Who We Are: It started with a road trip. While traveling cross-country in 2002, Craig Carey couldnt help but notice that every town he visited had a best burger. In fact, the regional differences of each burger he had experienced during his trip made him wonder, why was there no restaurant that served more than one style of burger? This simple question became the beginning of our journey. Our first location. In 2005, Craig teamed up with Tom Racosky, an experienced Chef from Houstons (now Hillstone), and together they started to mold their vision for Big Buns Damn Good Burgers, a modern burger joint with a rotating selection of delicious burgers and craft beer that felt more like a backyard party than a restaurant.In June of 2007, Big Buns opened its first location in Ballston, Arlington and over the years became a neighborhood fixture.Nearly a decade later, Craig and the growing team spoke about the original vision for Big Buns and began to wonder, what would the restaurant look like today if they could do it all over again? A decade later. This simple question inspired a new look and two more Big Buns locations at the Village at Shirlington (2018) and Wiehle-Reston Metro Plaza (2021). The new restaurants were filled with bright colors, murals and bold sound. Dining rooms and patios came standard with communal tables and beer garden vibes. Newly added beer taps and frozen slushie machines fueled the party-like atmosphere. While some things changed, other things remained the exact same, like the commitment to their founding mission to serve the world's most delicious + innovative burgers while sharing the idea of an inclusive backyard party with our amazing guests. Our real secret sauce. People often want to know the reasons why we've been successful over the years. More often than not, our answer is pretty disappointing because we have no secrets, just a set of core beliefs that have helped guide us. Whos behind Makers Union?Glad you asked! We are a restaurant group based in Reston, Virginia, called Thompson Hospitality. We own, operate, and lose constant sleep over several local restaurant brands, including matchbox, Makers Union, Hen Quarter and The Rub Chicken + Beer. Our business was founded twenty-eight years ago on the belief that a successful hospitality business can be built by empowering our fellow team members todo whatever it takesto make our guests happy. We just happen to make GREAT food and drinks too! The General Manager (GM) is responsible for the success of every operational aspect of a restaurant with a focus on guest service, staff development, cost management and profitability. These areas include: Modeling and driving excellence in hospitality and food service Overseeing financial and operational effectiveness of a location Selecting, training, developing, motivating, coaching and recognizing staff for operational excellence Facilities maintenance Community relations Developing your FOH-Manager into a GM The GM implements objectives for providing high quality, consistent, service and product execution. The GM ensures that cost goals, budgeting guidelines and service standards are met by coaching and developing his or her team. The GM is responsible for creating an environment that is conducive to providing an outstanding dining experience for the guest and a symbiotic work place that is committed to growth and development of its employees. The GM adheres to and supports our management systems, practicing and sharing our core beliefs. He/she enforces company policies, procedures, and performance standards with fairness and consistency, while functioning as a role model, counselor and leader within the restaurant. DAY-TO-DAY Effectively open (and close) the restaurant while maintaining a clean, beautifully maintained front and back of house Ensure the uncommon excellence of every food item we prepare Educate staff on food and beverage from the menu during pre-meal meetings and hands on coaching Maintain a positive working experience for all staff to ensure that uncommon excellence and hospitality occurs for all guests Establish appropriate staffing based on volume and according to needs Hold employees accountable for effectively completing their specific job responsibilities according to our standards Ensure that all products delivered are matched from the invoice to what was actually delivered Ensure that all miscellaneous items are in-house and within guidelines of budget, including, but not limited to: retail, uniforms, office supplies, disposables, cleaning supplies, printer paper, linens/aprons, printed materials, Ensure the timeliness of product delivery and storage Ensure that all accounting procedures and processes are followed according to our standards Ensure that all invoices are processed on a daily basis and/or as received Ensure that inventories are accurately processed and entered Ensure that daily and nightly prep lists are created and accurately followed Ensure that all opening, closing and side work checklists are followed and completed Ensure that all guides, licenses and manuals are current and maintained, including: Recipe Binder, Emergency Manual, Preventive Maintenance Guide, ABC License and Health License PEOPLE Interview, hire, train, inspire and evaluate employees according to practices aligned with our hospitality standards Successfully on-board new hires by ensuring that all employees understand HR paperwork, practices and policies, etc. before they begin initial training Ensure New Employee Orientations are conducted in a timely manner and follow the guidelines and standards of Big Buns. Ensure a consistent message that is aligned with the culture and ideals of our company Ensure that all employees are completely trained and knowledgeable in all aspects of service Appraise employee performance according to our 30-day, six-month and eighteen- month plan as a way to continuously address concerns, resolve problems, counsel or reward Provide continuing education to employees by daily education of cultural and technical aspects of job through pre-meal meetings, PRODUCT Ensure that all Purchasing and Receiving procedures for all food and beverage products are followed according to our standards Ensure that all products are of a high quality and aesthetic and are stored in a way that optimizes freshness, value and safety Ensure the timeliness of product delivery and storage Responsible for the selection, sourcing and execution of food specials as directed by the DO Establish and maintain valuable relationships with delivery personnel and vendors Ensure that successful planning, practice and launch of all new products HEALTH & MAINTENANCE Conduct weekly and monthly Health Inspection audits to identify areas of opportunity for compliance and excellence Ensure that Big Buns maintains the highest levels of sanitation with excellent scores and minimal violations Provide continuous education and incentives to employees to understand local rules and regulations and to become certified in any available capacity provided by the local Health Department Manage handyman and/or service personnel to ensure quality and accuracy of work is being completed in a timely manner Manage employees to effectively clean all equipment and facility Ensure Preventive Maintenance Guide is current and followed HR Ensure that New Hire Paperwork is completed accurately and processed in a timely manner. Ensure that employee reviews are conducted in a timely manner, completed accurately and according to standards Ensure that all coaching and progressive disciplinary interactions are documented and approached according to local laws and regulation AND within the culture and ideals of Big Buns Ensure that all announcements and employee achievements are posted and displayed in a manner that effectively communicates all pertinent information and recognizes achievement SCHEDULE & PAYROLL Ensure that all team member schedules are completed according to the agreed upon labor matrix and posted a minimum of one week in advance Ensure that payroll data is scrubbed and submitted correctly Ensure that we are properly staffed for special events, Holidays and marketing promotions We provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.