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Home / Careers / Food Services Manager
A Food Services Manager is an employee who is responsible for planning, coordinating and overseeing the daily operations of establishments that serve food and/or beverages. Other common job titles for these hospitality professionals include Food and Beverage Director, Food Service Director, Restaurant General Manager and Kitchen Manager, among others.
The day-to-day duties of Food Services Managers will vary to some degree according to the type of establishment they work in and its structure and size. For instance, in a smaller restaurant or cafeteria, they may be solely responsible for managing virtually all aspects of daily operations. In larger employment settings, Food Services Managers may work as part of a management team and be responsible only for certain areas of daily operations. In restaurant franchises or chains, Food Service Managers may be responsible for overseeing operations at several locations. Here is a general outline of some of the duties that Food Services Managers are commonly responsible for in the workplace:
According to the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, about 39,600 openings for food service managers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Most of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.”It is important to note that job market data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Handbook is only intended to provide insight on occupational opportunities. That means that while it can give you a basic idea of what to expect in terms of job prospects, it is not to be construed as a guarantee of salary or job title. Neither BLS nor Bryant & Stratton College can guarantee employment in Food Services Management or any other field.
Building a solid career as a Food Services Manager is best done by getting an education in hospitality or food service management. While some job opportunities may be available to candidates who do not have a degree in these areas, BLS explains that a growing number of employers prefer candidates to have a college education – particularly those hiring for better paying positions in upscale restaurants and hotels. Bryant & Stratton College offers a couple of degree programs that can help ensure that you are qualified to land those more competitive positions: The Hospitality Management Associate Degree and Restaurant and Hotel Management Associate Degree programs.
Completing these degree programs means gaining a foundation of skills essential to success as a Food Services Manager, as well as other management roles in the hospitality services industry. This includes courses in human resources, marketing, and sales and finance, as well as key hospitality practices and principles. Graduates are qualified to pursue positions in hotels, casinos, travel and tourism, the food and beverage industry, sports venues and resorts, among many other employment settings.
For more insights into Food Services/Hospitality field, please visit the Business Degree section of the Bryant & Stratton College blog. By exploring the blog and our website, you will gain access to helpful information and insights on building a career in this field or any other that might spark your interest.
Most employers prefer candidates for Food Services Manager positions to have a few years of work experience in the industry, working as cooks, waiters/waitresses or other related positions. Some employers will require candidates to complete classroom and/or on-the-job training in areas that include good preparation, food safety and sanitation, record keeping and personnel management, among others. Many employers may prefer to hire Food Service Managers who have earned professional certifications, such as the Food Protection Manager Certification (FPMC), or the Foodservice Management Professional (FMP) designation, for instance. Earning these credentials means meeting the education/experience standards of the professional organizations that issue them and passing an exam.
Food service managers work in a wide variety of settings. Virtually all establishments that serve food or beverages need these employees to keep things running smoothly. This includes fast food franchises, full service dining establishments, cafes and coffee shops, hotels and cafeterias in hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living centers, schools and office buildings, among many other settings.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), there were about 357,500 Food Services Managers employed in 2022, and nearly half (49 percent) of them worked in restaurants and other eating places. Another 33 percent were self-employed, 5 percent worked with special food services and 2 percent worked in accommodations firms.
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