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First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers
Directly supervise and coordinate activities of workers engaged in preparing and serving food.
Other titles employers use
Cafeteria Manager · Dietary Supervisor · Dining Services Director · Food and Beverage Director · Food and Nutrition Services Supervisor · Food Production Supervisor · Food Service Supervisor · Kitchen Manager
Inside the work
What you would actually do.
6 responsibilities that define the role, before job titles and workplaces change the details.
- Resolve customer complaints regarding food service.
- Train workers in food preparation, and in service, sanitation, and safety procedures.
- Assign duties, responsibilities, and work stations to employees in accordance with work requirements.
- Present bills and accept payments.
- Perform various financial activities, such as cash handling, deposit preparation, and payroll.
- Supervise and participate in kitchen and dining area cleaning activities.
Who it suits
Would this work hold your attention?
This career often appeals to people drawn to persuading, organizing and practical work.
- Persuading
- Leading, selling, starting projects, or making a case
- Organizing
- Creating order, checking details, and keeping work accurate
- Practical
- Building, repairing, using tools, or working outdoors
Skills and strengths
What you would get good at.
Compare the skills the work relies on, the subjects behind it, and the abilities that make it easier to learn.
Core skills
- Management of Personnel Resources
- Speaking
- Monitoring
- Coordination
- Active Listening
- Instructing
Subjects to know
- Customer and Personal Service
- Administration and Management
- Food Production
- English Language
- Production and Processing
Useful strengths
- Oral Comprehension
- Oral Expression
- Problem Sensitivity
- Deductive Reasoning
- Speech Clarity
Working day
Picture yourself doing it.
These measures show how much of the day involves people, movement, conversation, and hands-on work.
| Measure | Out of 5 | What that means here |
|---|---|---|
| Close to other people | 4.4 | Arm’s length or closer, most of the day |
| On your feet | 3.8 | Up and down through the day |
| Talking face to face | 3.9 | A regular part of the day |
| Working with your hands | 3.2 | Some of the day |
Preparation
How people prepare for this work.
Employers usually ask for a high school diploma. Other routes may also lead into the field.
- High school or less 97%
- A certificate or some college 3%
Tools of the work
Technology you may use.
- Word processing software
- Spreadsheet software
- Office suite software
- Electronic mail software
- Presentation software
- Project management software
- Point of sale POS software
- Accounting software
Opportunity near you
See where this work is growing.
Choose a state to compare the size of the field, annual openings, and expected hiring change.
- People doing this work
- 138,200
- Job openings each year
- 20,620
- Expected hiring change, 2022–2032
- 12.9%
Compare every available state
| State | People doing it | Job openings each year | Expected change |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 138,200 | 20,620 | 12.9% |
| Texas | 136,010 | 20,520 | 21.4% |
| Florida | 92,950 | 13,880 | 13.4% |
| New York | 71,040 | 1,190 | 20.1% |
| North Carolina | 49,690 | 7,480 | 19.2% |
| Ohio | 48,520 | 7,140 | 4.0% |
| Georgia | 46,330 | 6,960 | 17.6% |
| Illinois | 42,860 | 6,320 | 5.5% |
| Pennsylvania | 41,040 | 6,040 | 4.0% |
| Virginia | 34,570 | 5,080 | 3.6% |
| Michigan | 34,310 | 5,050 | 4.1% |
| Tennessee | 32,280 | 4,860 | 20.4% |
| Arizona | 30,030 | 4,510 | 17.7% |
| Washington | 29,490 | 5,050 | 22.9% |
| Colorado | 29,370 | 4,390 | 14.5% |
| Indiana | 26,920 | 3,980 | 6.8% |
| Wisconsin | 24,920 | 3,710 | 11.5% |
| Alabama | 24,200 | 3,630 | 16.8% |
| New Jersey | 24,200 | 3,610 | 11.6% |
| Missouri | 23,780 | 3,520 | 7.4% |
| South Carolina | 23,150 | 3,460 | 15.1% |
| Maryland | 20,660 | 3,070 | 10.0% |
| Kentucky | 19,780 | 2,950 | 11.8% |
| Minnesota | 19,130 | 2,830 | 7.2% |
| Louisiana | 18,600 | 2,750 | 6.7% |
| Oklahoma | 17,460 | 2,600 | 12.3% |
| Nevada | 17,190 | 2,570 | 15.0% |
| Oregon | 16,880 | 2,540 | 18.1% |
| Utah | 15,190 | 2,320 | 34.3% |
| Mississippi | 12,810 | 1,900 | 8.1% |
| Connecticut | 12,490 | 1,880 | 19.2% |
| Kansas | 12,490 | 1,850 | 8.6% |
| Arkansas | 12,030 | 1,780 | 8.1% |
| Iowa | 11,600 | 1,710 | 5.6% |
| Massachusetts | 9,910 | 1,480 | 12.9% |
| New Mexico | 8,340 | 1,260 | 21.9% |
| Puerto Rico | 8,000 | 1,200 | 14.1% |
| Nebraska | 7,880 | 1,170 | 10.2% |
| West Virginia | 6,880 | 1,010 | 3.9% |
| Montana | 5,970 | 890 | 16.1% |
| Idaho | 5,280 | 790 | 15.8% |
| New Hampshire | 4,990 | 740 | 10.2% |
| Maine | 4,970 | 730 | 1.0% |
| Delaware | 4,380 | 660 | 16.2% |
| Rhode Island | 4,340 | 640 | 7.7% |
| District of Columbia | 4,120 | 630 | 30.8% |
| Wyoming | 2,860 | 430 | 14.4% |
| South Dakota | 2,750 | 410 | 13.2% |
| North Dakota | 2,640 | 390 | 7.8% |
| Vermont | 2,260 | 340 | 15.3% |
| Guam | 1,360 | 210 | 25.9% |
| Alaska | 750 | 110 | 7.1% |
| Virgin Islands | 330 | 50 | 3.1% |
Career to college
Build a path toward this work.
Start with a related major, then compare colleges where students complete that field.
Where to study
Colleges with strong activity in these fields.
Start with program size, admission, and likely cost. Open a college for the full picture.
Johnson & Wales University-Providence
- Degrees each year
- 257
- Admit rate
- 84%
- Annual cost after aid
- $28,000
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
- Degrees each year
- 261
- Admit rate
- 57%
- Annual cost after aid
- $18,000
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
- Degrees each year
- 146
- Admit rate
- 77%
- Annual cost after aid
- $15,000
University of Houston
- Degrees each year
- 134
- Admit rate
- 70%
- Annual cost after aid
- $13,000
The University of Alabama
- Degrees each year
- 131
- Admit rate
- 76%
- Annual cost after aid
- $22,000
SUNY College of Technology at Delhi
- Degrees each year
- 22
- Admit rate
- 88%
- Annual cost after aid
- $19,000
Arizona State University Digital Immersion
- Degrees each year
- 83
- Admit rate
- 64%
- Annual cost after aid
- —
Oklahoma State University-Main Campus
- Degrees each year
- 78
- Admit rate
- 71%
- Annual cost after aid
- $16,000
Compare every college offering culinary arts and related services