What Does it Take to Be a Food Service Manager?
Food Service Manager Example Plan, direct, or coordinate activities of an organization or department that serves food and beverages.
Food Service Manager Responsibilities
- Create specialty dishes and develop recipes to be used in dining facilities.
- Estimate food, liquor, wine, and other beverage consumption to anticipate amounts to be purchased or requisitioned.
- Greet guests, escort them to their seats, and present them with menus and wine lists.
- Perform some food preparation or service tasks, such as cooking, clearing tables, and serving food and drinks when necessary.
- Review work procedures and operational problems to determine ways to improve service, performance, or safety.
- Monitor budgets and payroll records, and review financial transactions to ensure that expenditures are authorized and budgeted.
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Food Service Manager Needed Skills
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.
Other Food Service Manager Job Titles
- Tavern Operator
- Food Service Director
- Lunchroom Operator
- Cafeteria Operator
- Banquet Manager
What Kind of Food Service Manager Job Opportunities Are There?
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. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 36,800 job openings in this field each year.

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.
What is the Average Salary of a Food Service Manager
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.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Food Service Managers 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 & Technology 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
How do I Become a Food Service Manager?
What education is needed to be a Food Service Manager?

How Long Does it Take to Become a Food Service Manager?

Food Service Managers Sector

The table below shows the approximate number of Food Service Managers employed by various industries.

Other Jobs You May be Interested In
Those interested in being a Food Service Manager may also be interested in:
Career changers with experience as a Food Service Manager sometimes find work in one of the following fields:
References:
Image Credit: Bblackpsu via Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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