Restaurant General Manager in Darlington

Welcome to KFC. Home of the real ones. We sell the world’s best chicken. We’ve done it for a long old time — since 1939, when the idea of finger lickin’ good chicken popped into our Colonel’s head. Now, we proudly serve 1000+ communities across the UK and Ireland, bringing the grit, pride and iconic reputation that started in Kentucky all those years ago.

People who are original. Individual. Fresh. We come to work to be ourselves, and to make something of ourselves. We bring the graft and the laughs every day — building our own community, as we serve our original recipe chicken to the ones we’re in. In our place, ambition grows. Careers build. Potential goes further. Our doors are open, and they can take you anywhere. If you join our team, we only ask one thing. That you be you. Because that makes us, us.

Here’s more about the job.

About the role

Lead from the front, take full ownership of the restaurant, and smash performance goals while building a team that doesn’t just meet standards but exceeds them. Own the numbers, the vibe, and the experience, keeping everything running smoothly while creating a space where both guests and the team thrive.

What will you spend your time doing?

• Lead like you mean it. You’ll take full ownership of the restaurant — drive performance, hit goals, and set the vibe.
• Build a team worth following. Train, coach, and motivate your people so they don’t just meet the standard — they raise it.
• Smash the targets. Own your KPIs and push the team to deliver every shift, every day.
• Keep it tight. Stay on top of the admin — rosters, stock, reporting — so everything runs smooth behind the scenes.
• Make the guest experience unforgettable. Turn first-timers into regulars by creating moments that hit different.

What we’d love from you

• You lead from the front. You’ve managed teams before and know how to bring the best out of people.
• You get people. You build strong teams, handle tough conversations, and create a culture where everyone feels seen.
• You run a tight ship. You know how to keep operations efficient, clean, and compliant — even when it’s chaos.

Keeping it real

We hire staff — we hire people. People with real lives and aspirations, building real careers. Each of us has something special to add to the mix we call work, and we’ll always encourage you to add your perspective. See, at KFC, everyone’s welcome — whatever your background, and whatever future you’re creating. We’ll look out for you because you’re one of us, not because you work for us. We’ll invest in your potential, because it’s what we’ve always done. But most of all, we’ll give you the freedom to be you, wherever (and whoever) you happen to be.

What’s in it for you

• Pay rate: Quarterly BONUS that rewards the hustle
• Extra holiday – more time to recharge
• Life assurance – we’ve got you covered
• Free chicken & chips every shift
• 25% staff discount
• Gym discounts to keep you moving
• 200+ high street perks & cashback
• Wellbeing support that actually helps

KFC for everyone

Whoever you are and wherever you’re from, KFC is a place where you can bring the real you to work. We’re here to support you in being yourself, whether you work with us, or are trying to. Our promise is this: every person who applies to a role at KFC, regardless of age, background, ethnicity, gender, ability, religion or sexual orientation, will have an equal opportunity to work here. We don’t just welcome, we encourage applications from underrepresented groups in all industries. If you’d like any additional support with your application, have a disability or condition that may affect your performance during the recruitment process, or have any other requirements — just let us know. We’ll be there to help you be the real you.

Ready? We hope so. If you’re ready to be part of our community, now’s the time to apply. Worried you aren’t ticking all the boxes? Don’t - we’d still love to hear from you.

We do things a little differently here. Some of our restaurants are run by KFC directly (that’s our Equity team), while others are owned by our awesome Franchise partners. So, things like benefits might vary a bit depending on where you work – but the heart, the culture, and that finger lickin’ feeling? That’s the same wherever you join us.

Compensation: Competitive salary