Food Service Manager

Working Schedule

• Food Service Managers work at least full-time (with overtime common) and may work late nights, early mornings, weekends, and holidays. 

Typical Duties

• Interview, hire, and help train staff
• Establish employee working schedules and duties 
• Perform or delegate frontline supervisor duties 
• Set and enforce restaurant policies (and align them with state or federal regulations, as necessary)
• Keep track of food and beverage inventory
• Order food and other inventory before it runs out
• Check expiration dates on perishable items
• Connect with local vendors to source fresh ingredients 
• Oversee food and beverage preparation processes
• Manage and coordinate workflows so that customers have a seamless, pleasant dining experience
• Inspect kitchen areas and practices to ensure safety and compliance with health codes
• Inspect kitchen equipment, cookware, bakeware, cooking tools, and utensils
• Order replacement items for worn or damaged items
• Manage supply budgets and employee payroll
• Address problems as they arise, such as staff shortages, lack of ingredients, upset customers, or other issues 
• Conduct quality assurance checks on food items to ensure freshness and taste
• Provide backup assistance where needed, such as helping with orders, processing payments, or bussing tables
• Follow daily prep and cleaning checklists so that all tasks are completed
• Check to ensure trash is properly disposed of in a timely manner
• Schedule routine pest control services for when the restaurant is empty 
• Keep tabs on the cash registers and send runners to the bank to make deposits and get change to keep in the till  

Additional Responsibilities

• Discuss daily specials, discounts, and other promotional ideas
• Review daily cash and credit card receipts, ensure tips are distributed in accordance with policy, and keep all paperwork stored safely 
• Perform or delegate routine administrative and accounting tasks related to restaurant licensing, state and federal taxes, employee wages, etc.
• Solicit customer feedback and suggest improvements to owners 
• Oversee general building management, safety, and security (to include locking up the building after-hours and policing parking areas)

Soft Skills

• Attention to detail
• Collaboration
• Compliance-oriented 
• Customer service-oriented
• Enthusiasm
• Goal setting
• Initiative
• Leadership
• Organized
• Positive attitude
• Problem-solving
• Quality assurance
• Relationship building
• Resilience
• Resourcefulness 
• Stamina
• Stress tolerance
• Strong communication skills 
• Teamwork
• Time management

Technical Skills

• Restaurant management skills 
• Business, accounting, and customer service skills 
• Knowledge of modern cash registers and payment processing software
• Knowledge of safe food handling and preparation
• Familiarity with food safety laws and regulations
• Knowledge of food industry trends and popular menu items

• Airports
• Government and military agencies
• Hotels, resorts, and conference centers
• Large companies 
• Restaurants and fast-food franchises
• School and university cafeterias 
• Special food services

Food Service Managers have hectic jobs and bear a lot of responsibility for the health and safety of customers. People come into an eating establishment hungry and ready to have an enjoyable meal, served in a timely manner. They also expect to not get sick from anything they eat!

Food Service Managers have to ensure strict observance and compliance with multiple food preparation laws and regulations. Their job involves planning ahead, long before customers walk in, to make sure food ingredients are fresh and in stock, the kitchen is clean and prepared, and the cooks and other staff are trained and ready to go. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg! 

In addition, they must foster workplace safety to keep staff protected against mishaps from sharp blades, hot stoves, swinging doors, and angry patrons. Then there is a litany of administrative and accounting tasks which should be handled with diligence so everyone is paid (including the IRS) and the establishment turns a profit.

Restaurants can suffer greatly due to economic downturns or spikes in illnesses related to contagious germs spreading around. To the extent possible, Food Service Managers must plan ahead for such occasions. The Covid pandemic dramatically increased the number of restaurants willing to deliver food through their own drivers or third-parties service providers like Uber Eats and DoorDash. This also helped accelerate the rise of restaurant apps for ordering online. 

Many eating establishments have adjusted their menus, scaled back staff, and found workarounds that allowed them to stay in business as they weather storms. In some cases, restaurants have sought to save money by delegating Food Service Manager duties to other kitchen personnel such as chefs or head cooks. Still, the job growth outlook for this career field is projected to be 10%, which is very strong compared to the average of all occupations.

In their younger days, future Food Service Managers may have been highly organized and able to multitask with relative ease. They might also have enjoyed working with food, and helping out in the family kitchen. They have a strong sense of responsibility and a wide assortment of both hard and soft skills, which they could have developed through extracurricular activities in school.