Dominique Kennedy

Accomplished District Manager with 7+ years of progressive leadership in multi-unit restaurant operations and a proven ability to drive significant revenue growth and cost savings. Managed districts with up to $7.2M P&L and 150-200 team members, consistently increasing sales by 8-12% YoY and improving net operating margins. Expertise in operational efficiency, P&L management, talent development, and guest satisfaction, poised to deliver exceptional results for your organization.

District Manager at Waffle House (2020-11 – Present)

Provide operational leadership for 6 restaurants and manage a $7.2M district P&L; lead ~150-200 team members.

• Increased district sales 8-12% YoY, adding ~$576K-$864K in annual revenue through targeted promotions, menu optimization and upsell training.
• Improved net operating margin by 2-4 percentage points, increasing annual NOI by an estimated $144K-$288K via cost controls and operational efficiencies.
• Reduced food cost 2-3 percentage points (e.g., 30% to 27-28%), saving ~$144K-$216K annually through vendor renegotiation, portion control and recipe standardization.
• Lowered labor cost 1.5-3 percentage points through optimized scheduling and productivity initiatives, saving ~$108K-$216K annually.
• Reduced inventory shrinkage 20-35% by strengthening loss-prevention protocols and controls.
• Increased average check 4-6% via menu/pricing changes and server upsell coaching.
• Improved guest satisfaction/CSAT scores 8-15 percentage points through service training and SOP standardization.
• Cut manager time-to-fill 40-60% by implementing proactive recruiting and internal promotion programs.
• Achieved 90-98% FOH/BOH audit compliance across the district within 6-12 months of SOP rollout.
• Led POS rollout across all locations, reducing transaction errors and cash variance ~30-50% and improving reporting accuracy.
• Grew catering/banquet revenue 20-40% YoY by developing targeted packages and localized marketing.
• Conduct regular FOH/BOH audits, deliver evaluation reports and implement corrective action plans; oversee CAPEX recommendations and openings/transition checklists.

Store Manager at Storebucks (2018-01 – 2020-10)

Managed day-to-day operations for a high-volume quick-service location with ~$1.0-1.4M annual revenue; responsible for full P&L, staffing and vendor relations.

• Led a team of ~30-40 staff; recruited, trained and developed managers to improve retention and service consistency.
• Increased store sales 6-10% YoY through local marketing, menu engineering and upsell programs.
• Reduced food cost 2-3 percentage points and labor cost 1-2 points through portion control, vendor renegotiation and labor optimization.
• Implemented SOPs and audit checklists that produced 95%+ health inspection and internal audit scores.
• Managed inventory, forecasting and par levels, cutting waste and over-ordering by ~20%.
• Oversaw a store refresh that improved guest experience and repeat business.
• Developed catering and off-premise packages, growing ancillary revenue ~25% YoY.

Food Service Director at U.S. Navy (2013-01 – 2017-11)

Directed large-scale food service operations producing 1,000-3,000 meals per day; maintained 100% compliance with health and sanitation standards.

• Created and enforced SOPs for food prep, presentation and sanitation; ensured compliance with military and health department regulations.
• Reduced food wastage 15-30% through portion control, recipe standardization and inventory best practices.
• Negotiated supplier contracts to decrease food costs 5-10% versus prior terms.
• Implemented training programs that reduced production errors and cycle time 15-25% and improved on-time service rates.
• Managed catering and special events, including staffing, menu customization and on-site execution.

Restaurant Manager at U.S. Navy (2009-12 – 2013-11)

Managed daily restaurant operations: staffing, scheduling, customer service and financial reconciliation.

• Improved daily reconciliation accuracy to ~99% by strengthening cash controls and POS audits.
• Cut inventory over-ordering and waste by ~20% through improved forecasting and par-level controls.
• Led service improvements and small renovations that increased repeat business and guest satisfaction.
• Conducted performance evaluations and delivered training on service standards and safety protocols.

Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance – Keiser University (2017 – 2021-03)

Certificate in Culinary Arts – First Technical College (2009 – 2010-03)