The food service manager is charged with overseeing and monitoring the operations of the restaurant. They have a range of duties and responsibilities from scheduling to bookkeeping.
What to Expect
As a food service manager you will be expected to monitor and keep control of the restaurant and its employees during daily operations. The food service manager has a number of duties that must be performed on a daily basis to ensure the smooth operations of the restaurant.
Other responsibilities include;
- Ensuring customer satisfaction
- Ordering of supplies
- Inventory tracking
- Maintenance of the facilities
Food service managers must also oversee the administrative details of the business. They are in charge of payroll, scheduling, and the various paperwork required for daily operations. Managers must monitor trends in service and volume to determine how many servers and employees to have during shifts. Failure to properly judge this will result in either having too many people or not enough people to cover the demands of the customers.
Food service managers will also hire new employees and arrange for training. These managers are also responsible for handling customer complaints and maintaining a high level of excellence for the restaurant.
Often time larger restaurants will have several different managers that specialize in different areas. The executive chef, for example, is a manager that focuses solely on the kitchen and kitchen staff.
Education, Training, and Certification
Typically there is no formal training or education required to become a food service manager. The most important quality is experience. A server or cook with adequate experience and an aptitude for the work can be promoted to a food service manager.
There are restaurants that only hire managers with a degree in business administration or that was enrolled in a hospitality training program. The most important quality however, is the interest and ability to perform the rigorous tasks and duties required of a food service manager. Restaurants typically offer training courses for managers.
These training courses cover everything from paperwork to motivating employees. The courses combine on the job training with a classroom setting in order to get the most out of the experience.
College programs that offer training in hospitality focus on both sides of the role. They offer training and courses in;
- Sanitation
- Food planning
- Preparation
- Accounting
- Business
- Management theory
Certification does exist for food service managers. While certification is not a requirement many choose to seek it out in order to gain prestige and recognition. Certification may also mean that the chances of gaining employment at a higher end establishment offering more money.
Along with proper training and adequate experience a food service manager must also demonstrate certain personality and character traits.
- Patience
- Clean communication skills
- Good listening skills
- Excellent customer service
- Delegation skills
- The ability to motivate employees
Employment Options
Opportunities for food service managers abound. Any establishments that offer food or food products will require management. Restaurants employ the most food service managers in the industry. Other opportunities exist in schools, hotels, amusement parks, nursing homes, and prisons.
Employment Outlook
A food service manager that is skilled, experienced, and qualified will nearly always be in demand. Competition will be tough for the positions that offer more money like high end restaurants or exclusive hotels. While the industry is expected to slow in growth there will still be a demand for managers given the field’s high turn-over rate.
Projected Salary
Salary often depends on experience, responsibilities, and the company. The average annual wage for a food service manager averages around $50,000 though that amount can be more if certification and formal training is a factor.
Food service managers also enjoy a certain number of benefits such as free meals and bonuses.
The editors of McGraw-Hill and the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor�Statistics,The Big Book of Jobs, Occupational Outlook Handbook 2012-2013 ©2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies,Material "Adapted"