OK, so if we wanted to hire a GM to manage 2 stores - not actually working at either (pizza maker) but managing the operations, what would be the rate of pay? Minimum here is $6.55, our supervisors make $7 and up to $8 after a year. Would you think $10?
I’ve never actually made it work (never really tried it) but I really like the idea of performance based compensation such as a percentage of gross profit (sales less food and labor) or something like that.
I’d really like to tie it in even with my pizzamakers, but especially with management, so that there is incentive to take late orders, open early, upsize orders, while at the same time rigidly controlling food/labor, etc.
To come up with numbers that work, I detailed the entire cash flow of each location (variable, fixed, payroll costs, etc.) on a spreadsheet and play with percentages until I see numbers that work. You may be able to come up with a percentage that equates to roughly $10/hour given the amount of time necessary (in your estimation) to fulfill the role.
Wow, $20,000 a year to run two stores? Not sure why someone would take that job with all the stress when you could be a driver for more. I can’t imagine you being able to hire someone “qualified” to do such a job.
Heck, any of our guys that are cross-trained and coherent most of the time make $10 to $11 (adjust for our minimum of $8.25 except for the government, of course, which has a lower minimum).
Several yrs ago I ran 2 stores for a guy, after I lost my store in Hurricane Charlie…having 20+ yrs in F & B Mgmt, I took a low salary, 45K/yr & a performance based kick…made a tad over 70K in 2005…
The above posters are absolutely correct in my opinion. No one with real qualifications is going to do that job for $10 an hour. First of all, i think that it is more of a salary plus incentive type job. If you are really just looking for a traveling pizzamaker with no real problem solving skills, you may get an hourly worker. Second, you have to pay something that is more in line with those qualifications that you want. As Patriot said, he worked on the low end at 45k. If that is not affordable then you may have to consider some different options. For instance, just have a good store manager at each store and make sure that they can communicate well with each other and help each other out when needed. Personally, i don’t think you really need a separate position to be a GM with only 2 stores. Just my opinion.
Your post is brief on what the job description for this person would be. But I think 10 an hour even for a store manager is low. Our min wage here is 6.65. Our store managers make 9-12.02 an hour. Our store gm was making 30,000 plus bonuses, vacation and insurance. (That was considered low in our area)
I think a gm should be making at least 40 plus bonuses, vacation and insurance.
Why not just hire a gm for each store?
With all due respect, if your stores can’t support to pay a nice wage at this point you probably aren’t ready for a gm. I have found over the years when the sales support good management salaries it means procedures are in line=sales are in line and we are able to back off our responsibility. When they don’t we have to be in the trenches getting things up to snuff.
Kris
I’m also concerned about the GM not “making pizza”.
If you just need a GM for the operations, why not just hire an “operations manager”?
The GM should be expected to, and willing to, get “in the trenches” so to speak, when the rush gets rough.
I think an expectation of just doing the operations would cause an uproar among those who are working hard for you, for someone to come in and seemingly do “less” (because it’s not the hard, physical labor), and make so much more.
The title of GM gives an idea of at least $30-$40k yearly…so again, unless you call them an ops manager, I don’t think anybody be willing to take the “big role” for the money you’re speaking of…at least IMO.
FWIW, I live in Oklahoma and make $8.00 an hour as a shift leader, to give you an idea.
Actually, papajgirl, if the GM has his act together, they would rarely be “making the pizzas” as that means they are not doing their job. The position is one of coordination and organization which makes everyone else’s job easier.
I am looking for a GM. I will pay $3500 a month plus bonuses based on food cost and labor, should be an additional $750 a month. I will expect the GM to make pizzas, wash dishes, bus tables, and deliver a pizza if needed. In an ideal world, which we all not doesn’t exist, ( no shows, slammed all at once, 2 drivers with broken down cars) a GM should be able to be an overseer. I just can not imagine the week, sometimes a day, when all the employees show up, no drivers have car problems, or everything runs completely smooth. I do not want the GM to constantly have to be a driver, dishwasher, or pizza maker, but he/she better be willing to do so or they will not last long.
Of course they have to lend a hand where needed, but if your GM is out delivering pizzas, they are not doing what you hired them to do (and you are paying for a very expensive driver). A GM does whatever is needed with the understanding that they are responsible for everything.
Don’t get me wrong/. I am not suggesting they huddle in their office or stand around barking orders. They lead by example. If orders are backing up, they jump on the make table for a couple of minutes. Phone ringing more than once, they jump on a line. Labor running high? Send people home and wash the dishes. And so on. But they should not get stuck in one position. And they most certainly should not be scheduled for a position.
Perhaps we are all agreeing to the same thing but saying things differently.
$10 an hour? Hell, we have several pizza makers at $10 an hour and assistants making $750 a week. A supervisor should be in the $1000+ a week range. And by all means, what business are you in when a leader (GM) doesn’t participate in the daily operation of the business? If you can’t run with the big dogs, Top Dog, guess you should stay on the porch! :lol:
Hey, where is your place located? Generally, gross sales and marketplace will drive pay rates where I have ever worked. Give us some more about what your operation is like so we can have a frame of reference. I am pretty familiar to some degree with TopDoggie and their place from previous conversations here.
I think that is exactly the issue. 
Of course, I did not mean that the GM should be expected to do the things that those they’re supposed to be managing are doing. However, if a GM is hired, it should be thoroughly explained that they are not to be just the boss…that they are expected to jump in when a hand is needed.
Sorry for the mis-speak all.
Yup. And I started it all. Nitpicking I guess. Sorry.
It isn’t that I expect the manager to kick in to save labor (i.e. a “working manager”). The manager is the one that sets tone of the culture by their example. They best show you do whatever it takes to serve the customer.
I have two stores and a GM that runs them. Managers are responsible for hiring, training, food buying, scheduling, food and labor cost, keeping the place clean and service levels. They work 35-50 hours a week, mostly around 45 hours. With bonus they tend to make about 45-50K plus paid vacation and a season pass to the ski mountain.
$10 an hour? Not around here.
I would not take less than 60k a year to run two stores.