How to Use the Restaurant Assistant Manager Performance Review Template
Recording your performance reviews in Pilla means every assessment, objective, and development conversation is captured in one place. Instead of paper forms that get filed and forgotten, you build a continuous record that connects to one-to-one notes, tracks progress against objectives, and gives both you and your assistant manager a clear reference point. When pay or progression decisions come up, the evidence is already documented.
Key Takeaways
- Metrics to Review checklist ensures you gather shift performance, GM-absence performance, team development, and issue resolution data before writing anything
- Previous Objectives Review documents what was achieved, partially achieved, not achieved, or blocked since the last review
- Technical Competencies assessment covers GM support, shift leadership, team development, operational ownership, and problem-solving with Exceeds/Meets/Below descriptors
- Behavioural Competencies assessment covers leadership development, commercial awareness, initiative, and accountability
- Compliance and Standards confirms licensing, employment, health and safety, and food safety
- Key Achievements and Development Areas use specific evidence, dates, and measurable outcomes
- Objectives for Next Period sets SMART targets covering operational performance and career development
- Overall Assessment selects Exceeds, Meets, or Below expectations as a holistic rating
- Meeting Notes and Review Summary capture the review conversation and agreed next steps
Article Content
Why structured restaurant assistant manager performance reviews matter
Your assistant manager is the person who makes the restaurant run day-to-day. A well-written performance review helps them understand exactly where they stand, what they're doing well, and what they need to develop for the next step — whether that's GM, multi-site, or something else entirely. Unlike casual conversations during service, a formal review creates a record, sets clear expectations, and connects their performance to career progression.
This template walks you through a complete performance review: gathering evidence, assessing competencies, documenting achievements and development areas, setting objectives, and recording the review meeting. Each section is designed to produce a fair, evidence-based assessment that both you and your assistant manager can reference throughout the next review period.
Metrics to Review
Metrics to Review
Review objectives set at the last performance review. Note which were achieved, partially achieved, not achieved, or blocked.
Before writing any assessment, gather data on each of these metrics. Tick each one as you collect the information. Having the numbers in front of you prevents vague feedback and ensures your assessment is grounded in evidence.
Shift performance — Review revenue, covers, complaint rates, and guest feedback from shifts they managed. Compare performance on their shifts against the overall average. An assistant manager who consistently delivers strong shifts is demonstrating operational capability. Look for patterns — are weekend shifts stronger than weekdays? Does performance drop when they're covering unfamiliar areas?
GM-absence performance — This is the critical metric. Pull data from periods when you were off, on holiday, or away from the restaurant. How did things run? Were standards maintained? Did anything slip that you had to fix on return? An assistant manager's performance during your absence reveals their true capability — when they can't rely on you being there, you see what they actually own.
Team development — Review turnover rates, probation pass rates, and individual development within the team during the review period. Has anyone been promoted or developed under their guidance? Are new starters succeeding? An assistant manager who develops people builds the restaurant's long-term capability. If turnover is high under their management, understand whether it's their leadership or external factors.
Issue resolution — Review the complaint log, incident reports, and operational issues that arose during the review period. How many did they resolve independently? How many were escalated to you unnecessarily? How quickly were issues addressed? An effective assistant manager handles the majority of issues before they reach you.
Customisation tips:
- For high-volume restaurants, add labour cost management and scheduling efficiency as additional metrics
- For restaurants with strong delivery or takeaway operations, include off-premise performance
- For new assistant managers in their first review, focus on GM-absence performance as the key indicator — it reveals readiness most honestly
- Don't rely on a single metric — an assistant manager with excellent shift performance but poor team development is building on sand
Previous Objectives Review
Review objectives set at the last performance review. Note which were achieved, partially achieved, not achieved, or blocked.
Pull up the objectives from the last performance review. For each one, document whether it was:
- Achieved: They met or exceeded the target — note the evidence
- Partially achieved: Progress made but not complete — note what was done and what remains
- Not achieved: No meaningful progress — understand why before judging
- Blocked: External factors prevented progress — budget constraints, staffing shortages, your own failure to delegate
Be honest about blocked objectives. If you promised to give them P&L visibility and never did, or said you'd involve them in strategic planning but kept making decisions alone, that's not their failure. Acknowledging your own gaps builds trust and makes the review feel fair.
If this is their first review and no previous objectives exist, note that and use this section to document the baseline you're measuring from going forward.
Technical Competencies
Technical Competencies
Record your rating and evidence for each technical competency. Use specific examples and data.
Assess each competency based on observed behaviour over the full review period — not just the last two weeks. Tick each competency as you assess it.
| Competency | Exceeds expectations | Meets expectations | Below expectations |
|---|---|---|---|
| GM support | Anticipates what the GM needs, manages upward effectively, provides intelligence and solutions not just problems, makes the GM's job easier | Supports the GM reliably, communicates important information, follows through on delegated tasks | Waits to be told, doesn't provide useful intelligence, drops delegated tasks, creates more work for the GM |
| Shift leadership | Runs shifts to the same standard as the GM, makes confident decisions, team responds to their authority, service quality consistent regardless of who's in charge | Manages shifts adequately, maintains standards, makes appropriate decisions, occasional gaps during peak periods | Shifts decline in quality, avoids decisions, team takes advantage of GM absence, service standards inconsistent |
| Team development | Actively develops individuals, has difficult performance conversations, builds supervisor capability, team members improve under their management | Manages team performance when issues arise, provides basic feedback, follows up on development plans | Avoids difficult conversations, team performance stagnates, doesn't invest in development, problems recur |
| Operational ownership | Treats the restaurant as if it were their own, notices and fixes problems without being asked, maintains systems and standards proactively | Maintains operational standards, follows systems, addresses issues when they arise | Lets standards slip, doesn't maintain systems, reactive rather than proactive, problems recur |
| Problem-solving | Solves problems creatively and permanently, identifies root causes, implements systemic fixes, other managers learn from their approach | Resolves problems competently, finds workable solutions, escalates appropriately | Applies temporary fixes, same problems recur, escalates unnecessarily, struggles with ambiguity |
Avoiding common rating errors:
- Recency bias: Check your one-to-one notes from three months ago. Did they have a strong start that's now forgotten?
- Halo effect: Excellent shift leadership doesn't mean strong team development. Rate each competency separately.
- Central tendency: Not everyone "meets expectations." If they're exceptional at problem-solving, say so. If team development is lacking, name it.
Customisation tips:
- For restaurants with significant events business, add event management as a separate competency
- For multi-concept operations, weight operational ownership more heavily
- For assistant managers being prepared for GM, weight GM-absence performance and problem-solving most heavily
Record your rating and evidence for each technical competency. Use specific examples and data.
For each competency, record your rating (Exceeds, Meets, or Below) with specific evidence. Use dates, numbers, and examples rather than general impressions.
Example phrases:
"[Name] ran the restaurant independently for two weeks during my annual leave in August — revenue was up 3% against the same period last year, no complaints were escalated, and the team reported feeling well-supported."
"[Name] needs to develop their team management capability — two underperforming team members went unaddressed for over six weeks before I intervened."
"[Name] identified the recurring kitchen timing issue and implemented a new communication protocol that reduced order-to-table time by 4 minutes during peak service."
"[Name]'s operational ownership has declined — observed three occasions where closing checks were incomplete and issues were left for the opening team to handle."
Behavioural Competencies
Behavioural Competencies
Record your rating and evidence for each behavioural competency. Use specific examples.
Assess each behavioural competency across the full review period.
| Competency | Exceeds expectations | Meets expectations | Below expectations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leadership development | Growing visibly as a leader, seeks feedback, adapts management style, team members respect and learn from them | Developing leadership skills, improving over time, manages team effectively | Leadership growth has stalled, same weaknesses persist, doesn't seek or act on feedback |
| Commercial awareness | Understands P&L, makes decisions with revenue and cost in mind, identifies commercial opportunities, thinks like an owner | Aware of commercial basics, follows cost controls, understands the connection between operations and revenue | No commercial awareness, makes decisions without considering cost or revenue impact, doesn't engage with business performance |
| Initiative | Identifies and acts on opportunities proactively, doesn't wait to be told, drives improvements, takes calculated risks | Completes tasks well, follows up on requests, identifies some opportunities when prompted | Waits to be directed, misses obvious opportunities, needs constant guidance, doesn't anticipate needs |
| Accountability | Takes full ownership of outcomes, acknowledges mistakes immediately, fixes problems without being asked, holds themselves to high standards | Accepts responsibility, addresses issues when raised, honest about mistakes | Deflects blame, makes excuses, avoids responsibility, doesn't own their team's performance |
Record your rating and evidence for each behavioural competency. Use specific examples.
Record your rating and evidence for each behavioural competency using specific examples.
Example phrases:
"[Name] demonstrated strong commercial awareness by identifying the underperforming Tuesday lunch service and proposing a prix fixe menu that increased midweek revenue by 18% over two months."
"[Name] needs to develop greater initiative — they execute delegated tasks well but rarely identifies opportunities or proposes improvements without being prompted."
"[Name] took full accountability for the New Year's Eve staffing shortage, acknowledged the rota error, and implemented a new confirmation process that has prevented recurrence."
Compliance and Standards
Compliance and Standards
Record any compliance concerns, training needs, or positive observations.
Confirm each compliance area has been assessed. Any gaps must be addressed immediately — compliance is pass/fail, not a development area to work on gradually.
Licensing — Do they understand the premises licence conditions and their own responsibilities? Can they manage Challenge 25, refuse service when necessary, and handle licensing visits? Do they ensure the restaurant operates within its licensed hours and conditions?
Employment — Are they managing working time regulations, break entitlements, and right-to-work checks correctly? Do they understand their responsibilities around disciplinary and grievance procedures? Can they manage a first-stage HR process without creating legal risk?
Health and safety — Do they ensure risk assessments are current, safety equipment is maintained, and incidents are reported properly? Can they manage a health and safety inspection? Do they model safe working practices for the team?
Food safety — Do they ensure food safety management systems are followed consistently? Are temperature checks, cleaning schedules, and allergen protocols maintained on their shifts? Can they handle an environmental health visit confidently?
Record any compliance concerns, training needs, or positive observations.
Record any compliance concerns, training gaps, or positive observations. If any area is below standard, document the required action and timeline for resolution. Note any compliance training completed during the review period.
Key Achievements
Document 3-5 specific achievements with evidence, dates, and measurable outcomes.
Document 3-5 specific achievements with evidence, dates, and measurable outcomes. Achievements should be things that went beyond basic job requirements — moments where your assistant manager created particular value.
How to write strong achievement statements:
- Be specific: dates, numbers, names, outcomes
- Show impact: revenue protected, costs reduced, team developed, problems solved
- Use their contribution, not the team's: what did they do?
Example phrases:
"[Name] managed the restaurant independently for two weeks during GM absence in August — revenue up 3%, zero escalated complaints, and team feedback was consistently positive."
"[Name] reduced food waste by 12% over the review period through implementation of a new stock rotation system and daily waste tracking."
"[Name] developed the senior waiter into a supervisor-ready candidate, who was subsequently promoted and is now running shifts independently."
"[Name] resolved a persistent customer complaint about noise levels by negotiating an acoustic solution with the landlord, resulting in a measurable improvement in guest feedback."
"[Name] achieved 100% compliance scores across all three environmental health visits during the review period."
Customisation tips:
- For assistant managers being prepared for GM, highlight achievements that demonstrate GM-level thinking — commercial decisions, strategic improvements, people development at scale
- For new assistant managers, focus on the learning curve and where they've exceeded expectations for their experience level
- For high-volume operations, focus on efficiency improvements and cost management
Development Areas
Document 2-3 development areas with specific evidence and improvement actions.
Document 2-3 development areas with specific evidence. Each development area should link to a concrete improvement action — not just a label.
How to write constructive development feedback:
- Focus on behaviour and outcomes, not personality
- Use specific evidence: dates, observations, data
- Connect each area to an action or opportunity
- Be direct but fair — vague feedback helps nobody
Example phrases:
"[Name] needs to develop confidence in having difficult performance conversations — observed two occasions where underperformance was not addressed for over a month."
"[Name]'s commercial awareness needs strengthening — they don't yet engage with P&L data or connect operational decisions to financial outcomes."
"[Name] tends to solve problems reactively rather than systemically — the same scheduling issues recurred three times during the review period."
"[Name] struggled with delegation during peak periods, taking on floor tasks personally rather than directing the team."
"[Name]'s communication with the kitchen needs improvement — three incidents during the review period could have been prevented with earlier intervention."
Objectives for Next Period
Write SMART objectives for the next review period. Include both operational targets and development goals.
Set 3-5 SMART objectives (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) that connect to both the development areas above and their career interests.
Operational target examples:
"Maintain revenue within 2% of GM-present shifts during all GM-absence periods in the next review period."
"Reduce team turnover from 35% to 25% during the review period through improved onboarding and regular one-to-ones with all direct reports."
"Implement a new pre-service briefing format by end of Q1, with waiter knowledge scores improving by at least 20%."
Development goal examples:
"Complete Level 3 Food Safety qualification by end of June to strengthen compliance oversight capability."
"Lead the monthly P&L review with the GM for at least 4 months during the review period, demonstrating understanding of key commercial drivers."
"Manage two disciplinary processes end-to-end during the review period, with HR support, to build employment management confidence."
Connecting objectives to career progression:
| Current role | Typical next step | What to assess |
|---|---|---|
| Restaurant Assistant Manager | General Manager | P&L ownership, strategic planning, stakeholder management, full operational accountability, crisis leadership |
If they want to become GM, include objectives that build commercial awareness, strategic thinking, and full operational accountability. If they prefer to stay as an excellent assistant manager, focus on mastery goals — team development excellence, operational consistency, compliance leadership. Set targets that stretch but don't break.
Overall Assessment
Select the overall performance rating based on the full assessment.
Record the discussion from the review meeting, including their response and any context they provide.
Select the overall performance rating based on the full assessment. This is a holistic judgement, not a simple average of individual competency ratings.
Exceeds expectations — Consistently performs above the standard required. Demonstrates excellence across most competencies, makes a measurable positive impact on the restaurant's performance, and is developing skills beyond their current role. This assistant manager is ready for — or close to — the next step.
Meets expectations — Reliably performs the role to the required standard. Manages shifts competently, maintains standards, and supports the GM effectively. Development areas exist but don't undermine overall effectiveness. This is solid, dependable performance.
Below expectations — Performance falls short of the required standard in one or more significant areas. Development areas are affecting restaurant performance, team dynamics, or operational consistency. Improvement is needed with clear support and timelines.
Be honest. Rating everyone as "Meets expectations" helps nobody. If they're exceptional, recognise it. If they're struggling, name it — with the support plan to address it.
Meeting Notes
Record the discussion from the review meeting, including their response and any context they provide.
Schedule at least 45 minutes for the review conversation — 30 for discussion, 15 for buffer. Meet outside service hours in a private space.
How to conduct the meeting:
Give them the written review to read for 5-10 minutes. Don't hover — get them a drink and let them absorb it privately. When they've read it, ask: "What are your thoughts? Does this feel fair?" Then listen. Don't defend immediately — understand their perspective first.
If they raise valid points, amend the document. If you noted "shifts decline during GM absence" but they explain they were short-staffed on three of those occasions due to last-minute sickness, that context matters — add it. If you disagree, explain your reasoning calmly with data.
The goal is a document both parties consider fair and accurate — not necessarily one they're delighted about.
What to record: Their response to each section, any context they provided that changes your assessment, points of agreement and disagreement, and their reaction to the objectives set.
Review Summary
Summarise agreed actions, amendments made during the meeting, and next steps.
Summarise the agreed outcome: amendments made during the meeting, final objectives confirmed, next steps, and when objective check-ins will happen.
Both parties should sign and date the final document. Give them a copy. The signature means "I have read and understood this review" — not necessarily "I agree with everything."
Follow-through matters: Schedule brief objective check-ins in your regular one-to-ones. "How's the P&L review process going?" and "I noticed team turnover is down — what's changed?" keep objectives alive rather than letting them gather dust until the next formal review.
Be transparent about how this review connects to pay and progression decisions. If performance reviews influence pay rises or promotion to GM, say so — now, not at the next review.
What's next
Performance reviews are most effective when they connect to ongoing one-to-one conversations. The evidence you need for a fair review should already exist in your one-to-one notes.
- Read our Restaurant Assistant Manager one-to-one guide for how to run the conversations that feed into this review
- Check out our Restaurant Assistant Manager interview guide for hiring the right person in the first place
- See our Restaurant Assistant Manager onboarding guide if you're reviewing someone still in their first 90 days