Restaurant managers are a key piece of the food industry puzzle. While cooks prepare and servers deliver food to customers' tables, it is the manager who is responsible for ensuring that a restaurant runs smoothly. The duties of a restaurant manager include overseeing day-to-day operations, scheduling, planning menus and marketing, just to name a few. However, when it's time for restaurant owners to evaluate management, it is important to do so in an effective manner.

Evaluate the restaurant operation while pretending that the manager is invisible. Consider how efficiently other employees work under the manager's supervision and direction, rather than how much work the manager does alone. Award positive evaluation points for a manager who oversees employees who are working efficiently, opposed to a manager who is simply doing all the work on his own.

Observe how the manager interacts with other restaurant employees. Managers should be giving direction and have an air of authority. However, they must also communicate with other staff in a respectful manner and foster a sense of teamwork and camaraderie among their subordinates.

Review the marketing strategy implemented over the time period since the manager's last review. Evaluate whether advertising and marketing expenditures brought in an increased revenue to gauge the success of the manager's marketing work.

Partake in the restaurant experience from start to finish as a customer, if you do not do so regularly. Use this opportunity to evaluate the speed and quality of service, quality of food, availability of menu choices and beverage selection. By participating in the process as a customer, you will be able to see how the manager's efforts translate in the restaurant's operations.

Look over the profit and loss sheets for the restaurant to ensure that the manager is working to provide quality dishes and service, while still reaping a profit for the restaurant. Restaurant owners should be confident that the business is being managed well both financially and operationally during a manager evaluation.