What does a food service supervisor do?

A Food Service Supervisor oversees employees engaged in serving food. They establish quality standards for foods and keep facilities clean in accordance with state and local regulations.
Food service supervisor responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real food service supervisor resumes:
- Manage inventory, ordering and delivery of groceries.
- Icomply to all HACCP standards and is ServSafe certify.
- Compile staff schedules, prepare money for cash drops, operate register and POS.
- Perform culinary decision making as it pertain to food inventory, menus, and production methods.
- Facilitate training on production equipment and GMP's travele to multiple sites with employees to complete training.
- Monitor and document HACCP sanitation standards.
- Monitor food-handling procedures according to HACCP guidelines.
- Collaborate with nutritionist to ensure correct preparation and delivery of meals to patients.
- Plan, prepare for and supervise residents who participate in weekly culinary classes.
- Preform daily inventory while maintaining cleanliness and sanitation by following hazardous safety rules and regulations.
- Communicate with patients using dietary information to provide food to aid in recovery and improve satisfaction.
- Ensure maintenance of restaurant cleanliness, effective safety, security programs and sanitation according to company guidelines and government standards.
- Complete MDS forms, participate in resident care planning, monitor tube feedings.
- Put away stock using FIFO procedure.
- Learned FIFO labeling and how food and perishable items should be stack within a walk-in or in the kitchen area itself.
Food service supervisor skills and personality traits
We calculated that 15% of Food Service Supervisors are proficient in Good Judgment, Safety Practices, and Food Production. They’re also known for soft skills such as Business skills, Communication skills, and Customer-service skills.
We break down the percentage of Food Service Supervisors that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Good Judgment, 15%
Demonstrate initiative and good judgment in assisting customers, clients, peers and subordinates.
- Safety Practices, 11%
Followed assigned facility housekeeping and safety practices in preparation, oversight, and serving of correctional facility meals.
- Food Production, 10%
Inspect all food production equipment to ensure safe operation and document required equipment maintenance and/or replacement needs.
- Customer Service, 8%
Recognized with various coins and awards for performance and superb customer service by high ranking military officers and contract managers/supervisors.
- Food Handling, 8%
Conducted monthly food service department audits to certify proper food handling process were consistently utilized.
- Patients, 7%
Communicated with patients using dietary information to provide food to aid in recovery and improve satisfaction.
Common skills that a food service supervisor uses to do their job include "good judgment," "safety practices," and "food production." You can find details on the most important food service supervisor responsibilities below.
Business skills. The most essential soft skill for a food service supervisor to carry out their responsibilities is business skills. This skill is important for the role because "food service managers must understand all aspects of the restaurant business, including how to budget for supplies, comply with regulations, and manage workers." Additionally, a food service supervisor resume shows how their duties depend on business skills: "achieve business goals by maintain store cleanliness. "
Communication skills. Another essential skill to perform food service supervisor duties is communication skills. Food service supervisors responsibilities require that "food service managers must give clear orders to staff and be able to convey information effectively to employees and customers." Food service supervisors also use communication skills in their role according to a real resume snippet: "performed daily customer service operations that included personal communications with customers and suppliers. "
Customer-service skills. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of food service supervisors is customer-service skills. This skill is critical to many everyday food service supervisor duties, as "food service managers must be courteous and attentive when dealing with patrons." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "received credits in safety, cleanliness, friendly guest interactions and maintaining a fast pace work environment. "
Leadership skills. Another common skill required for food service supervisor responsibilities is "leadership skills." This skill comes up in the duties of food service supervisors all the time, as "managers must establish good relationships with staff to maintain a productive work environment." An excerpt from a real food service supervisor resume shows how this skill is central to what a food service supervisor does: "provided outstanding leadership to all seasonal team members, managers, and supervisors working in food service. "
Organizational skills. While "organizational skills" is last on this skills list, don't underestimate its importance to food service supervisor responsibilities. Much of what a food service supervisor does relies on this skill, seeing as "managers have many different responsibilities, including scheduling and overseeing staff, budgeting, and maintaining financial records." Here is a resume example of how this skill is used in the everyday duties of food service supervisors: "enforced safety standards in accordance with organizational regulations. "
The three companies that hire the most food service supervisors are:
- Aramark301 food service supervisors jobs
- Great Wolf Resorts108 food service supervisors jobs
- Elior North America77 food service supervisors jobs
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Food service supervisor vs. Assistant restaurant manager
An assistant restaurant manager's role is to perform managerial support tasks and oversee restaurant operations, ensuring efficiency in workflow and customer satisfaction. Their responsibilities revolve around maintaining records of all invoices and contracts, delegating tasks, monitoring the inventory of supplies, liaising with suppliers and vendors, and addressing issues and concerns. There are also instances when one must attend to customers' needs, prepare schedules, perform regular workforce inspection, and report to the manager. Furthermore, it is essential to implement all the company's health regulations and policies, all to maintain a safe and healthy environment for everyone.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, food service supervisor responsibilities require skills like "good judgment," "safety practices," "food production," and "patients." Meanwhile a typical assistant restaurant manager has skills in areas such as "restaurant operations," "guest service," "work ethic," and "customer satisfaction." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
Assistant restaurant managers really shine in the hospitality industry with an average salary of $43,632. Comparatively, food service supervisors tend to make the most money in the health care industry with an average salary of $32,395.The education levels that assistant restaurant managers earn slightly differ from food service supervisors. In particular, assistant restaurant managers are 0.9% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a food service supervisor. Additionally, they're 0.0% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Food service supervisor vs. Restaurant manager
A restaurant manager is responsible for handling the overall restaurant operations. These include monitoring revenues and daily restaurant sales, checking inventories and supplies, negotiating with third-party vendors, and managing customers' inquiries and complaints. Other duties include creating promotional offers, developing and improving sales strategies, organizing staff duties, maintaining the highest sanitary standards for everyone's strict compliance, and controlling operational expenses. A restaurant manager must have excellent communication and leadership skills and exceptional knowledge of food industry management.
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, food service supervisor responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "safety practices," "food production," "patients," and "servsafe." Meanwhile, a restaurant manager has duties that require skills in areas such as "guest satisfaction," "restaurant management," "guest service," and "restaurant operations." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
Restaurant managers may earn a higher salary than food service supervisors, but restaurant managers earn the most pay in the hospitality industry with an average salary of $51,432. On the other hand, food service supervisors receive higher pay in the health care industry, where they earn an average salary of $32,395.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Restaurant managers tend to reach similar levels of education than food service supervisors. In fact, they're 0.8% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.0% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Food service supervisor vs. Banquet manager
A banquet manager oversees the daily operations of banquet-hosting establishments, from planning to execution, ensuring events run smoothly and efficiently according to client requirements and preferences. They coordinate with the banquet director and head chef, working together to establish goals, guidelines, budgets, schedules, and strategies to meet the events' needs. They have the authority to delegate responsibilities among staff, communicate with clients, and liaise with external parties to secure supplies. It is also their responsibility to manage the venue, decorations, seat plans, and other services, resolving issues promptly and professionally to ensure client and guest satisfaction.
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, food service supervisors are more likely to have skills like "good judgment," "safety practices," "food production," and "food handling." But a banquet manager is more likely to have skills like "wine," "guest satisfaction," "customer satisfaction," and "guest service."
Banquet managers earn the highest salary when working in the hospitality industry, where they receive an average salary of $55,820. Comparatively, food service supervisors have the highest earning potential in the health care industry, with an average salary of $32,395.banquet managers typically earn similar educational levels compared to food service supervisors. Specifically, they're 0.4% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.0% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Food service supervisor vs. Dietary manager
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.
Types of food service supervisor
Updated January 8, 2025











