The holiday season is about to hit your restaurant like a freight train.
And if you're like most operators, you're already feeling the pressure: staffing shortages, increased volume, higher guest expectations, and the constant fear that one callout could derail an entire shift.
Your management team feels it too.
In fact, they're probably carrying more stress than you realize. And without the right support, they'll burn out before New Year's Eve even hits.
Here's how to support your managers through the chaos without sacrificing your operations (or their sanity).
Stop Expecting Them to "Figure It Out"
Most managers are promoted because they're great at the work, not because they've been trained to lead through high-pressure situations.
If you haven't given them clear expectations, decision-making authority, and the tools to succeed, you're setting them up to fail.
What your managers need right now:
Clear holiday staffing expectations: Post schedules early. Communicate blackout dates. Be transparent about overtime and holiday pay.
Authority to make decisions: If they have to call you for every scheduling conflict or guest complaint, they're not managing, they're babysitting chaos.
Boundaries around their time: Working 60-plus hour weeks isn't sustainable. Build in coverage so they can have at least one full day off per week.
Regular check-ins: A 15-minute one-on-one each week can prevent small issues from becoming major problems.
Your managers don't need you to do their job for them. They need you to set them up to succeed.
Create Systems That Support Them
Your managers shouldn't be working harder during the holidays. They should be working smarter.
That means having systems in place that reduce the need for constant firefighting:
- A cross-training program so one callout doesn't tank your shift.
- A clear callout communication protocol so everyone knows what to do when someone can't make it.
- Pre-shift meeting agendas that set expectations and keep the team aligned.
- A holiday incentive structure that rewards people for showing up (not punishes them for calling out).
The restaurants that make it through the holidays without burning out their managers are the ones that prepared in advance.
If you don't have these systems yet, it's not too late. Start with one. Build from there.
Recognize Their Effort (Specifically)
Your managers are busting their asses right now. Don't wait until January to tell them you appreciate it.
Take five minutes this week to have a real conversation with each of your managers. Not a generic "good job," but a specific acknowledgment of what they're doing well:
- "I noticed how you handled that kitchen meltdown on Saturday. The way you kept everyone calm and focused was exactly what we needed."
- "Thank you for covering that shift last minute. I know you had plans, and I don't take that sacrifice lightly."
Recognition costs you nothing, but it means everything to people who are grinding it out every day.
What This Looks Like in Action
One of my clients was struggling with manager burnout last holiday season. Her GM was working 70-hour weeks, her kitchen manager had stopped taking days off, and her front-of-house manager was on the verge of quitting.
We implemented three changes:
- Built a cross-training program so every manager had backup.
- Created a mandatory day-off policy (no exceptions).
- Scheduled weekly 15-minute check-ins to surface problems early.
The result? Her managers made it through the holidays without a single resignation. Staff morale improved. And her operations were actually more consistent because people weren't making decisions from a place of exhaustion.
Supporting your managers isn't about doing their job for them. It's about creating the conditions for them to succeed.
You still have time to make this holiday season different.
The system we used to create these results is outlined in Chapter 4 of Multi-Unit Mastery. Get your free copy at https://www.IRFbook.com and start building the leadership infrastructure your restaurant needs.
Christin Marvin is a distinguished restaurant coach, speaker, and host of The Restaurant Leadership Podcast. She is also the author of Multi-Unit Mastery: Simplify Operations, Maximize Profits and Lead with Confidence, and The Hospitality Leader's Roadmap: Move from Ordinary to Extraordinary. She specializes in helping independent multi-unit restaurant owners scale without losing their minds or their culture. With over twenty years of hands-on experience in both fine dining and high-volume growth concepts, Christin has established herself as the go-to authority for restaurant leaders ready to move from chaos to confidence. She's the founder of Solutions by Christin and creator of the Independent Restaurant Framework (IRF) (a proven system that transforms overwhelmed owner-operators into confident CEOs). Christin's approach is built on supportive tough love and real-world experience. Having navigated her own journey from line cook at 15 to managing partner by 30, she understands the unique challenges facing restaurant leaders today. Her vulnerability about struggling with burnout and using alcohol to cope has made her a trusted voice for leaders who need someone who truly gets it. Through her personalized one-on-one coaching, elite group programs, and leadership workshops, Christin helps restaurant groups build unified leadership teams, create culture-driven operations, and implement systems that actually work. Her clients don't just survive expansion (they thrive through it).
Are you registered for our Crave and Crave on the Menu newsletters? Sign up today!
Plan to Attend or Participate in the 2026 Bar & Restaurant Expo, March 23-25, 2026, Las Vegas, Nevada. Register now!
To book your sponsorship or exhibit space at our events, fill out our form.
Also, be sure to follow Bar & Restaurant on Facebook and Instagram for all the latest industry news and trends.