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Food Service · Usually needs a high school diploma

First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers

Also called: Food Service Supervisors

Directly supervise and coordinate activities of workers engaged in preparing and serving food.

Also called: Banquet Captain, Banquet Supervisor, Bar Manager, Bartender Manager, Cafeteria Manager, Cafeteria Supervisor

Is this career right for me?

Median pay

$44,080

per year, U.S.

Pay range (10th–90th)

$29,940 – $65,570

People employed

1,223,240

Holland code

ECR

Enterprising · Conventional · Realistic

Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers

Is this career right for you?

These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.

  1. 1.Are you OK being on your feet and moving most of the day?
  2. 2.Are you comfortable following clear instructions?
  3. 3.Do you want a job with little physical risk?
  4. 4.Do you prefer a steady pace without constant deadlines?
  5. 5.Do you enjoy serving customers or the public?
  6. 6.Do you prefer working indoors?

The hard parts

  • Long hours on your feet

First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers pay by state

Highest-paying states

Washington$59,400
District of Columbia$57,170
Connecticut$52,940
Colorado$50,550
Vermont$49,820

Lowest-paying states

West Virginia$33,070
Arkansas$33,800
Oklahoma$35,420

Annual median pay by state (50 states and DC with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.

First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers salary in every state →

What first-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers do

  1. 01Compile and balance cash receipts at the end of the day or shift.
  2. 02Forecast staff, equipment, and supply requirements, based on a master menu.
  3. 03Assess nutritional needs of patients, plan special menus, supervise the assembly of regular and special diet trays, and oversee the delivery of food trolleys to hospital patients.
  4. 04Resolve customer complaints regarding food service.
  5. 05Record production, operational, and personnel data on specified forms.
  6. 06Perform personnel actions, such as hiring and firing staff, providing employee orientation and training, and conducting supervisory activities, such as creating work schedules or organizing employee time sheets.

Skills that matter most

  • Speaking
  • Monitoring
  • Active Listening
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Learning Strategies
  • Critical Thinking

Knowledge

  • Customer and Personal Service
  • Administration and Management
  • Food Production
  • English Language
  • Production and Processing

Work styles that stand out

  • Dependability
  • Cooperation
  • Social Orientation
  • Leadership Orientation

Education and first steps

Less than a High School Diploma27%
High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)70%
Post-Secondary Certificate2%
Some College Courses1%
Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree0%

Share of workers by required education, as reported to O*NET.

How people get started

  • Usually needs a high school diploma (O*NET Job Zone 2).
  • Related work experience: none.
  • On-the-job training: anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month.

Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.

Interest fit (Holland code)

Realistic4.60
Investigative1.38
Artistic1.25
Social3.37
Enterprising6.36
Conventional4.72

O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.

Career changes

Change from first-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers

See all jobs for former first-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers →

Change into first-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers

Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).

Jobs similar to first-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers →

Majors that lead here

  • Cooking and Related Culinary Arts, General
  • Culinary Arts/Chef Training
  • Restaurant, Culinary, and Catering Management/Manager
  • Food Service, Waiter/Waitress, and Dining Room Management/Manager
  • Foodservice Systems Administration/Management

From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.

Free help near you

You can get free career counseling, job search help and, if you qualify, help paying for training through American Job Centers, which are funded by the U.S. Department of Labor.

Find an American Job CenterFind training programs

Links go to CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.

Keep exploring

Sources. O*NET 31.0 Database (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0): description, tasks, skills, knowledge, work styles, education, interests and work context. Pay and employment: BLS OEWS May 2025 (national and state). Majors: NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Data Sources & Licenses