What Does it Take to Be a Food Service Manager?
Occupation Description Plan, direct, or coordinate activities of an organization or department that serves food and beverages.
Daily Life Of a Food Service Manager
- Schedule and receive food and beverage deliveries, checking delivery contents to verify product quality and quantity.
- Estimate food, liquor, wine, and other beverage consumption to anticipate amounts to be purchased or requisitioned.
- Test cooked food by tasting and smelling it to ensure palatability and flavor conformity.
- Maintain food and equipment inventories, and keep inventory records.
- Monitor food preparation methods, portion sizes, and garnishing and presentation of food to ensure that food is prepared and presented in an acceptable manner.
- Monitor employee and patron activities to ensure liquor regulations are obeyed.
Featured schools near , edit
What a Food Service Manager Should Know
These are the skills Food Service Managers say are the most useful in their careers:
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Management of Personnel Resources: Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Related Job Titles
- Food and Beverage Director
- Luncheonette Operator
- Flight Kitchen Manager
- Food General Manager
- General Manager
Is There Going to be Demand for Food Service Managers?
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 308,700 jobs in the United States for Food Service Manager. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 9% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 27,700 new jobs for Food Service Manager by 2026. The BLS estimates 36,800 yearly job openings in this field.

The states with the most job growth for Food Service Manager are Utah, Washington, and Arizona. Watch out if you plan on working in Vermont, Maine, or West Virginia. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Food Service Manager Salary
The average yearly salary of a Food Service Manager ranges between $31,580 and $92,410.

Food Service Managers who work in New Jersey, New York, or Washington, make the highest salaries.
How much do Food Service Managers make in different U.S. states?
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $58,590 |
Alaska | $68,390 |
Arizona | $58,640 |
Arkansas | $48,760 |
California | $57,920 |
Connecticut | $75,130 |
Delaware | $76,040 |
District of Columbia | $70,980 |
Florida | $61,160 |
Georgia | $52,660 |
Hawaii | $66,130 |
Idaho | $47,000 |
Illinois | $51,440 |
Indiana | $52,280 |
Iowa | $46,620 |
Kansas | $54,870 |
Kentucky | $51,160 |
Louisiana | $64,530 |
Maine | $63,410 |
Maryland | $72,870 |
Massachusetts | $68,770 |
Michigan | $61,800 |
Minnesota | $58,900 |
Mississippi | $48,570 |
Missouri | $53,390 |
Montana | $57,200 |
Nebraska | $46,220 |
Nevada | $69,220 |
New Hampshire | $64,360 |
New Jersey | $82,340 |
New Mexico | $55,530 |
New York | $77,760 |
North Carolina | $59,340 |
North Dakota | $54,700 |
Ohio | $53,810 |
Oklahoma | $50,650 |
Oregon | $52,110 |
Pennsylvania | $66,680 |
Rhode Island | $66,870 |
South Carolina | $61,110 |
South Dakota | $52,880 |
Tennessee | $47,240 |
Texas | $61,610 |
Utah | $46,030 |
Vermont | $58,320 |
Virginia | $65,800 |
Washington | $77,970 |
West Virginia | $47,230 |
Wisconsin | $50,880 |
Wyoming | $52,070 |
What Tools do Food Service Managers Use?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Food Service Managers:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Outlook
- Word processing software
- Microsoft Project
- Database software
- Microsoft Dynamics
- Google Docs
- Intuit QuickBooks
- Google Drive
- Adobe Systems Adobe Flash
- Delphi Technology
- IBM Domino
- Oracle Taleo
- Apache Groovy
- Inventory management software
- Culinary Software Services ChefTec
Becoming a Food Service Manager
Learn what Food Service Manager education requirements there are.

How many years of work experience do I need?

Where do Food Service Managers Work?

The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.

Other Jobs You May be Interested In
Those thinking about becoming a Food Service Manager might also be interested in the following careers:
Are you already one of the many Food Service Manager in the United States? If you’re thinking about changing careers, these fields are worth exploring:
References:
Image Credit: Bblackpsu via Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International
More about our data sources and methodologies.
Featured Schools
![]() |
Southern New Hampshire University You have goals. Southern New Hampshire University can help you get there. Whether you need a bachelor's degree to get into a career or want a master's degree to move up in your current career, SNHU has an online program for you. Find your degree from over 200 online programs. Learn More > |