Food service manager vs dietary manager

The differences between food service managers and dietary managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a food service manager and a dietary manager. Additionally, a food service manager has an average salary of $43,564, which is higher than the $42,856 average annual salary of a dietary manager.

The top three skills for a food service manager include customer service, sanitation standards and cleanliness. The most important skills for a dietary manager are kitchen equipment, patients, and dietary services.

Food service manager vs dietary manager overview

	Food Service Manager	Dietary Manager
Yearly salary	$43,564	$42,856
Hourly rate	$20.94	$20.60
Growth rate	10%	10%
Number of jobs	160,740	95,306
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 42%	Bachelor's Degree, 30%
Average age	39	39
Years of experience	4	4

What does a food service manager do?

A food service manager's role is to oversee and supervise all operations in a restaurant or a similar setting. They are primarily responsible for ensuring customer satisfaction through optimal foodservice, an efficient workforce, and a safe and healthy environment. A food service manager must also greet customers, escort them to their tables, handle any issues and concerns, manage the employees, train new hires, manage the payroll and budget, and coordinate with all restaurant personnel. Furthermore, a food service manager must delegate tasks among employees and assign their schedules accordingly.

What does a dietary manager do?

A dietary manager oversees the food service operations of a company or institution's kitchen facilities, ensuring efficiency and client satisfaction. They are primarily in charge of developing dietary programs and meal plans, coordinating with nutritionists, setting daily objectives, establishing food preparation standards and protocols, managing budgets and employee schedules, and monitoring overall operations, solving issues and concerns if any arise. They also supervise the recruitment and training of staff, monitor inventories, purchase supplies, and interact with customers. Moreover, a dietary manager leads employees to reach goals and implements industry standards and company policies.

Food service manager vs dietary manager salary

Food service managers and dietary managers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Food Service Manager	Dietary Manager
Average salary	$43,564	$42,856
Salary range	Between $28,000 And $66,000	Between $30,000 And $60,000
Highest paying City	New York, NY	-
Highest paying state	Rhode Island	-
Best paying company	Kern Community College District	-
Best paying industry	Government	-

Differences between food service manager and dietary manager education

There are a few differences between a food service manager and a dietary manager in terms of educational background:

	Food Service Manager	Dietary Manager
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 42%	Bachelor's Degree, 30%
Most common major	Business	Culinary Arts
Most common college	Cornell University	Cornell University

Food service manager vs dietary manager demographics

Here are the differences between food service managers' and dietary managers' demographics:

	Food Service Manager	Dietary Manager
Average age	39	39
Gender ratio	Male, 45.8% Female, 54.2%	Male, 32.0% Female, 68.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.5% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.2% Asian, 8.5% White, 58.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%	Black or African American, 11.2% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 13.9% Asian, 7.7% White, 61.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	10%	10%

Differences between food service manager and dietary manager duties and responsibilities

Food service manager example responsibilities.

Manage all aspects of the human resources task, including hiring, training, payroll, and the negotiated contract.
Manage operations and provide support to a team of 245 union employees at various elementary, middle and high school cafeterias.
Manage inventory, ordering and delivery of groceries.
Train food & nutrition team in SERVSAFE, HACCP, knife skills and environmental safety.
Maintain all Intel, Aramark and ServSafe safety, sanitation and security guidelines.
Review and complete adequate weekly sales projections, with mastery of using POS system

Dietary manager example responsibilities.

Manage operations and provide support to a team of 245 union employees at various elementary, middle and high school cafeterias.
Review records and assess the nutritional condition of at risk residents, including unplan weight changes, charting and MDS reporting.
Analyze diet requirement of patients and prepare nutritional balance menus accordingly.
Refer patients to appropriate outpatient settings for additional diet education and support.
Communicate effectively in medical charts, and complete MDS assessments for Medicare reimbursement with proficiency.
Increase student participation by overseeing and implementing marketing brands in school cafeterias.

Food service manager vs dietary manager skills

Common food service manager skills

Customer Service, 27%
Sanitation Standards, 10%
Cleanliness, 7%
Patients, 6%
Kitchen Equipment, 5%
Food Handling, 4%

Common dietary manager skills

Kitchen Equipment, 11%
Patients, 9%
Dietary Services, 6%
Infection Control, 5%
Food Preparation, 5%
Federal Regulations, 5%

Food Service Manager vs. similar jobs

Food Service Manager related careers

Food Service Manager related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Executive Management Industry
Food Service Manager
Food Service Manager vs Dietary Manager

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse executive management jobs