Food Service Managers
Plan, direct, or coordinate activities of an organization or department that serves food and beverages.
Also called: Banquet Director, Banquet Manager, Cafe Operator, Cafeteria Director, Cafeteria Manager, Cafeteria Operator
Median pay
$69,390
per year, U.S.
Pay range (10th–90th)
$45,960 – $107,640
People employed
238,430
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.Do you want to lead or coordinate other people’s work?
- 2.Do you enjoy serving customers or the public?
- 3.Are you happy talking and working with people most of the day?
- 4.Are you OK being on your feet and moving most of the day?
The hard parts
- Long hours on your feet
- Tight deadlines are common
- Dealing with conflict is part of the job
Food Service Managers pay by state
Highest-paying states
Annual median pay by state (50 states and DC with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
What food service managers do
- 01Monitor employee and patron activities to ensure liquor regulations are obeyed.
- 02Greet guests, escort them to their seats, and present them with menus and wine lists.
- 03Count money and make bank deposits.
- 04Establish standards for personnel performance and customer service.
- 05Keep records required by government agencies regarding sanitation or food subsidies.
- 06Schedule staff hours and assign duties.
Skills that matter most
- Monitoring
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Active Learning
Knowledge
- Customer and Personal Service
- Administration and Management
- Food Production
- English Language
- Personnel and Human Resources
Work styles that stand out
- Dependability
- Attention to Detail
- Cooperation
- Social Orientation
- Stress Tolerance
Education and first steps
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: over 1 year, up to and including 2 years.
- On-the-job training: over 1 month, up to and including 3 months.
- A certification can help.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from food service managers
- Chefs and Head Cooks88% · −10%
- First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers78% · −36%
- First-Line Supervisors of Gambling Services Workers75% · −8%
- First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers75% · −30%
- First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers71% · −29%
Change into food service managers
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Chefs and Head Cooks90% · $62,470
- First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers88% · $44,080
- Bartenders82% · $34,340
- First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers80% · $48,520
- First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers79% · $49,100
Majors that lead here
- Restaurant, Culinary, and Catering Management/Manager
- Culinary Science/Culinology
- Wine Steward/Sommelier
- Foodservice Systems Administration/Management
- Hospitality Administration/Management, General
- Hotel/Motel Administration/Management
- Restaurant/Food Services Management
- Hotel, Motel, and Restaurant Management
- Brewery/Brewpub Operations/Management
- Hospitality Administration/Management, Other
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.