0631-NOC

Restaurant and food service managers

(NOC 0631)
High opportunity occupation High opportunity occupation
Annual Earnings
$50,054
Typical Education Background
High School
Job Openings
(2022-2032)
8,890

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.”

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.

Annual Earnings

$50,054

Provincial Hourly Rate

High$43.25/hr
Median$24.00/hr
Low$16.50/hr
Source: B.C. Labour Market Information Office, derived from 2022 Job Bank Wage data

Work Environment

# Workers Employed

20,200

% Employed Full Time

59%
Source: 2016 Census

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.

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:

Enterprising
Enterprising

Job Titles

Manager, banquet / bar / cafeteria
Manager, services - catering
Restaurateur - food services

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
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Find out more information about programs offered specifically for this career.

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!

Service Orientation

Actively looking for ways to help people.

72%
Monitoring

Keeping track of and assessing your performance, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

69%
Management of Personnel Resources

Motivating, developing and directing people as they work, and identifying the best people for the job.

69%
Speaking

Talking to others to share information effectively.

69%
Active Listening

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.

69%
Coordination

Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

66%
Critical Thinking

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

66%
Social Perceptiveness

Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

66%
Reading Comprehension

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

66%
Time Management

Managing one’s own time and the time of others.

63%

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

20,200
Source: 2016 Census

Employment by Region

Map of BC Map of Cariboo region Map of Kootenay region Map of Mainland/Southwest region Map of North Coast and Nechako region Map of Northeast region Map of Thompson-Okanagan region Map of Vancouver Island/Coast region
Cariboo
Kootenay
Mainland/Southwest
North Coast and Nechako
Northeast
Thompson-Okanagan
Vancouver Island/Coast
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Region Employment (2022) % Employment of this Occupation
Cariboo 570 2.7%
Kootenay 670 3.6%
Mainland/Southwest 12,460 64.4%
North Coast and Nechako 310 1.3%
Northeast 330 1.4%
Thompson-Okanagan 2,240 10.8%
Vancouver Island/Coast 3,430 15.9%
Source: 2016 Census and B.C. Labour Market Outlook

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 (2022-2032)

8,890
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Forecasted Job Openings

Forecasted Employment Growth Rate

Composition of Job Openings

Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Job Openings by Region (2022-2032)

Map of BC Map of Cariboo region Map of Kootenay region Map of Mainland/Southwest region Map of North Coast and Nechako region Map of Northeast region Map of Thompson-Okanagan region Map of Vancouver Island/Coast region
Cariboo
Kootenay
Mainland/Southwest
North Coast and Nechako
Northeast
Thompson-Okanagan
Vancouver Island/Coast
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Region Job Openings Avg. Annual Employment Growth
Cariboo 210 1.0%
Kootenay 230 0.3%
Mainland/Southwest 5,280 1.2%
North Coast and Nechako 100 1.8%
Northeast 100 0.6%
Thompson-Okanagan 1,200 1.8%
Vancouver Island/Coast 1,710 1.3%
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

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

IndustryJob Openings (2022-2032)
Accommodation and Food Services60,200
Information, Culture and Recreation57,300
Retail Trade115,500
For additional industry information, visit the Industry Profiles page.
Source: 2016 Census and B.C. Labour Market Outlook

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