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Food Service Manager

What is a Food Service Manager?

Food Service Manager Example Plan, direct, or coordinate activities of an organization or department that serves food and beverages.

Life As a Food Service Manager

  • Plan menus and food utilization, based on anticipated number of guests, nutritional value, palatability, popularity, and costs.
  • Create specialty dishes and develop recipes to be used in dining facilities.
  • Coordinate assignments of cooking personnel to ensure economical use of food and timely preparation.
  • Greet guests, escort them to their seats, and present them with menus and wine lists.
  • Keep records required by government agencies regarding sanitation or food subsidies.
  • Perform some food preparation or service tasks, such as cooking, clearing tables, and serving food and drinks when necessary.

Qualities of a Food Service Manager

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.

  • Dining Services Director
  • Tavern Operator
  • Food and Beverage Manager
  • Banquet Director
  • Cafeteria Operator

Job Opportunities for Food Service Managers

There were about 308,700 jobs for Food Service Manager in 2016 (in the United States). 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.

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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.

Average Food Service Managers Salary

Food Service Managers make between $31,580 and $92,410 a year.

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Food Service Managers who work in New Jersey, New York, or Washington, make the highest salaries.

How much do Food Service Managers make in each U.S. state?

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 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
  • Facebook
  • 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?

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How many years of work experience do I need?

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You May Also Be Interested In…

Those interested in being a Food Service Manager may also be interested in:

Are you already one of the many Food Service Manager in the United States? If you’re thinking about changing careers, these fields are worth exploring:

References:

Image Credit: Bblackpsu via Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International

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