First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers
Directly supervise and coordinate activities of workers engaged in preparing and serving food.
Also called: Cafeteria Manager · Dietary Supervisor · Dining Services Director · Food and Beverage Director · Food and Nutrition Services Supervisor · Food Production Supervisor
Median pay (national)
$42,010
$29,340–$63,420 (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
1,187,460
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
+6%
~183,900 openings/yr
Typical entry
High school diploma or equivalent
What the numbers say
Refit analysis ·Pay for first-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers shows a broad range: the top 10% earn $63,420 versus $29,340 at the bottom 10% — 2.2x. The median of $42,010 leaves roughly 51% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change +6% from 2024 to 2034 — faster than the 3% all-occupation average. Even so, BLS projects about 183,900 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 54 states with released data, District of Columbia pays the most for this role (median $56,350, +34% vs the national median), while Guam sits lowest at $27,460 — a 105% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Speaking, Monitoring, Active Listening as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list.
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Top skills employers ask for
Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.
- Speaking
- Monitoring
- Active Listening
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Learning Strategies
- Writing
- Mathematics
- Active Learning
- Science
What they actually do
Core O*NET tasks for this role.
- Perform various financial activities, such as cash handling, deposit preparation, and payroll.
- Control inventories of food, equipment, smallware, and liquor, and report shortages to designated personnel.
- Resolve customer complaints regarding food service.
- Train workers in food preparation, and in service, sanitation, and safety procedures.
- Analyze operational problems, such as theft and wastage, and establish procedures to alleviate these problems.
- Inspect supplies, equipment, and work areas to ensure efficient service and conformance to standards.
- Greet and seat guests, and present menus and wine lists.
- Assign duties, responsibilities, and work stations to employees in accordance with work requirements.
- Present bills and accept payments.
- Supervise and participate in kitchen and dining area cleaning activities.
Tools & technology
- ADP Workforce Now
- CaterPro
- CBORD Foodservice Suite
- CBORD Group Menu Management System
- Compeat Restaurant Accounting Systems
- Compris Advanced Manager's Workstation
- Compris software
- CostGuard
- Delphi Technology
- Evernote
- IBM Domino
- Intuit QuickBooks Point of Sale
- MICROS Systems HSI Profits Series
- Microsoft Dynamics
- Microsoft Publisher
- NCR Advanced Checkout Solution
Knowledge areas
- Customer and Personal Service
- Administration and Management
- Food Production
- English Language
- Production and Processing
- Sales and Marketing
- Education and Training
- Personnel and Human Resources