced environment where strong execution creates memorable experiences for guests and meaningful results for the business. Why Choose Us? Food and beverage is central to the location’s guest experience and to the growth of the business. This is an opportunity to shape the menu, bar, event offerings, sales approach, operating standards, and team culture—not simply maintain them. If you enjoy building sales, developing people, and running a disciplined operation in a lively entertainment setting, we want to meet you. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply.