Shift Lead
The Shift Lead supports smooth shift operations while actively performing guest-facing and other tip-producing work. The role focuses on guests, service flow, opening and closing readiness, routine issue resolution, and communicating operational needs. It is not a manager or supervisor role and has no authority over hiring, firing, discipline, performance management, compensation, scheduling decisions, or formally directing employees.
Essential Duties and ResponsibilitiesGuest Experience & Service Flow
- Actively perform guest-facing counter, cashier, food service, and related tip-producing duties during the shift.
- Monitor guest volume, order flow, wait times, product readiness, cleanliness, and service needs; promptly notify the Operations Manager of concerns.
- Respond to routine guest questions and service concerns within established guidelines and refer elevated complaints, refunds outside approved limits, safety issues, or employee concerns to management.
- Help maintain accurate food preparation, presentation, order quality, and a clean, welcoming guest environment.
Shift Readiness & Routine Operations
- Complete assigned opening and closing checklists, including established cash-handling steps, safety checks, cleaning verification, and operational readiness.
- Perform routine product counts, date checks, rotation, labeling, stocking, and availability checks; report shortages or discrepancies to management.
- Follow established recipes, service procedures, sanitation rules, and company standards.
- Address routine operational problems using established procedures and immediately escalate any matter requiring managerial judgment.
Call-Outs & Coverage Communication
- Receive or become aware of callouts and promptly notify the Operations Manager or manager on duty.
- Using only the manager-approved coverage list and process, contact employees to ask whether they are voluntarily available to cover an open shift.
- Communicate responses to management. The Shift Lead does not require an employee to report, approve overtime, change schedules, assign hours, deny time off, or make the final coverage decision.
- For a planned day off or absence, follow the same communication process and escalate unfilled coverage to management.
Teamwork Without Supervisory Authority
- Share factual service information, checklist status, and immediate operational needs with coworkers as part of normal teamwork.
- Model company service, safety, sanitation, and respectful workplace standards.
- Refer employee performance, conduct, attendance, training, conflict, or policy concerns to the Operations Manager. Do not coach, counsel, discipline, evaluate, or document employees on behalf of management.
- Do not interview, select, hire, fire, promote, set pay, adjust hours, approve schedule requests, formally train or evaluate employees, or make recommendations about employment status.
Inventory & Operational Readiness
- Complete inventory counts, product date checks, rotation, labeling, stocking, and location organization.
- Submit inventory and product needs to management and assist with ordering and receiving processes.
- Monitor product availability and communicate shortages, quality concerns, and inventory variances to management.
- Support opening, closing, operational readiness, and execution of company procedures to ensure smooth shift operations.
Safety & Compliance
- Follow all food safety, sanitation, cash-handling, security, and workplace safety procedures.
- Immediately report injuries, hazards, suspected policy violations, cash discrepancies, or other significant incidents to management.
- Complete required role-specific training and maintain any required food-safety certification.
The company reserves the right to modify duties as business needs evolve.