Food supervisor vs bar manager/bartender

The differences between food supervisors and bar managers/bartender can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a food supervisor has an average salary of $33,414, which is higher than the $25,051 average annual salary of a bar manager/bartender.

The top three skills for a food supervisor include HACCP, problem resolution and safety training. The most important skills for a bar manager/bartender are wine, bartending, and cleanliness.

Food supervisor vs bar manager/bartender overview

	Food Supervisor	Bar Manager/Bartender
Yearly salary	$33,414	$25,051
Hourly rate	$16.06	$12.04
Growth rate	10%	18%
Number of jobs	82,884	59,783
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 36%	Bachelor's Degree, 45%
Average age	37	37
Years of experience	-	-

What does a food supervisor do?

A food supervisor directs workers who prepare, apportion, and serve food to clients and staff. Their major responsibility is to ensure compliance with the food safety standards set by relevant authorities. They are also tasked with updating the food safety program and training all staff to understand and adhere to the instructions contained therein.

What does a bar manager/bartender do?

A bar manager/bartender is responsible for handling daily bar operations to achieve the highest customer satisfaction. Bar manager/bartenders often interact with guests, responding to their inquiries and special requests, and immediately resolving service complaints. They also develop marketing strategies to attract guests by updating menu information and researching the latest market trends. Bar managers/bartenders also monitor inventories and stock supplies, coordinating with third-party vendors, and negotiating contracts with trusted suppliers. A bar manager/bartender must have excellent leadership skills and oversee the compliance of all staff to the bar regulations and safety standards.

Food supervisor vs bar manager/bartender salary

Food supervisors and bar managers/bartender have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Food Supervisor	Bar Manager/Bartender
Average salary	$33,414	$25,051
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $41,000	Between $17,000 And $36,000
Highest paying City	Boston, MA	-
Highest paying state	Washington	-
Best paying company	University of California, Berkeley	-
Best paying industry	Hospitality	-

Differences between food supervisor and bar manager/bartender education

There are a few differences between a food supervisor and a bar manager/bartender in terms of educational background:

	Food Supervisor	Bar Manager/Bartender
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 36%	Bachelor's Degree, 45%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Food supervisor vs bar manager/bartender demographics

Here are the differences between food supervisors' and bar managers/bartender' demographics:

	Food Supervisor	Bar Manager/Bartender
Average age	37	37
Gender ratio	Male, 54.3% Female, 45.7%	Male, 48.5% Female, 51.5%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.9% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 17.6% Asian, 6.3% White, 59.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%	Black or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.9% Asian, 5.6% White, 62.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage	10%	10%

Differences between food supervisor and bar manager/bartender duties and responsibilities

Food supervisor example responsibilities.

Lead shifts while personally preparing bakery items and executing requests base on require specifications.
Maintain all food and beverage storerooms in proper condition to ensure cleanliness, freshness, and organization.
Inspect all storage and food services preparation areas daily to ensure proper handling and cleanliness standards are met.
Travel to find better products that utilize the companies finances better while still providing the best culinary experience for the customer.
Examine food and beverage quality and presentation and provide corrective training where necessary, involving the culinary management team when need.
Develop and organize BOH through cleaning, maintenance, equipment care, and ordering and receiving.

Bar manager/bartender example responsibilities.

Manage payroll and timekeeping including completion of proper paperwork for new hires and terminations.
Operate large-volume cooking equipment such as grills, deep fryers, stoves and ovens.
Direct bartending operations, overseeing seamless beverage service, scheduling, inventory management and customer service.
Take drink and food orders, enter orders in the POS system, collect and process cash and credit card payments.
Use computerize registers to swipe beverage servers micros.
Oversee and direct staff to execute BEO's in accordance to client's needs and specifications.

Food supervisor vs bar manager/bartender skills

Common food supervisor skills

HACCP, 18%
Problem Resolution, 18%
Safety Training, 16%
Safety Regulations, 7%
Customer Service, 7%
FDA, 6%

Common bar manager/bartender skills

Wine, 23%
Bartending, 16%
Cleanliness, 10%
Customer Service, 8%
POS, 6%
Cash Handling, 4%

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Food Supervisor vs Bar Manager/Bartender

Updated January 8, 2025

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