What does a restaurant sales executive actually do?
A restaurant sales executive is responsible for generating planned, repeatable revenue outside walk-in customers.
This role exists to bring in:
- Corporate catering orders
- Office lunches and subscriptions
- Event bookings
- Bulk and party orders
- Long-term institutional clients
Unlike retail sales roles, this job is tightly connected to kitchen capacity, menu margins, and service quality. A good sales executive does not just sell. They sell what the restaurant can execute profitably.
Why restaurants hire sales executives differently from other businesses
In most industries, sales happens first and operations follow. In restaurants, it works the opposite way.
Kitchen capacity, staff availability, food cost, and service timing set the limits. A sales executive who ignores these realities creates chaos, not growth.
Restaurants hire sales executives to:
- Fill non-peak hours with predictable demand
- Increase average order value without discounting
- Build repeat business instead of one-time deals
- Reduce dependence on aggregators
This is why generic sales job descriptions fail in food businesses.
Core responsibilities of a restaurant sales executive
The responsibilities look simple on paper but are operationally sensitive.
Lead generation and outreach
This includes identifying offices, companies, event planners, and institutions within delivery or service range. Cold calling works less here. Relationship-driven outreach works more.
Client meetings and sampling
Food sells through experience. Sales executives coordinate tastings, menu walkthroughs, and pricing discussions with realistic portioning and margins in mind.
Order conversion and coordination
Once a deal closes, the job shifts to coordination. Confirming quantities, delivery timing, menu feasibility, and payment terms is critical.
Relationship management
Repeat orders matter more than new leads. Following up, handling feedback, and ensuring smooth execution builds long-term accounts.
Revenue tracking and reporting
Sales executives track confirmed orders, pipeline value, and expected monthly revenue. This helps owners plan staffing and procurement.
Day-to-day activities inside a working restaurant
A real workday looks less glamorous than corporate sales decks.
Morning often involves:
- Calling corporate clients
- Following up on pending quotations
- Coordinating with kitchen managers on capacity
Afternoons usually include:
- Client visits and tastings
- Event walkthroughs
- Proposal discussions
Evenings are spent:
- Reviewing next-day orders
- Confirming logistics
- Updating reports
This is a hands-on role, not a desk-only job.
Sales targets and KPIs that make sense for restaurants
Many restaurants fail by copying SaaS-style targets. Restaurant KPIs must reflect food economics.
Revenue targets
Monthly or weekly confirmed order value, not just leads.
Conversion rate
Number of confirmed orders vs inquiries.
Average order value
Higher AOV often matters more than higher volume.
Repeat order rate
A strong indicator of relationship quality.
Margin contribution
Sales that kill margins are not wins.
A useful question owners ask is simple: does this role make kitchen planning easier or harder?
Skills and experience that actually matter
Hospitality sales is not about aggressive closing.
Critical skills
- Understanding food costs and portioning
- Clear communication with kitchen teams
- Local market knowledge
- Relationship building
- Problem solving during execution
Nice-to-have experience
- Catering sales
- Hotel or banquet sales
- Corporate food service
- Event coordination
Pure retail or tech sales experience without food exposure often struggles here.
Salary, incentives, and commission structures
Restaurants work best with a hybrid model.
Fixed salary
Covers stability and basic responsibilities.
Variable incentives
Linked to confirmed revenue collected, not just orders booked.
Common structures
- Monthly commission after crossing a base target
- Higher commission on repeat clients
- Incentives for non-peak utilization
Avoid incentives that encourage overpromising.
Common mistakes restaurant owners make when hiring
- Hiring too early without defined sales channels
- Expecting one person to fix weak food or service quality
- Setting unrealistic targets without capacity planning
- Not involving kitchen managers in sales discussions
- Treating the role as purely outbound sales
A sales executive amplifies systems. They do not replace them.
Restaurant sales executive job description template
Job Title: Restaurant Sales Executive
Role Summary:
The Restaurant Sales Executive is responsible for driving planned revenue through corporate orders, catering, events, and bulk food sales while coordinating closely with operations to ensure profitable execution.
Key Responsibilities
- Identify and approach corporate and event clients
- Conduct client meetings and menu discussions
- Prepare quotations and close orders
- Coordinate with kitchen and delivery teams
- Maintain client relationships and repeat orders
- Track sales performance and revenue forecasts
Key Requirements
- Experience in hospitality or food service sales
- Strong communication and coordination skills
- Basic understanding of food costing and margins
- Ability to work flexible hours when required
Real-life examples by restaurant type
QSR or cloud kitchen
Focus is on office lunches, bulk orders, and subscriptions. Speed and consistency matter more than customization.
Casual dining restaurant
Corporate parties and weekend events dominate. Menu flexibility and experience selling matter.
Fine dining
Sales is selective. Fewer clients, higher value, strong relationship focus.
Each format needs a slightly different sales mindset.
When you need a sales executive vs when you do not
You need this role if:
- You have unused capacity on weekdays
- You do catering or events regularly
- You want predictable non-walk-in revenue
You may not need this role if:
- Walk-in demand already exceeds capacity
- Kitchen systems are unstable
- Margins are unclear or inconsistent
Hiring too early creates pressure. Hiring at the right time creates leverage.
Key Takeaways for Restaurant Owners
- A restaurant sales executive sells capacity, not just food.
- This role must work closely with kitchen and operations teams.
- Revenue targets should reflect margins and feasibility.
- Repeat business matters more than lead volume.
- Incentives should reward profitable execution.
- Generic sales templates do not work for restaurants.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a restaurant sales executive different from a sales manager?
Yes. Executives execute day-to-day sales. Managers plan strategy and lead teams.
What revenue should justify this role?
Typically when non-walk-in revenue potential exceeds the fixed salary comfortably.
Can this role work part-time initially?
Yes, especially for small restaurants testing corporate sales.
Should sales executives handle pricing?
They can discuss pricing but final approval should align with margin rules.
Do aggregators replace this role?
No. Aggregators bring orders but not long-term relationships.
How soon should results be expected?
Initial traction in 60 to 90 days if systems are ready.