Food service manager vs manager

The differences between food service managers and managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a food service manager, becoming a manager takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a manager has an average salary of $58,651, which is higher than the $43,564 average annual salary of a food service manager.

The top three skills for a food service manager include customer service, sanitation standards and cleanliness. The most important skills for a manager are customer service, payroll, and food safety.

Food service manager vs manager overview

	Food Service Manager	Manager
Yearly salary	$43,564	$58,651
Hourly rate	$20.94	$28.20
Growth rate	10%	6%
Number of jobs	160,740	1,236,194
Job satisfaction	-	4.57
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 42%	Bachelor's Degree, 49%
Average age	39	44
Years of experience	4	6

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 manager do?

Managers are responsible for a specific department, function, or employee group. They oversee their assigned departments and all the employees under the department. Managers are responsible that the department they are handling is functioning well. They set the department goals and the steps they must take to achieve the goals. They are also in charge of assessing the performance of their departments and their employees. Additionally, managers are responsible for interviewing prospective candidates for department vacancies and assessing their fit to the needs of the department. Managers also set the general working environment in the department, and they are expected to ensure that their employees remain motivated.

Food service manager vs manager salary

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

	Food Service Manager	Manager
Average salary	$43,564	$58,651
Salary range	Between $28,000 And $66,000	Between $37,000 And $92,000
Highest paying City	New York, NY	-
Highest paying state	Rhode Island	New Jersey
Best paying company	Kern Community College District	-
Best paying industry	Government	Finance

Differences between food service manager and manager education

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

	Food Service Manager	Manager
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 42%	Bachelor's Degree, 49%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	Cornell University	University of Pennsylvania

Food service manager vs manager demographics

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

	Food Service Manager	Manager
Average age	39	44
Gender ratio	Male, 45.8% Female, 54.2%	Male, 51.0% Female, 49.0%
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, 6.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.5% Asian, 6.4% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	10%	10%

Differences between food service manager and 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

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Manager example responsibilities.

Manage both BOH and FOH operations exceeding company specifications.
Manage logistics and security for high net worth individuals and corporations.
Manage budgets and payroll records, review financial transactions to assure expenditures are authorize and budget.
Guide and manage the administrative day-to-day academic program and the implementation of strategies by providing leadership to faculty and staff.
Provide leadership and direction to facility management and program owners while motivating and interacting with employees to achieve continuous improvement.
Customer-Orient with experience with POS systems, food preparation and safety regulations.

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Food service manager vs manager skills

Common food service manager skills

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

Common manager skills

Customer Service, 19%
Payroll, 9%
Food Safety, 8%
Financial Statements, 4%
Management, 4%
PowerPoint, 4%

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Updated January 8, 2025

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