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What is a restaurant supervisor and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
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A restaurant supervisor oversees the daily operations of a restaurant. They manage staff, customer service, and overall tasks. Their duties include hiring and training staff, creating schedules, managing inventory, and handling complaints. A restaurant supervisor monitors food quality and ensures health and safety compliance. They have strong communication and leadership skills to motivate their team and maintain a positive work environment. Overall, a restaurant supervisor ensures excellent customer service and an enjoyable dining experience.

ScoreRestaurant SupervisorUS Average
Salary
3.1

Avg. Salary $39,134

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
9.1

Growth rate 10%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
5.9
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.86%

Asian 6.41%

Black or African American 11.42%

Hispanic or Latino 19.42%

Unknown 5.47%

White 56.42%

Gender

female 54.95%

male 45.05%

Age - 34
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 34
Stress level
9.1

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
5.0

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance
3.5

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a restaurant supervisor?

Pros

  • Opportunity for career growth

  • Competitive salary and benefits

  • Opportunities for networking and expanding industry connections

  • Ability to learn about the culinary industry

  • Flexibility in scheduling and hours

Cons

  • Long, irregular hours

  • High stress environment

  • Potential for workplace injuries

  • High turnover rate in the industry

  • Limited time off during peak seasons or holidays

Restaurant supervisor career paths

Key steps to become a restaurant supervisor

  1. Explore restaurant supervisor education requirements

    Most common restaurant supervisor degrees

    Bachelor's

    52.3 %

    Associate

    22.7 %

    High School Diploma

    13.3 %
  2. Start to develop specific restaurant supervisor skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Cleanliness13.58%
    Customer Service7.79%
    Restaurant Operations7.10%
    Guest Service5.11%
    Culinary4.32%
  3. Complete relevant restaurant supervisor training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New restaurant supervisors learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a restaurant supervisor based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real restaurant supervisor resumes.
  4. Research restaurant supervisor duties and responsibilities

    • Manage the bar, restaurant and in-room dinning.
    • Coordinate service and set-up functions base off BEO, with meeting planner, sales and kitchen, to manage events smoothly.
    • Maintain fine dining expectations, including diverse food and wine menu, and anticipation of customer needs.
    • Inventory of all bars and stock room
  5. Prepare your restaurant supervisor resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your restaurant supervisor resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a restaurant supervisor resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable restaurant supervisor resume templates

    Build a professional restaurant supervisor resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your restaurant supervisor resume.
    Restaurant Supervisor Resume
    Restaurant Supervisor Resume
    Restaurant Supervisor Resume
    Restaurant Supervisor Resume
    Restaurant Supervisor Resume
    Restaurant Supervisor Resume
    Restaurant Supervisor Resume
    Restaurant Supervisor Resume
    Restaurant Supervisor Resume
  6. Apply for restaurant supervisor jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a restaurant supervisor job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first restaurant supervisor job

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Average restaurant supervisor salary

The average restaurant supervisor salary in the United States is $39,134 per year or $19 per hour. Restaurant supervisor salaries range between $29,000 and $51,000 per year.

Average restaurant supervisor salary
$39,134 Yearly
$18.81 hourly

What am I worth?

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How do restaurant supervisors rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Restaurant supervisor reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2023
Pros

High energy job, fast paced, social interactions.

Cons

Long hours, late nights, staffing, constantly adjusting to economic changes.


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A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2020
Pros

A great leader, leads by example. Leading organization with team effort, to learn and grow.


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A zippia user wrote a review on Dec 2019
Pros

Sometimes, free food but sometimes cooks are not that good so I'd rather paid for better food

Cons

Everything else, of course! What's to be liked when you work shifts, nights, always on holidays and go to the gym at 1am?


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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