Food Service Managers coordinate and supervise the activities of workers responsible for the serving of food and beverages in different types of establishments or at social functions.

Job Duties 

Food Service Managers may:

Estimate food and beverage amounts and costs

Purchase food, supplies, and equipment

Keep records of inventory and employees' work schedules

Consult with the cook or chef to plan and evaluate menus

Inspect the dining room, kitchen, and equipment for cleanliness

Interview, hire, train, and discharge employees

Settle customer complaints about food or service

In small restaurants, Managers may also run the cash register and take customers' orders. In large restaurants, Managers coordinate the work of specialized personnel such as assistant managers, purchasing agents, and headwaiters.

The tools and equipment used may include:

OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTIES

Food Service Managers may be designated according to the type of establishment or specialty such as banquet managers, cafeteria managers, restaurant managers, or food and beverage managers. They may also specialize in these areas:

187.167-106 CATERERS plan and supervise the preparation and serving of food and beverages at social affairs.

319.137-014 FLIGHT KITCHEN MANAGERS supervise and coordinate activities of kitchen employees engaged in purchasing supplies and preparing food for food service departments of airlines. They also review reservation lists and flight information to compute types and quantities of food needed, control alcoholic beverage supplies, and inspect the kitchen for conformance to government and airline safety requirements.

185.167-022 FOOD CONCESSION MANAGERS manage refreshment stands at public gatherings, sports events, amusement parks, and similar facilities.

187.167-026 SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM MANAGERS plan menus and supervise employees engaged in preparing and serving meals in school cafeterias.

187.167-106 FOOD SERVICE MANAGERS are responsible for the serving of food and beverages in restaurants, hospitals, schools, and other institutions, or at social functions.

187.167-126 LIQUOR ESTABLISHMENT MANAGERS coordinate the activities of workers who sell and serve alcoholic beverages to patrons in taverns, cocktail lounges, and night clubs.

In addition to learning about these specialties, you may also find it helpful to explore the following CEScripts:

WORKING CONDITIONS AND REQUIREMENTS

Depending on the establishment, Food Service Managers may supervise assistant managers, purchasing agents, office workers, cashiers, head waiters, waiters, waitresses, cooks, bartenders, butchers, dishwashers, and others. They may also have frequent contact with customers.

Food Service Managers, except for some concession managers, generally work indoors. Working conditions vary from small, noisy restaurants to elegant night clubs.

Employment of Food Service Managers may be seasonal in resort areas.

Working hours of Food Service Managers vary by establishment and type of service performed. However, they generally work long, irregular hours to suit customers' needs. Food Service Managers often work weekends, and holidays.

You Should Prefer:

• Activities resulting in esteem from others

You Should Be Able To:

• Demonstrate self-confidence, initiative, dependability

• Plan and direct the activities of others

• Evaluate information using personal judgment/verifiable criteria

• Work accurately with facts and figures

• Perform a variety of duties that may change frequently

• Communicate and work well with others

• Perceive detail in written material or tables

• Understand the meaning of words/ideas,

• Present information effectively

Math Problem You Should Be Able to Solve:

A family restaurant serves a six-ounce steak with potato, vegetable, and side salad. The restaurant purchases sirloins, from which it cuts the steaks, in eighteen-pound weights at a cost of $2.95 per pound. The calculated cost of the potato, vegetable, and side salad is $0.34.

Reading Example You Should Be Able to Read and Comprehend:

Standard recipes for both food and beverage items should be prepared and used in conjunction with predetermined, standard food portion sizes or drink sizes. In conjunction with the standard recipes, items can be calculated to obtain the item portion cost.

Writing Example You Should Be Able to Produce:

Prepare a written inventory of food supplies for the end of the month.

Thinking Skill You Should Be Able to Demonstrate:

Analytical skills, decision making skills, and be detail-oriented in coordinating and supervising the activities in a food service.

Food Service Managers may be required to take a tuberculin test and obtain a food handler's permit certifying that the individual is free from communicable disease. Some counties may also require Managers to take and pass a course in food service sanitation.

EDUCATION AND PREPARATION OPPORTUNITIES

NOTE: A High School Diploma or Equivalent or a High School Diploma with specific Vocational Education Classes or a Certificate (program of up to one year of study beyond high school) or an Associate Degree (two years of study beyond high school) or a Bachelor's Degree (four years of study beyond high school) may qualify a person for this occupation.

The following education and preparation opportunities are helpful in preparing for occupations in the CEScript:

***SCHOOL SUBJECTS***

0600 BUSINESS , 0700 CAREERS , 0900 COMMUNICATIONS , 1000 COMPUTERS , 1100 ECONOMICS , 1300 ENGLISH , 1500 FOODS & NUTRITION , 2200 MATH

***VOCATIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS***

024 HOSPITALITY & FOOD SERVICE

Approved vocational education programs in Hospitality & Food Service prepare students to work in institutional, commercial, or self-owned food establishments or other food industry occupations. Instruction is given in planning, selecting, storing, purchasing, preparing, and serving quality food products. Special emphasis is placed on instruction in nutrition, safety and sanitation, special diets, and the use and care of food preparation equipment.

Courses in other home economics related programs may be required for completion of this program.

High school students should consult their guidance office for more information about the specific requirements of this program at their school or area vocational education center.

***POSTSECONDARY PROGRAMS***

065 FOOD & BEVERAGE SERVICE

Programs in Food and Beverage Service provide opportunities to gain the knowledge and skills needed for employment ordering, preparing, or serving different kinds of food and beverage. Training is available for cooking, baking, meat cutting, bartending, catering, quantity food preparation, and food service management. Individuals who teach Food and Beverage Service at the secondary school level must have a Michigan Teaching Certificate.

Courses vary with the area of interest but may include:

  Search for a College and/or Instructional Program

 ***APPRENTICESHIP OPPORTUNITIES***

Although individuals might enter this occupation through apprenticeship training, currently no apprenticeship programs for this occupation are available in Michigan . For more information, contact the Bureau or Apprenticeship and Training found in the Sources Of More Information below.

An extensive listing of other information sources can also be found in the "What Is An Apprenticeship?" document found under the MOIS Supports Menu Item.

***MILITARY TRAINING PROGRAMS***

Please check the Military website at http://www.myfuture.com

FOOD SERVICE MANAGERS

The military serves food to hundreds of thousands of service members each day. Meals must be carefully planned and prepared to ensure good nutrition and variety. Food service managers direct the facilities that prepare and serve food.

What They Do

Food service managers in the military perform some or all of the following duties:

• Manage the cooking and serving of food at mess halls

• Direct the operation of officers' dining halls

• Determine staff and equipment needed for dining halls, kitchens, and meat-cutting plants

• Set standards for food storage and preparation

• Estimate food budgets

• Maintain nutritional and sanitary standards at food service facilities

Special Requirements

A 4-year college degree is normally required to enter this occupation.

Helpful Attributes

Helpful fields of study include food service management, nutrition, and business administration. Helpful attributes include:

• Interest in nutrition and food preparation

• Interest in planning and directing the work of others

Work Environment

Food service managers usually work in food service facilities. They may manage facilities in field camps or aboard ships.

Training Provided

Job training consists of 12 to 16 weeks of classroom instruction. Course content typically includes:

• Food service operations and management

• Resource management

• Nutritional meal planning

• Hotel management

Civilian Counterparts

Civilian food service managers work for hotels, restaurants, and cafeterias. They perform duties similar to those performed by military food service managers.

Opportunities

The services have about 1,500 food service managers. On average, they need 150 new food service managers each year. After job training, food service managers may work independently or under the supervision of other officers. With experience, they may manage one or more large facilities. In time, they may advance to senior management positions. 

E-Learning Courses and Programs

OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXPERIENCE AND METHODS OF ENTRY

Secondary vocational education programs in hospitality and food service offer a co-op portion through which experience may be gained. Other ways to obtain experience include part-time and summer work in a related restaurant job such as waiter or cook, or work with a concessionaire or caterer. College or university food and beverage service programs as well as service in the military may also provide opportunities. Although individuals might enter this occupation through apprenticeship training, currently no apprenticeship programs for this occupation are available in Michigan . See the apprenticeship file for sources of more information from the Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training.

School-to-Work opportunities include:

informal apprenticeships

mentorships

job shadowing experiences

touring a local Food Service Manager employer

internships

volunteer work with a Food Service Manager employer

community service work with an agency

Methods of finding Food Service Manager jobs include contacting college or high school placement offices, consulting newspaper ads, applying directly to employers, and visiting a local Michigan Works! office. In addition, you should access and search the Internet's on-line employment services sites such as:

You should also enter an electronic resume on these on-line services.

EARNINGS AND ADVANCEMENT

Wages of Food Service Managers vary widely according to the size, location, and type of establishment and according to the Managers' duties.

Nationally, in 2004, the median annual salary for Food Service Managers was $34,164. Food and beverage directors in the restaurant industry had estimated median annual earnings of $48,673 in 2003.   The median yearly earnings of "all" workers in the U.S. were $33,176 in 2004.

Managers may receive extra pay for late-shift, Sunday, or holiday work.

In Michigan , graduates with bachelor's degrees in hotel and restaurant administration from one large university were offered average starting salaries of $31,000 per year (2003).

Food service directors in Michigan hospitals had base annual salaries ranging between $53,900 and $96,100 in 2004. Their average base salary was $72,700.

Annual salaries of Food Service Supervisors employed by several government agencies were (2004):

Food Service Supervisors employed by Michigan hospitals had state-wide average earnings ranging from $$33,800 to $$37,700 per year in 2004

Some Food Service Managers may receive a cost-of-living allowance and/or annual bonuses based on job performance, length of employment, or employer profits.

Food Service Managers usually receive paid vacations; life, accident, disability, and hospitalization insurance; pension plans; sick pay; and meals. Some employers may offer stock purchase or savings plans for salaried employees.

Some Food Service Managers may start their own businesses. A possible career ladder may be: Food Service Manager, restaurant or night club manager, owner. In chain (franchise) restaurants, a Manager with the necessary experience and ability may advance to a higher level supervisory position. Then a career ladder may be: manager trainee or assistant manager, Food Service Manager, restaurant manager, district supervisor, regional supervisor.

EMPLOYMENT AND OUTLOOK

Nationally, about 250,300 Food Service Managers were employed in 2002. Employment of Food Service Managers is expected to increase about as fast as the average for all occupations through the year 2012. Most worked in the retail trade industry for restaurants and other eating and drinking establishments. Others worked in the service industry for educational institutions; hotels, motels and other lodging facilities and hospitals. About 32.1% of the food service managers were self-employed.  The industry distribution for Food Service Managers looked like this:

Demand for restaurant services is expected to increase because of population growth, rising personal incomes, and increased leisure time. In addition to openings arising from growth, many openings are also expected each year as Managers retire, die, or transfer to other lines of work.

It was estimated that approximately 6,950 Food Service Managers are employed in Michigan . Most Food Service Managers worked in or near urban areas or large cities. Most worked in the retail trade industry for restaurants and other eating and drinking establishments. Others worked in the service industry for educational institutional; hotels, motels, and other lodging facilities; and hospitals.

Employment of Food Service Managers in Michigan is expected to grow about as fast as the average for all occupations through the year 2010. An average of 160 openings is expected annually, with 80 due to growth and 80 due to replacement of managers who retire, die, or leave the labor force for other reasons. Additional openings will occur as workers transfer to other jobs or occupations.

Factors contributing to the growth of food service industries are higher incomes, population growth, and more leisure time. In addition, businesses and industries are opening more of their own restaurants, cafeterias, and coffee shops that require management personnel.

MICHIGAN 'S EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK TO 2010

SOURCES OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Printed Occupational information is available upon written request from the sources below.

Copyright © 2005 Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Growth