Restaurant and food service managers
High opportunity occupation
Career Overview
Restaurant and food service managers plan, organize and run restaurants, bars, cafeterias and other food and beverage businesses. Restaurant managers are usually responsible for the “front of house,” while chefs take care of the kitchen in the “back of house.”
Job Titles
Duties
In general, restaurant and food service managers:
- Hire staff and supervise training
- Set operating procedures and staff schedules
- Set targets, and track and reward staff performance
- Settle staffing issues
- Deal with customer complaints
- Ensure employment laws, liquor regulations and health and safety rules are followed
- Arrange suppliers and order food and other supplies
- Arrange catering and outside use of facilities
- Manage budgets, pricing and payroll
- Do paperwork related to taxes and wages
- Develop marketing and public relations plans
- Handle emergency repairs to equipment
In franchises, the head office may take care of some of these duties.
Earnings
Earnings is income that workers receive in exchange for their labour. Depending on the type of employment, earnings can be in the form of wages (hourly), salaries (fixed monthly or annual) or self-employed earnings.
Work Environment
# Workers Employed
20,490% Employed Full Time
57%Restaurant and food service managers can work in companies of any size. Some may own and operate their own business.
Workweeks can be long–50 to 60 hours–and weekend and evening shifts are common. Holiday times, like those that occur in the winter season often mean longer hours.
Restaurant and food service managers must work well under pressure. They need to be able to multitask, solve problems and handle complaints in a fast-paced environment. They are constantly dealing with people, including suppliers, staff, inspectors and customers.
The work is physical, with long periods of standing and walking and some lifting and carrying. It also involves using technology, including food service software.
Career Pathways
Recent graduates may start as servers, bartenders, assistant restaurant managers or kitchen managers. With experience, they may advance to positions as supervisors or managers.
More experienced restaurant and food service managers may move on to become restaurant or bar owners, industry consultants, trainers, post-secondary instructors or regional managers for chain restaurants.
Related Careers
Occupational Interests
It’s important to understand what kinds of occupations align with your interests.
For more about occupational interests visit Skills for the Future Workforce > Characteristics.
Here are the top occupational interest(s) for this career profile:
Education, Training and Skills
Restaurant and food service managers usually need several years of experience in food services, including supervisory experience. Most jobs call for a college diploma or completion of a program in hospitality or food and beverage service management. Businesses that serve alcohol require managers to be certified in responsible beverage service.
Restaurant managers need to keep up to date on the latest technology used in the industry. More and more, much of the work–including scheduling, tracking hours and ordering–is being done online. An understanding of how to handle social media and online reviews is also helpful.
In addition, employers may look for:
- A bachelor’s degree in restaurant and institutional food service management
- Additional training in management or supervision
- Training programs like those offered by large chain restaurants
- Certificates in food safety and food handling
- WorldHost courses in customer care and basic computer skills
- Training in software such as Squirrel and point-of-sale (POS) systems
- Formal training in wine, beer and spirits, such as sommelier or Cicerone certifications
Education programs in B.C.
The following program areas are related to this occupation:
- Food/Beverage Services
- Hospitality/Tourism Management
Skills
Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.
Here, you will find the 10 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.
See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!
Actively looking for ways to help people.
Keeping track of and assessing your performance, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Motivating, developing and directing people as they work, and identifying the best people for the job.
Talking to others to share information effectively.
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
Labour Market Statistics
Discover data, facts and information that have been gathered and analyzed. Learn about the characteristics of the economy and labour market in B.C.
Employment
Find out about employment types and trends by region and industry.
Employment
20,490Employment by Region
| Region | Employment | % Employment of this Occupation |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 490 | 2.4% |
| Kootenay | 670 | 3.3% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 13,280 | 64.8% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 250 | 1.2% |
| Northeast | 230 | 1.1% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 2,195 | 10.7% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 3,370 | 16.4% |
Labour Market Outlook
The B.C. Labour Market Outlook is a 10-year forecast of the expected supply and demand for labour in the province. It’s usually updated every year. The purpose is to provide British Columbians with the knowledge to make informed decisions on careers, skills training, education and hiring.
Forecasted Job Openings (2024-2034)
10,580Forecasted Job Openings
Forecasted Employment Growth Rate
Composition of Job Openings
Job Openings by Region (2024-2034)
| Region | Job Openings | Avg. Annual Employment Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 180 | 0.8% |
| Kootenay | 350 | 1.1% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 7,040 | 1.5% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 80 | 0.9% |
| Northeast | 80 | 0.4% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 1,200 | 1.2% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 1,650 | 1.1% |
Industry Highlights
Learn about the opportunities in B.C.'s major industries, including employment trends, earning potential, locations of work and more.
Forecasted Job Openings by Industry
| Industry | Job Openings (2024-2034) |
|---|---|
| Accommodation and Food Services | 9,810 |
| Information, Culture and Recreation | 530 |
| Retail Trade | 100 |
| Manufacturing | 40 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 20 |
Insights from Industry
The industry faces a shortage of qualified workers to fill its needs. This is especially true in the Lower Mainland and on Vancouver Island.
Resources
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British Columbia Restaurant and Foodservices Association (BCRFA)www.bcrfa.com
-
Restaurants Canadawww.restaurantscanada.org
Career Videos
Watch the video below to see what a restaurant manager does in a day.
Watch the video below to see what a restaurant manager does in a day.
