Food Service Managers: Job Description
Plan, direct, or coordinate activities of an organization or department that serves food and beverages.
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What Tasks Do Food Service Managers Perform?
The day-to-day responsibilities of food service managers include:
- Count money and make bank deposits.
- Establish standards for personnel performance and customer service.
- Keep records required by government agencies regarding sanitation or food subsidies.
- Schedule staff hours and assign duties.
- Investigate and resolve complaints regarding food quality, service, or accommodations.
- Maintain food and equipment inventories, and keep inventory records.
- Perform some food preparation or service tasks, such as cooking, clearing tables, and serving food and drinks when necessary.
- Monitor budgets and payroll records, and review financial transactions to ensure that expenditures are authorized and budgeted.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Effective food service managers combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
The competencies most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Other Food Service Managers Job Titles
This career also goes by job titles like:
- Banquet Director
- Banquet Manager
- CDM (Certified Dietary Manager)
- CFPP (Certified Food Protection Professional)
- Cafe Operator
- Cafeteria Director
- Cafeteria Manager
- Cafeteria Operator
Job Outlook
There are about 369,360 food service managers working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +7.7% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Food Service Managers Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $165,782 |
| Hourly median | $79.70 |
| 10th percentile | $111,630 |
| 25th percentile | $138,706 |
| 75th percentile | $192,858 |
| 90th percentile | $219,933 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Washington | $92,290 |
| Massachusetts | $85,940 |
| Hawaii | $82,380 |
| Alaska | $82,300 |
| Rhode Island | $82,300 |
| Colorado | $82,270 |
| New York | $80,170 |
| District of Columbia | $80,040 |
| New Jersey | $79,370 |
| Virgin Islands | $77,770 |
| Connecticut | $76,860 |
| Minnesota | $76,780 |
| Delaware | $76,210 |
| New Hampshire | $75,190 |
| California | $75,140 |
| Vermont | $72,740 |
| Virginia | $67,910 |
| Maryland | $67,290 |
| North Carolina | $65,770 |
| Iowa | $65,600 |
| Illinois | $65,130 |
| North Dakota | $64,940 |
| Maine | $64,410 |
| Georgia | $63,980 |
| Oklahoma | $63,930 |
| Florida | $63,650 |
| Oregon | $63,600 |
| Montana | $63,370 |
| Arizona | $63,310 |
| South Carolina | $63,080 |
| New Mexico | $62,860 |
| Texas | $62,610 |
| Kansas | $62,490 |
| Idaho | $62,480 |
| Pennsylvania | $62,250 |
| Louisiana | $62,170 |
| Indiana | $61,930 |
| Michigan | $61,400 |
| Missouri | $61,220 |
| Tennessee | $61,000 |
| Nevada | $60,740 |
| Ohio | $60,650 |
| Nebraska | $60,600 |
| South Dakota | $60,600 |
| Wyoming | $60,570 |
| Kentucky | $60,340 |
| Alabama | $59,920 |
| Utah | $57,450 |
| Wisconsin | $56,510 |
| Arkansas | $53,880 |
| Mississippi | $51,430 |
| West Virginia | $50,920 |
| Guam | $43,220 |
| Puerto Rico | $38,650 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Earnings for food service managers vary by region. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| New England | $79,325 | 3.7% | 0.82 |
| Middle Atlantic | $74,700 | 11.2% | 0.82 |
| Far Western US | $73,895 | 21.0% | 1.34 |
| Rocky Mountains | $67,053 | 2.4% | 0.73 |
| Plains States | $63,361 | 3.9% | 0.84 |
| Southwest | $62,849 | 12.0% | 0.94 |
| Southeast | $62,573 | 27.0% | 1.16 |
| Great Lakes | $61,657 | 18.3% | 1.28 |
Top Metro Areas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $95,540 | 1,140 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | WA | $93,090 | 60 |
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | HI | $93,070 | 210 |
| Barnstable Town, MA | MA | $92,670 | 150 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | WA | $89,220 | 60 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | MA | $86,840 | 3,000 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | WA | $85,430 | 60 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | CO | $84,180 | 1,060 |
Industry Breakdown
Most food service managers are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation and Food Services | 208,270 | $63,800 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 7,510 | $84,990 |
| Educational Services | 6,730 | $77,240 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 6,560 | $80,200 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 5,870 | $78,050 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 2,480 | $72,650 |
| Retail Trade | 1,790 | $61,340 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1,030 | $72,330 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Tools and Technology
- Web page creation and editing software: Facebook (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Google Docs (hot technology)
- Accounting software: Intuit QuickBooks (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Project management software: Microsoft Project (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
The Day-to-Day Environment
The on-the-job environment of food service managers tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Contact With Others
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Telephone Conversations
Getting Started in This Career
Typical food service managers positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Food Scientists and Technologists (Supplemental)
- Dietetic Technicians (Supplemental)
- Chefs and Head Cooks (Primary-Short)
- First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers (Primary-Short)
- Cooks, Fast Food (Supplemental)
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria (Primary-Short)
- Cooks, Private Household (Primary-Short)
- Cooks, Restaurant (Primary-Short)
Degree Programs
Aspiring food service managers often complete programs in:
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services
6 programs across 1 majors
Personal and Culinary Services
3 programs across 1 majors
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences
1 programs across 1 majors
About the Data
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 11-9051.00 (Food Service Managers).
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