Food Service Managers
Plan, direct, or coordinate activities of an organization or department that serves food and beverages.
What it pays
Food Service Managers earn a median of $33.36/hr — about $69,500 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $22.09/hr; the top 10% earn $51.75/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
Food Service Managers earn a median of $33.36/hr — about $69,500 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $22.09/hr; the top 10% earn $51.75/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
What you'd actually do
- Keep records required by government agencies regarding sanitation or food subsidies.
- Investigate and resolve complaints regarding food quality, service, or accommodations.
- 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.
- Schedule and receive food and beverage deliveries, checking delivery contents to verify product quality and quantity.
- Coordinate assignments of cooking personnel to ensure economical use of food and timely preparation.
How you get there
Typical entry-level education: High school diploma. Overall preparation: some preparation (Job Zone 2 of 5).
The feel of the work
You're around people constantly. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)
Working for yourself
About 30.3% of food service managers are self-employed.
Who it tends to fit
This work tends to fit people who are take-charge, organized and detail-focused and hands-on.
Work a simulated shift in this job — freeMake the real decisions this job involves, then see what your choices say about you.Related careers
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- Entertainment and Recreation Managers, Except Gambling
- Social and Community Service Managers
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- Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary
Quick questions
- How much does a food service manager make?
- The median pay is $33.36 per hour — roughly $69,500 a year, with the real range running from about $22.09/hr (10th percentile) to $51.75/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Do you need a degree to be a food service manager?
- The typical entry-level education is: High school diploma. Overall preparation level: some preparation (Job Zone 2 of 5).
- What does a food service manager actually do all day?
- Keep records required by government agencies regarding sanitation or food subsidies. Investigate and resolve complaints regarding food quality, service, or accommodations. Maintain food and equipment inventories, and keep inventory records.
Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS. Tasks & interests: O*NET. Career pathways shown in the app are draft archetypes — verify before relying on them. Trailhead is a free career guide for students — honest numbers, no hype.
Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.
Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.