Why this resume works
- Quantifies accomplishments: By incorporating metrics like a 15% revenue increase and 10% cost reduction, the applicant’s resume accomplishments show their tangible impact in food service management.
- Showcases career progression: The applicant’s career trajectory from assistant manager to food service manager reveals a path marked by growing responsibilities and leadership roles in renowned establishments.
- Highlights industry-specific skills: With skills such as menu development and inventory management, the applicant showcases expertise tailored for thriving in fast-paced hospitality environments.
More Food Service Manager Resume Examples
Our food service manager resume examples show how to emphasize your leadership, operational expertise, and customer satisfaction focus. Use these food service samples to create a resume that showcases your strengths and makes you stand out in the hospitality industry.
Restaurant Manager
Why this resume works
- Puts skills at the forefront: The applicant’s use of the skills-based resume format places skills at the top, a smart move for entry-level roles with little work experience.
- Effective use of keywords: By weaving in keywords like “team leadership” and “customer service,” the applicant cleverly improves their resume’s compatibility with applicant tracking systems.
- Centers on academic background: Noteworthy academic successes, including earning an MBA from Harvard University, convey a strong educational foundation.
Kitchen Manager
Why this resume works
- Points to measurable outcomes: By cutting kitchen prep time by 20% and reducing waste by 15%, the applicant highlights the impact they’ve had at busy restaurants.
- Demonstrates language abilities: With beginner and intermediate language skills in Spanish, French, and Italian, the applicant stands ready to engage in cross-cultural communication.
- Displays technical expertise: With credentials like Certified Professional Chef and Food Safety Manager Certification, the applicant showcases technical expertise important for maintaining high culinary standards.
Catering Operations Manager
Why this resume works
- Showcases impressive accomplishments: The applicant reveals compelling business impact through their development of a menu selection system that boosted sales by 25%.
- Focuses on work history: The applicant uses a chronological resume format, effectively highlighting their career progression from event catering supervisor to catering operations manager.
- Emphasizes leadership skills: The applicant’s leadership skills shine through in their ability to manage large-scale projects efficiently, as noted by their oversight of 500+ events.
Food Service Manager Resume Template (Text Version)
Yuki Thompson
Louisville, KY 40201
(555)555-5555
Yuki.Thompson@example.com
Professional Summary
Experienced Food Service Manager skilled in increasing revenue and enhancing customer satisfaction with over seven years in hospitality. Proven track record in operational efficiency, cost management, and team leadership, ensuring quality service and sustainable growth.
Work History
Food Service Manager
The Urban Fork – Louisville, KY
May 2022 – August 2025
- Increased revenue by 15% through new menu rollout
- Reduced operational costs by 10% over 6 months
- Trained a team, improving customer satisfaction by 20%
Restaurant Operations Supervisor
Harborview Bistro – Crestwood, KY
November 2019 – April 2022
- Managed daily operations, achieving 98% efficiency
- Implemented inventory systems, reducing waste by 30%
- Led a team of 25, improving staff retention by 40%
Assistant Restaurant Manager
Maple Leaf Dining – Crestwood, KY
January 2018 – October 2019
- Enhanced customer experience, boosting reviews by 25%
- Streamlined service, reducing wait times by 35%
- Increased sales during peak hours by 18%
Skills
- Team Leadership
- Inventory Management
- Customer Satisfaction
- Cost Control
- Menu Development
- Operational Efficiency
- Training and Development
- Problem Solving
Education
Master of Business Administration Hospitality Management
University of Illinois, Chicago, Illinois
May 2017
Bachelor of Science Culinary Arts
University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin
May 2015
Certifications
- Certified Food Service Professional – National Restaurant Association
- ServSafe Manager – ServSafe
Languages
- Spanish – Beginner (A1)
- French – Beginner (A1)
- Italian – Intermediate (B1)
Related Resume Guides
Advice for Writing Your Food Service Manager Resume
If you’re aiming for a position as a food service manager, crafting a resume that highlights your leadership and culinary expertise is essential. Dive into our tailored advice section to discover how to write a resume that emphasizes your experience with managing teams, ensuring customer satisfaction, and maintaining high standards of service.
Write a strong professional summary
A professional summary on a resume introduces hiring managers to who you are professionally by offering a snapshot of your career. Job seekers often choose between this summary or a resume objective depending on their experience level.
The professional summary typically consists of three to four sentences that showcase your experience, skills, and achievements. It’s best suited for experienced applicants who want to highlight their professional identity and the value they bring to potential employers by summarizing “what I’ve accomplished.”
In contrast, a resume objective focuses on career goals and is ideal for entry-level applicants, career changers, or those with employment gaps. While summaries reflect past achievements, objectives express “what I aim to contribute” in future roles.
Next, we’ll provide examples of both summaries and objectives tailored for various industries and levels of experience to help you decide the right opening statement for your resume.
Food service manager resume summary examples
Entry-level
Recent graduate with a Bachelor of Science in hospitality management, specializing in food service operations. Completed an internship at a high-volume restaurant, gaining foundational skills in team collaboration and customer service. Certified in ServSafe Food Protection Manager and eager to contribute to efficient kitchen management and guest satisfaction.
Mid-career
Food service manager with over 5 years of experience in fast-paced dining environments, including catering and full-service restaurants. Proven track record of increasing customer satisfaction through menu optimization and staff training initiatives. Holds certifications in HACCP principles and known for strong leadership during peak hours while maintaining a welcoming atmosphere.
Experienced
Seasoned food service manager with expertise in strategic planning and operational efficiency within multi-unit franchises. Demonstrated ability to lead teams toward achieving revenue growth by implementing cost control measures and improving quality standards. Certified Food Safety Manager adept at fostering partnerships with suppliers to ensure high-quality product offerings.
Food service manager resume objective examples
Entry-level
Aspiring food service manager with a background in hospitality management eager to bring strong organizational and team leadership skills to a vibrant restaurant environment. Committed to delivering exceptional customer service and optimizing operational efficiency.
Career changer
Dedicated professional transitioning from retail management into food service management, leveraging extensive experience in team coordination and customer satisfaction. Looking forward to fostering positive dining experiences while improving operational processes within the food industry.
Entry-level with relevant education
Recent culinary arts graduate seeking an entry-level food service manager position to apply comprehensive knowledge of food preparation and safety standards. Passionate about leading teams towards achieving excellence in quality dining services and innovative menu planning.
Easily create a standout resume for your food service manager job using our Resume Builder with templates that highlight your leadership and teamwork skills.
Include relevant certifications and training
For a food service manager, listing certifications and training on your resume conveys your skills and knowledge. This helps employers see you’re ready to handle food safety, customer service, and team management. Including a dedicated certifications section on your resume complements your education details and shows you have the credentials hiring managers are looking for.
Here are some examples of certifications for a food service manager:
- ServSafe Food Protection Manager Certification
- Certified Professional Food Manager (CPFM)
- Certified Dietary Manager (CDM)
- Food Safety Manager Certification (FSMC)
- HACCP Training and Certification
These certifications are proof of your ability to meet industry standards and manage teams effectively. Including them on your resume can make you stand out as a strong job seeker for the job.
Example of a certifications section
ServSafe Food Protection Manager Certification
Issued by: National Restaurant Association
Expires 2025
Certified Dietary Manager (CDM)
Issued by: Association of Nutrition & Foodservice Professionals (ANFP)
Issued 2022
Food Safety Manager Certification
Issued by: Prometric
Expires 2024
Certified Food and Beverage Executive (CFBE)
Issued by: American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI)
Issued 2023
Choose a resume template that aligns with your industry to make a strong first impression—clean and modern for tech, classic for law or finance, and creative for design roles.
Showcase your work experience
Showcasing relevant work experience on a resume helps employers understand your background and skills. For a food service manager, detailing past roles shows you have the necessary experience to run a busy kitchen or dining area smoothly. When formatting your work experience, list jobs in reverse-chronological order so the most recent position appears first. Each entry should include the job title, employer name, location, and employment dates.
Use clear, action-oriented language to describe what you did in each role. Words like “managed,” “supervised,” and “coordinated” show leadership and initiative. Highlight measurable results to demonstrate your impact, such as increasing customer satisfaction or reducing waste costs by specific percentages. This makes your contributions concrete and relatable.
Include core responsibilities that are key for a food service manager: managing staff schedules, inventory control, ensuring food safety standards, overseeing quality service, handling customer complaints professionally, and maintaining budget goals. By clearly presenting these skills with real-world examples from your past jobs, you’ll present yourself as a competent job seeker who can handle the demands of this role.
5 food service manager work history bullet points
- Led a team of 20 kitchen staff, achieving a 15% increase in service efficiency and reducing food prep time by 10 minutes per dish.
- Implemented new inventory management system, decreasing food waste by 25% and saving $12,000 annually.
- Streamlined vendor relationships, negotiating cost reductions that cut supply expenses by 10%.
- Designed seasonal menu changes that boosted customer satisfaction scores by 18% and increased repeat business by 22%.
- Managed scheduling and training for staff across three shifts, improving employee retention rates by 20% over one year.
For food service managers, a resume format that highlights leadership skills, operational efficiency, and customer satisfaction can improve your application.
Match your resume with the job description
Tailoring resumes to job descriptions is essential because it helps job seekers stand out to employers and pass through applicant tracking systems (ATS). These systems scan resumes for specific keywords and phrases from job postings.
To make an ATS-friendly resume, include keywords and phrases that match the skills required in the job posting. Doing so can significantly boost the chances of getting noticed by hiring managers looking for a food service manager.
To identify keywords from job postings, look for skills, qualifications, and duties mentioned repeatedly. For example, if you see “staff supervision,” “inventory management,” or “customer satisfaction” in a posting, use these exact phrases in your resume.
Incorporate these terms naturally by rewriting similar job responsibilities; for instance, change “Manage team performance” to “Supervised staff to improve team performance and customer satisfaction.”
When you customize your resume, you increase its compatibility with ATS and put yourself one step closer to earning an interview and moving along in the hiring process.
Make sure your resume passes ATS software! Using our ATS Resume Checker makes it easy to format correctly and use the best keywords.
Salary Insights for Food Service Managers
Food service managers earn varying salaries across the United States, with a national average of $71,055. The table below highlights the states where food service managers command the highest compensation.
Top 10 highest-paying states for food service managers
Our salary information comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey. This official government data provides the most comprehensive and reliable salary information for food service managers across all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The figures presented here reflect the May 2025 dataset, which is the most recent available as of this publication.
State | Average Salary |
---|---|
1. Washington | $95,470 |
2. District of Columbia | $91,280 |
3. New York | $89,310 |
4. Hawaii | $89,370 |
5. New Jersey | $89,810 |
6. Massachusetts | $88,770 |
7. Alaska | $84,790 |
8. Delaware | $81,590 |
9. Minnesota | $81,070 |
10. Rhode Island | $80,710 |
FAQ
Do I need to include a cover letter with my food service manager resume?
Yes, including a cover letter with your food service manager resume can significantly improve your application.
A cover letter offers an opportunity to highlight your leadership skills and ability to manage teams effectively, which are important in food service management. For instance, if the restaurant or facility emphasizes sustainable practices or local sourcing, you could discuss your experience or enthusiasm for such initiatives.
Consider using a Cover Letter Generator to craft a tailored cover letter that complements your resume. This tool ensures it reflects both your professional achievements and personal passion for the industry.
Additionally, exploring cover letter examples specific to food service management can provide inspiration and guidance on how to best present yourself as the ideal applicant for the role.
How long should a food service manager’s resume be?
For a food service manager, the ideal resume length depends on your experience. If you’re early in your career, a one-page resume is perfect for highlighting key skills like team leadership, inventory management, and customer service.
However, if you have extensive experience or numerous accomplishments in managing large teams or multiple locations, a two-page resume may be more appropriate to capture all relevant details.
Regardless of length, focus on making every word count by emphasizing your impact on operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.
Explore our guide on how long a resume should be for examples and tips tailored to your career stage.
How do you write a food service manager resume with no experience?
When crafting a resume with no experience, focus on your transferable skills, education, and any relevant volunteer work that align with the role’s responsibilities. Highlight these aspects to effectively showcase your potential for success in the food service manager position:
- Highlight relevant education: List any degrees or certifications related to hospitality, management, or culinary arts. Include the institution’s name and graduation date, and note any honors or relevant coursework.
- Focus on transferable skills: Emphasize skills such as leadership, customer service, conflict resolution, and organizational abilities. These are important for managing a food service environment effectively.
- Include volunteer work or internships: Any experience in food-related settings can be valuable. Describe roles where you coordinated events, managed teams, or improved processes, even if they were unpaid positions.
Consider checking out resources on writing a resume with no experience for more tips on effectively showcasing your potential as a food service manager.
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