Did You Know?
About one in three Americans got their first job in a restaurant, making the industry one of the largest entry-level employers in the country.
The Numbers Behind the Career
There were about 352,800 restaurant and food service managers active across the U.S in 2024.
The 2024 median annual salary for restaurant and food service managers was $65,310.
About 42,000 openings for restaurant and food service managers projected each year through 2030.
Where This Career Is Headed
Over the next decade, the restaurant industry will look very different from the one we have today. Ghost kitchens (those that produce food for delivery or takeout only) and delivery-first models will mature from novelty into a standard part of the landscape, forcing managers to develop expertise in running operations where the guest never sets foot in the building. Climate change will increasingly disrupt global food supply chains, pushing restaurants toward more localized sourcing strategies and more flexible menus built around what is reliably available. The managers who thrive will be those who can lead strong teams, deliver exceptional hospitality, and navigate a more complex, more volatile business environment than the industry has faced before.
As ghost kitchen and delivery-first models mature, a new category of restaurant management roles will emerge that requires expertise in remote team leadership, digital brand building, and logistics coordination at scale.
Advances in data tools for inventory forecasting, labor scheduling, and guest personalization will allow managers to run leaner, more responsive operations and redirect time and energy toward team development and guest experience.
A generational shift in consumer values around food sourcing, environmental impact, and dietary inclusion will reward managers who build relationships with local producers and develop menus flexible enough to serve a wider range of guests.
Education & Certification
Restaurant management does not follow a single educational path, and many of the industry's most successful managers worked their way up from entry-level positions rather than arriving through a formal degree program. That said, an associate's or bachelor's degree in hospitality management, business administration, or culinary arts can provide a strong foundation in finance, operations, and leadership and may accelerate advancement into higher-level roles. Vocational and technical programs at community colleges also offer focused training in food service management, including menu planning, cost control, and staff supervision. Most restaurant managers pursue a food safety certification such as ServSafe, which is widely recognized across the industry and required by many employers. Ongoing professional development through industry associations, such as the National Restaurant Association, helps managers stay current as the field evolves.
To Prepare...
Take classes in business, math, and communications to build the financial literacy and interpersonal skills that restaurant managers rely on every day.
Enroll in a hospitality, culinary arts, or food service management program at a vocational or technical school to gain hands-on training in the core operations of the industry.
Pursue a food safety certification like ServSafe, which is available through accredited training programs and signals to employers that you take the responsibilities of the role seriously.
Spotlight: Explore the Life of a Restaurant Manager
Explore more resources for a future Restaurant Manager
I Have a Restaurant
Afromsky, Ryan
Why We Picked It
Career Connection
Restaurant managers oversee every part of the operation this book explores, from the kitchen's rhythm to the dining room's flow, and this story gives young readers their first understanding of the coordinated teamwork that makes a restaurant run smoothly.
The Surprise Restaurant Manager
McGarrie, Ken
Why We Picked It
Career Connection
Restaurant managers must balance people leadership, financial oversight, and operational execution simultaneously, often having learned by doing rather than by studying, and this guide addresses the real challenges of that improvised ascent to leadership with honest, practical advice.
Leadership: The 5 Fundamentals for Restaurant Managers
Boso, Mr. Brent
Why We Picked It
Career Connection
Restaurant managers lead diverse teams under intense pressure, and the leadership fundamentals in this book, earned through real operational experience rather than business school theory, are the ones that actually determine whether a restaurant and its team succeed.