Food Service Managers
Plan, direct, or coordinate activities of an organization or department that serves food and beverages.
- Median pay
- $69,390
- Doing it now
- 344,300
- By 2035
- Up 5.8%
- Usually needs
- High school diploma or equivalent
a year
across the country
38,800 openings a year
to get in
What the work involves
- Test cooked food by tasting and smelling it to ensure palatability and flavor conformity.
- Investigate and resolve complaints regarding food quality, service, or accommodations.
- Schedule and receive food and beverage deliveries, checking delivery contents to verify product quality and quantity.
- 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 budgets and payroll records, and review financial transactions to ensure that expenditures are authorized and budgeted.
- Schedule staff hours and assign duties.
- Monitor compliance with health and fire regulations regarding food preparation and serving, and building maintenance in lodging and dining facilities.
What to study
The fields of study the Department of Education links to this occupation, most widely taught first.
- Hospitality Administration/ManagementSee 293 colleges that teach it
- Foods, Nutrition, and Related ServicesSee 122 colleges that teach it
- Culinary Arts and Related ServicesSee 40 colleges that teach it
Who it suits
O*NET scores every occupation on six interest dimensions. This one leans hardest on these three.
Leading and persuading
Organised and precise
Hands-on and practical
Careers like this one
- First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers$44,080
- First-Line Supervisors of Gambling Services Workers$63,820
- First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers$79,860
- First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$74,450
- First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers$49,100
- First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers$58,430
Where this comes from: the description and the task list are O*NET, which the Department of Labor maintains. Pay, workforce size, outlook and the education normally needed are the Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections programme, 2025 wages and 2025 to 2035 projections. Half of them earn more than $69,390 a year, which means half earn less, and what you would earn depends on where you work and how long you have been doing it. The fields of study come from the National Center for Education Statistics crosswalk.