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First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers: Career Overview
Directly supervise and coordinate activities of workers engaged in preparing and serving food.
The Daily Work of First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers Take On?
Typical responsibilities of first-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers span:
- Resolve customer complaints regarding food service.
- Train workers in food preparation, and in service, sanitation, and safety procedures.
- Assign duties, responsibilities, and work stations to employees in accordance with work requirements.
- Present bills and accept payments.
- Perform various financial activities, such as cash handling, deposit preparation, and payroll.
- Supervise and participate in kitchen and dining area cleaning activities.
- Recommend measures for improving work procedures and worker performance to increase service quality and enhance job safety.
- Specify food portions and courses, production and time sequences, and workstation and equipment arrangements.
What First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers Need to Know
Top first-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
The abilities most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Types of First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers Jobs
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Banquet Captain
- Banquet Supervisor
- Bar Manager
- Bartender Manager
- Cafeteria Manager
- Cafeteria Supervisor
- Canteen Manager
- Cocktail Lounge Manager
How Many First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers Are There?
There are roughly 817,258 first-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +5.6% over the projection horizon.
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $37,104 |
| Hourly median | $17.84 |
| 10th percentile | $25,588 |
| 25th percentile | $31,346 |
| 75th percentile | $42,862 |
| 90th percentile | $48,620 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $56,350 |
| Washington | $49,850 |
| Hawaii | $49,820 |
| Connecticut | $49,480 |
| Rhode Island | $49,000 |
| Delaware | $48,700 |
| New Jersey | $48,210 |
| Colorado | $47,920 |
| Vermont | $47,650 |
| Maine | $47,600 |
| New Hampshire | $47,460 |
| Alaska | $47,010 |
| New York | $46,680 |
| Massachusetts | $46,630 |
| California | $46,140 |
| Virginia | $45,440 |
| Minnesota | $45,350 |
| Oregon | $44,850 |
| North Dakota | $44,030 |
| North Carolina | $43,860 |
| Virgin Islands | $43,440 |
| Maryland | $42,920 |
| Arizona | $42,790 |
| Montana | $42,050 |
| Florida | $41,980 |
| South Dakota | $40,070 |
| Nevada | $39,700 |
| New Mexico | $39,670 |
| Illinois | $39,080 |
| Pennsylvania | $38,980 |
| South Carolina | $38,950 |
| Indiana | $38,860 |
| Wisconsin | $38,700 |
| Iowa | $38,320 |
| Nebraska | $38,170 |
| Utah | $38,070 |
| Michigan | $37,960 |
| Tennessee | $37,960 |
| Kansas | $37,910 |
| Idaho | $37,840 |
| Georgia | $37,360 |
| Wyoming | $37,260 |
| Missouri | $36,990 |
| Ohio | $36,900 |
| Texas | $36,650 |
| Alabama | $35,940 |
| Louisiana | $35,640 |
| Kentucky | $35,060 |
| Oklahoma | $34,950 |
| Mississippi | $34,230 |
| Arkansas | $31,950 |
| West Virginia | $30,500 |
| Puerto Rico | $27,930 |
| Guam | $27,460 |
Where First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers Earn the Most
Compensation for first-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers vary by region. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| New England | $47,626 | 3.9% | 0.82 |
| Far Western US | $46,107 | 15.4% | 0.93 |
| Middle Atlantic | $44,645 | 12.6% | 0.83 |
| Rocky Mountains | $43,336 | 4.4% | 1.11 |
| Plains States | $39,950 | 6.4% | 0.93 |
| Southeast | $39,371 | 28.0% | 1.15 |
| Great Lakes | $38,172 | 14.4% | 1.02 |
| Southwest | $37,424 | 14.4% | 1.15 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | HI | $55,780 | 900 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $55,730 | 11,900 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $55,210 | 5,510 |
| Boulder, CO | CO | $52,570 | 1,570 |
| Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | WA | $50,940 | 430 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | CO | $50,540 | 13,770 |
| Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | NJ | $50,240 | 1,980 |
| New Haven, CT | CT | $49,880 | 1,730 |
Which Industries Hire First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers
The largest employers of first-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation and Food Services | 1,010,610 | $39,520 |
| Retail Trade | 45,240 | $45,740 |
| Educational Services | 37,970 | $45,070 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 35,220 | $51,080 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 20,570 | $48,530 |
| Manufacturing | 8,410 | $47,280 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 6,400 | $39,810 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 3,130 | $51,350 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Tech Stack
- 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 work environment for first-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Telephone Conversations
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Contact With Others
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
- Physical Proximity
Education and Training
Entry-level first-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This occupation sits in Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Food Service Managers (Supplemental)
- Chefs and Head Cooks (Supplemental)
- Food Preparation Workers (Supplemental)
- Fast Food and Counter Workers (Supplemental)
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers (Supplemental)
- First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers (Primary-Short)
- First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers (Supplemental)
- First-Line Supervisors of Entertainment and Recreation Workers, Except Gambling Services (Primary-Short)
Top Programs to Study For This Career
Aspiring first-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers typically earn programs in:
Personal and Culinary Services
4 programs across 1 majors
Sources
This profile draws on 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: 35-1012.00 (First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers).