Food Service Managers
Plan, direct, or coordinate activities of an organization or department that serves food and beverages.
Also called: Banquet Manager · Catering Manager · CDM (Certified Dietary Manager) · Dining Service Director · F and B Manager (Food and Beverage Manager) · Food Service Director
Median pay (national)
$65,310
$42,380–$105,420 (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
244,230
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
+6.4%
~42,000 openings/yr
Typical entry
High school diploma or equivalent
What the numbers say
Refit analysis ·Pay for food service managers shows a broad range: the top 10% earn $105,420 versus $42,380 at the bottom 10% — 2.5x. The median of $65,310 leaves roughly 61% 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 +6.4% from 2024 to 2034 — faster than the 3% all-occupation average. Even so, BLS projects about 42,000 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, Washington pays the most for this role (median $92,290, +41% vs the national median), while Puerto Rico sits lowest at $38,650 — a 139% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Active Listening, Speaking, Monitoring as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list. On the tools side, O*NET flags Microsoft Office software as in-demand technologies for this role.
Tailor your resume to Food Service Managers
Honest tailoring
See how your resume lines up with Food Service Managers
Refit re-angles your real experience toward this role using the skills above — and never invents skills you don't have. A no-fabrication gate checks every change before you see it.
Free. No account needed to see your first re-fit.
Top skills employers ask for
Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Monitoring
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Active Learning
- Learning Strategies
- Writing
- Mathematics
- Science
What they actually do
Core O*NET tasks for this role.
- Count money and make bank deposits.
- Establish standards for personnel performance and customer service.
- Schedule staff hours and assign duties.
- Monitor budgets and payroll records, and review financial transactions to ensure that expenditures are authorized and budgeted.
- Estimate food, liquor, wine, and other beverage consumption to anticipate amounts to be purchased or requisitioned.
- Test cooked food by tasting and smelling it to ensure palatability and flavor conformity.
- Arrange for equipment maintenance and repairs, and coordinate a variety of services, such as waste removal and pest control.
- Maintain food and equipment inventories, and keep inventory records.
- Perform some food preparation or service tasks, such as cooking, clearing tables, and serving food and drinks when necessary.
- Schedule and receive food and beverage deliveries, checking delivery contents to verify product quality and quantity.
Tools & technology
- Microsoft Office software
- Intuit QuickBooks
- Aestiva Employee Time Clock
- Apache Groovy
- Army Food Management Information System
- Aurora FoodPro
- ChefDesk Chef's Calculators
- ClubSoft Food & Beverage Point of Sale
- Culinary Software Services ChefTec
- Database software
- DataTeam Lunch Express
- Delphi Technology
- Dinerware Intuitive Restaurant
- espSoftware Employee Schedule Partner
- Evernote
Knowledge areas
- Customer and Personal Service
- Administration and Management
- Food Production
- English Language
- Personnel and Human Resources
- Sales and Marketing
- Mathematics
- Administrative