Restaurant General Manager Jobs for OPT Students
Restaurant General Manager jobs on OPT require employers comfortable with sponsoring work authorization, since most GM roles involve multi-year commitments that align well with H-1B sponsorship. Hospitality management qualifies as a specialty occupation when your degree is in hospitality, food service management, or business administration.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
Waldorf Astoria Orlando is looking for a Restaurant General Manager to oversee the award-winning Bull & Bear!
Surrounded by Walt Disney Resort, this luxurious Forbes 4-Star property has 502 rooms, 60,000 square feet of banquet space, and 7 food and beverage outlets. This includes 3 restaurants, 2 bars, a pool, and in-room dining.
In this role, you will oversee the fine dining Bull & Bear Restaurant, managing a team of 25-30 and reporting directly to the Complex Director of Food & Beverage.
Bull & Bear has been named one of the top 100 Restaurants in the U.S. by Open Table offering a menu of re-imagined steakhouse classics, trend-setting fare, and renowned for tableside preparation with the highest levels of personalized service. This restaurant is open for dinner service 7 days a week.
The ideal candidate must be an excellent leader with a passion for creating extraordinary experiences, a talent for training and developing others, and a proven record of successfully managing all aspects of a fine dining establishment. This includes financial performance, social media reputation, local market capture, and team member satisfaction and retention. At least 3-5 years of restaurant management experience in an upscale dining environment is required. Advanced beverage knowledge, Level 2 Sommelier, and prior luxury hotel experience are a plus.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
As a Restaurant General Manager, you would be responsible for directing and administering the activities and services of the signature restaurant in the hotel's continuing effort to deliver outstanding guest service and financial profitability. Specifically, you would be responsible for performing the following tasks to the highest standards:
- Plan and direct all aspects of restaurant operations to include, but not limited to, guest service standards and initiatives, product quality, cost controls and overall profitability, marketing initiatives, systems use and management, budgeting and forecasting, department management, policy and procedure implementation and enforcement and meeting participation and facilitation
- Monitor and develop team member performance to include, but not limited to, providing supervision and professional development, conducting counselling and evaluations and delivering recognition and reward
- Maximize efficiency technology system(s) (i.e. Open Table)
- Monitor and assess service and satisfaction trends, evaluate and address issues and make improvements accordingly
- Ensure compliance with health, safety, sanitation and alcohol awareness standards
- Initiate and implement up-selling techniques to promote restaurant food and beverage and services and to maximize overall revenue, including, but not limited to, creating new menus and cross-selling products and services hotel-wide
- Recruit, interview and train team members
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
Since being founded in 1919, Hilton has been a leader in the hospitality industry. Today, Hilton remains a beacon of innovation, quality, and success. This continued leadership is the result of our Team Members staying true to our Vision, Mission, and Values. Specifically, we look for demonstration of these Values:
- Hospitality - We're passionate about delivering exceptional guest experiences.
- Integrity - We do the right thing, all the time.
- Leadership - We're leaders in our industry and in our communities.
- Teamwork - We're team players in everything we do.
- Ownership - We're the owners of our actions and decisions.
- Now - We operate with a sense of urgency and discipline
In addition, we look for the demonstration of the following key attributes:
- Quality
- Productivity
- Dependability
- Customer Focus
THE BENEFITS
Hilton is proud to support the mental and physical wellbeing of all Team Members so they can Thrive personally and professionally in a diverse and inclusive environment, thanks to innovative programs and benefits such as:
- Access to your pay when you need it through DailyPay
- Medical Insurance Coverage – for you and your family
- Mental Health Resources
- Best-in-Class Paid Time Off (PTO)
- Go Hilton travel discount program
- Supportive parental leave
- Matching 401(k)
- Employee stock purchase program (ESPP) - purchase Hilton shares at 15% discount
- Debt-free education: Access to a wide variety of educational credentials (ex. college degrees, high school completion, English-language learning, digital literacy, professional certificates and more)
- Career growth and development
- Team Member Resource Groups
- Recognition and rewards programs
- Available benefits may vary depending upon property-specific terms and conditions of employment.
INTRODUCTION
Waldorf Astoria Orlando is looking for a Restaurant General Manager to oversee the award-winning Bull & Bear!
Surrounded by Walt Disney Resort, this luxurious Forbes 4-Star property has 502 rooms, 60,000 square feet of banquet space, and 7 food and beverage outlets. This includes 3 restaurants, 2 bars, a pool, and in-room dining.
In this role, you will oversee the fine dining Bull & Bear Restaurant, managing a team of 25-30 and reporting directly to the Complex Director of Food & Beverage.
Bull & Bear has been named one of the top 100 Restaurants in the U.S. by Open Table offering a menu of re-imagined steakhouse classics, trend-setting fare, and renowned for tableside preparation with the highest levels of personalized service. This restaurant is open for dinner service 7 days a week.
The ideal candidate must be an excellent leader with a passion for creating extraordinary experiences, a talent for training and developing others, and a proven record of successfully managing all aspects of a fine dining establishment. This includes financial performance, social media reputation, local market capture, and team member satisfaction and retention. At least 3-5 years of restaurant management experience in an upscale dining environment is required. Advanced beverage knowledge, Level 2 Sommelier, and prior luxury hotel experience are a plus.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
As a Restaurant General Manager, you would be responsible for directing and administering the activities and services of the signature restaurant in the hotel's continuing effort to deliver outstanding guest service and financial profitability. Specifically, you would be responsible for performing the following tasks to the highest standards:
- Plan and direct all aspects of restaurant operations to include, but not limited to, guest service standards and initiatives, product quality, cost controls and overall profitability, marketing initiatives, systems use and management, budgeting and forecasting, department management, policy and procedure implementation and enforcement and meeting participation and facilitation
- Monitor and develop team member performance to include, but not limited to, providing supervision and professional development, conducting counselling and evaluations and delivering recognition and reward
- Maximize efficiency technology system(s) (i.e. Open Table)
- Monitor and assess service and satisfaction trends, evaluate and address issues and make improvements accordingly
- Ensure compliance with health, safety, sanitation and alcohol awareness standards
- Initiate and implement up-selling techniques to promote restaurant food and beverage and services and to maximize overall revenue, including, but not limited to, creating new menus and cross-selling products and services hotel-wide
- Recruit, interview and train team members
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
Since being founded in 1919, Hilton has been a leader in the hospitality industry. Today, Hilton remains a beacon of innovation, quality, and success. This continued leadership is the result of our Team Members staying true to our Vision, Mission, and Values. Specifically, we look for demonstration of these Values:
- Hospitality - We're passionate about delivering exceptional guest experiences.
- Integrity - We do the right thing, all the time.
- Leadership - We're leaders in our industry and in our communities.
- Teamwork - We're team players in everything we do.
- Ownership - We're the owners of our actions and decisions.
- Now - We operate with a sense of urgency and discipline
In addition, we look for the demonstration of the following key attributes:
- Quality
- Productivity
- Dependability
- Customer Focus
THE BENEFITS
Hilton is proud to support the mental and physical wellbeing of all Team Members so they can Thrive personally and professionally in a diverse and inclusive environment, thanks to innovative programs and benefits such as:
- Access to your pay when you need it through DailyPay
- Medical Insurance Coverage – for you and your family
- Mental Health Resources
- Best-in-Class Paid Time Off (PTO)
- Go Hilton travel discount program
- Supportive parental leave
- Matching 401(k)
- Employee stock purchase program (ESPP) - purchase Hilton shares at 15% discount
- Debt-free education: Access to a wide variety of educational credentials (ex. college degrees, high school completion, English-language learning, digital literacy, professional certificates and more)
- Career growth and development
- Team Member Resource Groups
- Recognition and rewards programs
- Available benefits may vary depending upon property-specific terms and conditions of employment.
How to Get Visa Sponsorship as a Restaurant General Manager
Target multi-unit and corporate operators
Large restaurant groups and national chains have dedicated HR teams familiar with visa sponsorship. Independent single-location restaurants rarely have the infrastructure to file H-1B petitions, so focus your search on operators with 10 or more locations.
Frame your degree as the differentiator
OPT eligibility for GM roles depends on your position qualifying as a specialty occupation. Lead with your hospitality management, business, or food service degree in every application to establish the academic credential that supports your work authorization status.
Quantify your operational impact
Sponsorship decisions are business decisions. Employers need to justify the cost and effort internally. Show revenue growth, labor cost reductions, or turnover improvements you have driven. Concrete numbers make the sponsorship case easier to approve up the chain.
Apply before your OPT clock gets short
GM hiring timelines often run 6 to 10 weeks from application to start date. If you have fewer than 90 days remaining on your OPT, flag this upfront so employers can assess whether the timeline works before investing in the interview process.
Use STEM OPT extension if your degree qualifies
Hospitality technology, data analytics, or management information systems degrees may qualify for the 24-month STEM OPT extension, giving you 36 months total. That additional runway significantly improves your sponsorship prospects with employers who need lead time.
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Get Access To All JobsFrequently Asked Questions
Does a Restaurant General Manager role qualify for OPT work authorization?
Yes, if your degree is in hospitality management, food service management, or business administration and the role requires that specific academic background. The position must qualify as a specialty occupation, meaning the employer requires at least a bachelor's degree in a directly related field. General management roles at corporate or multi-unit operators are more likely to meet this standard than those at independent restaurants.
How do I find Restaurant General Manager jobs where employers are open to OPT?
Migrate Mate filters job listings specifically for employers with a history of sponsoring international candidates, saving you from applying to roles where sponsorship is a non-starter. Search for Restaurant General Manager roles on Migrate Mate and prioritize postings from corporate restaurant groups, hotel food and beverage operations, and multi-concept hospitality companies, which are the segments most likely to have sponsorship infrastructure in place.
Will employers sponsor an H-1B for a Restaurant General Manager after my OPT ends?
Some will, particularly large operators like Darden, Marriott Food and Beverage, or Sodexo, which have established immigration processes. Smaller independent operators typically will not. The strongest indicator is whether the company has sponsored H-1B petitions before. Ask your recruiter directly, and target companies with a demonstrated history before investing significant time in their interview process.
Can I work as a Restaurant General Manager on STEM OPT extension?
Only if your underlying degree is classified as a STEM field by the Department of Homeland Security STEM designated degree program list. Most hospitality management degrees do not qualify. However, degrees in management information systems, data analytics, or applied technology within a hospitality program may qualify. Check with your Designated School Official before assuming STEM extension eligibility based on your job title alone.
What should I do if a Restaurant General Manager job posting does not mention visa sponsorship?
Apply anyway if the employer is a corporate or multi-unit operator with an HR department. Many companies omit sponsorship language from postings but will consider qualified international candidates. Address your OPT status in your cover letter and clarify your authorization timeline. Silence on sponsorship in a job posting is not the same as a refusal, especially at larger hospitality companies.
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