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Restaurant and Food Service Managers

(D.O.T.  185.137; 187.161-010 and .167-026, -106, -126, -206, and
-210; 319.137-014 and -018)

Nature of the Work

Food is consumed outside the home in a variety of settings.  Eating
places range from restaurants that serve fast food or that emphasize
elegant dining, to institutional dining in school and employee
cafeterias, hospitals, and nursing facilities.  The cuisine offered,
its price, and the setting in which it is consumed vary greatly, but
the managers of these diverse dining facilities have many
responsibilities in common.  Efficient and profitable operation of
restaurants and institutional food service facilities requires that
managers and assistant managers select and appropriately price
interesting menu items, efficiently use food and other supplies,
achieve consistent quality in food preparation and service, recruit
and train adequate numbers of workers and supervise their work, and
attend to the various administrative aspects of the business.

   In most restaurants and institutional food service facilities, the
manager is assisted by one or more assistant managers, depending on
the size and business hours of the establishment.  In large
establishments, as well as in many others that offer fine dining,
the management team consists of a general manager, one or more
assistant managers, and an executive chef.  The executive chef is
responsible for the operation of the kitchen, while the assistant
managers oversee service in the dining room and other areas of the
operation.  In some smaller restaurants, the executive chef may also
be the general manager, and sometimes an owner.  In fast-food
restaurants and other food service facilities that operate long
hours, 7 days a week, the manager is aided by several assistant
managers, each of whom supervises a shift of workers.  (For
additional information, see the Handbook statements on general
managers and top executives and chefs, cooks, and other kitchen
workers.)

   Many restaurants rarely change their menu, but other eating
establishments change it frequently.  Institutional food service
facilities and some restaurants offer a new menu every day.
Managers or executive chefs select menu items, taking into account
the likely number of customers, the past popularity of various
dishes, and considerations such as food left over from prior meals
that should not be wasted, the need for variety on the menu, and the
availability of foods due to seasonal and other factors.  They
analyze the recipes of the dishes to determine food, labor, and
overhead costs and assign prices to the menu items.  Menus must be
developed far enough in advance that needed supplies may be received
in time.

   Ordering supplies and dealing with suppliers are important aspects
of the work of restaurant and food service managers.  On a daily
basis, managers estimate food consumption, place orders with
suppliers, and schedule the delivery of fresh food and beverages.
They receive and check the content of deliveries, evaluating the
quality of meats, poultry, fish, fruits, vegetables, and baked
goods.  Managers meet or talk with sales representatives of
restaurant suppliers to place orders to replenish stocks of
tableware, linens, paper, cleaning supplies, cooking utensils, and
furniture and fixtures.  They also arrange for equipment maintenance
and repairs, and for a variety of services such as waste removal and
pest control.

   Managers interview, hire, and, when necessary, discharge workers.
They familiarize newly hired workers with the establishment's
policies and practices and oversee their training.  Managers
schedule the work hours of employees, insuring that there are enough
workers present during busy periods, but not too many during slow
periods.

   Restaurant and food service managers supervise the kitchen and the
dining room.  They oversee food preparation and cooking, checking
the quality of the food and the sizes of portions to insure that
dishes are prepared and garnished correctly and in a timely manner.
They also investigate and resolve customers' complaints about food
quality or service.  During busy periods, managers may roll up their
sleeves and help with the cooking, clearing of tables, or other
tasks.  They direct the cleaning of the kitchen and dining areas and
the washing of tableware, kitchen utensils, and equipment to
maintain company and government sanitation standards.  They monitor
workers and observe patrons on a continual basis to insure
compliance with health and safety standards and local liquor
regulations.

   Managers have a variety of administrative responsibilities.  In
larger establishments, much of this work is delegated to a
bookkeeper, but in others, managers must keep accurate records of
the hours and wages of employees, prepare the payroll, and do
paperwork to comply with licensing laws and reporting requirements
of tax, wage and hour, unemployment compensation, and Social
Security laws.  They also must maintain records of the costs of
supplies and equipment purchased and insure that accounts with
suppliers are paid on a regular basis.  In addition, managers record
the number, type, and cost of items sold to weed out dishes that are
unpopular or less profitable.  Many managers are able to ease the
burden of recordkeeping and paperwork through the use of computers.

   Managers are among the first to arrive and the last to leave at
night.  At the conclusion of each day, or sometimes each shift,
managers must tally the cash received and charge receipts and
balance them against the record of sales.  They are responsible for
depositing the day's income at the bank, or securing it in a safe
place.  Managers are also responsible for locking up, checking that
ovens, grills, and lights are off, and switching on alarm systems.

   Ordering supplies and dealing with suppliers are important aspects
of restaurant and food service managers.

Working Conditions

Since evenings and weekends are popular dining periods, night and
weekend work is common.  However, many managers of institutional
food service facilities work more conventional hours because factory
and office cafeterias are often open only on weekdays for breakfast
and lunch.  Many restaurant and food service managers work 50 hours
or more per week.

   Managers often experience the pressure of simultaneously
coordinating a wide range of activities.  When problems occur, it is
the responsibility of the manager to resolve them with minimal
disruption to customers.  The job can be hectic during peak dining
hours, and dealing with irate customers or uncooperative employees
can be particularly stressful.

Employment

Restaurant and food service managers held about 496,000 jobs in
1992.  Most worked in restaurants or for contract institutional food
service companies, but small numbers also were employed by
educational institutions, hospitals, nursing and personal care
facilities, and civic, social, and fraternal organizations.  About
two-fifths were self-employed.  Jobs are located throughout the
country, but are most plentiful in large cities and tourist areas.

Training, Other Qualifications, and Advancement

Many restaurant and food service manager positions are filled by
promoting experienced food and beverage preparation and service
workers.  Waiters, waitresses, chefs, and fast-food workers who have
demonstrated their potential for handling increased responsibility
sometimes advance to assistant manager or management trainee jobs
when openings occur.  Executive chefs need extensive experience
working as a chef, and general managers need experience working as
assistant manager.  However, most food service management companies
and national or regional restaurant chains also recruit management
trainees from among the graduates of 2-year and 4-year college
programs.  Food service and restaurant chains prefer to hire persons
with degrees in restaurant and institutional food service
management, but they often hire graduates with degrees in other
fields who have demonstrated interest and aptitude.

   A bachelor's degree in restaurant and food service management
provides a particularly strong preparation for a career in this
occupation.  In 1992, more than 160 colleges and universities
offered 4-year programs in restaurant and hotel management or
institutional food service management.  For persons who do not want
to pursue a 4-year degree, a good alternative is provided by the
more than 800 community and junior colleges, technical institutes,
and other institutions that offer programs in these fields leading
to an associate degree or other formal award below the bachelor's
degree.  Both 2-year and 4-year programs provide instruction in
subjects such as accounting, business law and management, food
planning and preparation, and nutrition.  Some programs combine
classroom and laboratory study with internships that provide
on-the-job experience.  In addition, many educational institutions
offer culinary programs that provide food preparation training which
can lead to a career as a cook or chef and provide a foundation for
advancement to an executive chef position.

   Most employers emphasize personal qualities.  Restaurant and food
service management can be demanding, so good health and stamina are
important.  Self-discipline, initiative, and leadership ability are
essential.  Managers must be able to solve problems and concentrate
on details.  They need good communication skills to deal with
customers and suppliers, as well as to motivate and direct their
subordinates.  A neat and clean appearance is also required since
managers are often in close personal contact with the public.

   Most restaurant chains and food service management companies have
rigorous training programs for persons hired for management jobs.
Through a combination of classroom and on-the-job training, trainees
receive instruction and gain work experience in all aspects of the
operations of a restaurant or institutional food service facility
food preparation, nutrition, sanitation, security, company policies
and procedures, personnel management, recordkeeping, and preparation
of reports.  Usually after 6 months or a year, trainees receive
their first permanent assignment as an assistant manager.

   A measure of professional achievement for restaurant and food
service managers is to earn the designation of certified Foodservice
Management Professional (FMP).  Although not a requirement for
employment or advancement in the occupation, voluntary certification
provides recognition of professional competence, particularly for
managers who acquired their skills largely on the job.  The
Educational Foundation of the National Restaurant Association awards
the FMP designation to managers who achieve a qualifying score on a
written examination, complete a series of courses that cover a range
of food service management topics, and who meet standards of work
experience in the field.

   Willingness to relocate often is essential for advancement to
positions with greater responsibility.  Managers advance to larger
establishments, or regional management positions with restaurant
chains.  Some managers eventually open their own eating and drinking
establishments.  Others transfer to hotel management positions,
since management experience in their restaurant or institutional
food service is a good background for food and beverage manager jobs
at hotels and resorts.

Job Outlook

Employment of restaurant and food service managers is expected to
increase much faster than the average for all occupations through
the year 2005.  In addition to growth in demand for these managers,
the need to replace managers who transfer to other occupations or
stop working will create many job openings.  Job opportunities are
expected to be best for persons with bachelor's or associate degrees
in restaurant and institutional food service management.

   Employment growth is expected to vary by industry.  Eating and
drinking places will provide the most new jobs as the number of
eating and drinking establishments increases and other industries
continue to contract out their food services.  Population growth,
rising personal incomes, and increased leisure time will continue to
produce growth in the number of meals consumed outside the home.  To
meet the demand for prepared food, more restaurants will be built,
and more managers will be employed to supervise them.  In addition,
the number of manager jobs will increase in eating and drinking
places as schools, hospitals, and other businesses contract out more
of their food services to institutional food service companies
located in the eating and drinking industry.

   Employment of wage and salary managers in eating and drinking places
is expected to increase more rapidly than self-employed managers.
New restaurants are increasingly affiliated with national chains
rather than being independently owned and operated.  As this trend
continues, fewer owners will manage restaurants themselves, and more
restaurant managers will be employed to run the establishments.

   Employment in eating and drinking establishments is not very
sensitive to changes in economic conditions, so restaurant and food
service managers are rarely laid off during hard times.  However,
competition among restaurants is always intense, and many
restaurants do not survive.

   Food service manager jobs are expected to increase in other
industries, but growth will be slowed as contracting out becomes
more common.  Growth in the population of elderly people is expected
to result in growth of food service manager jobs in nursing homes,
residential care facilities, and other health care institutions.
Likewise, growth in the population of young people enrolled in
educational institutions should result in growth of food service
manager jobs in school and college cafeterias.

Earnings

Median earnings for restaurant and food service managers were $418 a
week in 1992.  The middle 50 percent earned between about $300 and
$600 a week.  The lowest paid 10 percent earned $225 a week or less,
while the highest paid 10 percent earned over $815 a week.

   Earnings of restaurant and food service managers vary greatly
according to their responsibilities and the type and size of
establishment.  Based on a survey conducted for the National
Restaurant Association, the median base salary of managers in
restaurants was estimated to be about $27,900 a year in early 1993,
but managers of the largest restaurants and institutional food
service facilities often had annual salaries in excess of $45,000.
Managers of fast-food restaurants had an estimated median base
salary of $24,900 a year; managers of full-menu restaurants with
table service, almost $30,400; and managers of commercial and
institutional cafeterias, nearly $29,300 a year in early 1993.
Besides a salary, most managers received an annual bonus or
incentive payment based on their performance.  In 1993, most of
these payments ranged between $2,000 and $8,000 a year.

   Executive chefs had an estimated median base salary of about $33,600
a year in early 1993, but those employed in the largest restaurants
and institutional food service facilities often had base salaries
over $49,000.  Annual bonus or incentive payments of most executive
chefs ranged between $2,000 and $4,000 a year.

   The estimated median base salary of assistant managers was over
$23,400 a year in early 1993, but ranged from less than $19,800 in
fast-food restaurants to over $31,700 in some of the largest
restaurants and food service facilities.  Annual bonus or incentive
payments of most assistant managers ranged between $1,000 and $4,000
a year.

   Manager trainees had an estimated median base salary of about
$20,200 a year in early 1993, but had salaries of nearly $27,900 in
some of the largest restaurants and food service facilities.  Annual
bonus or incentive payments of most trainees ranged between $1,000
and $3,000 a year.

   Most salaried restaurant and food service managers received free
meals, sick leave, health and life insurance, and 1 to 3 weeks of
paid vacation a year, depending on length of service.

Related Occupations

Restaurant and food service managers direct the activities of
business establishments that provide a service to customers.  Other
managers in service-oriented businesses include hotel managers and
assistants, health services administrators, retail store managers,
and bank managers.

Sources of Additional Information

   Information about job opportunities may be obtained from local
employers and local offices of the State employment service.

   Career information about restaurant and food service managers,
directories of 2- and 4-year college programs in restaurant and food
service management, and certification as a Foodservice Management
Professional are available from:

   The Educational Foundation of the National Restaurant Association,
Suite 1400, 250 South Wacker Dr., Chicago, IL 60606.

   General information on hospitality careers may be obtained from:

   Council on Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Education, 1200 17th
St.  NW., Washington, DC 20036-3097.
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