Quick serve restaurant (QSR) managers need to handle the fast pace of a busy food service environment. QSR managers should be able to work long hours when needed and remain calm in a sometimes hectic environment. Keeping employees motivated and dealing with customer complaints are some of the more difficult tasks a quick service manager may face.

Training

Many quick service restaurant managers begin their career in the food service industry as a cook, wait staff or counter attendant and eventually work their way up to hold a management position. However, there is a growing preference for some post-secondary education or college degree in food service management. Large quick service restaurant chains have management training programs for individuals interested in pursuing a management position with the restaurant chain. Management training programs cover food preparation, sanitation, company policies, personnel management, technology and computer systems, and recordkeeping.

Nature of Work

Quick serve restaurant managers manage a wide range of activities. They recruit, interview, hire, train, motivate and manage employees. QSR managers oversee restaurant procedures for prepping menu items for the day, maintaining equipment, and cleaning equipment, rest rooms and dining areas at the end of a shift.

Complying with restaurant chain and government sanitation standards is also the responsibility of a QSR manager. They are also responsible for keeping employee work records, handling payroll and overseeing all the paperwork to comply with licensing, tax and wage laws.

Job Outlook

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) expects 10.8 percent job growth for quick serve restaurant managers in the decade between 2020 and 2030. Although the job growth rate is slower than the average for all occupations, the job opportunities remain good due to new restaurant openings and the need to replace managers who leave to pursue a new occupation.

Salary

According to the BLS, quick serve restaurant managers earned a median annual wage of $56,590 and an hourly mean wage of $27.21 as of 2020. Other benefits of working as a QSR manager may include health care plans, free or discounted meals, additional training, and incentive programs based on store volume or revenue.

Work Environment

Quick serve restaurant managers often work long hours, 50 or more hours per week. Their schedules often follow the schedule of the restaurant they manage. QSR managers often need to have a flexible schedule in order to fill in for absent employees or emergencies that arise at the restaurant. According to the BLS, minor injuries such as cuts, burns or muscle aches are not uncommon in this occupation.

Food Service Managers salary

• Top 10% Annual Salary: More than $94,770 ($45.56/hour)
• Median Annual Salary: $56,590 ($27.21/hour)
• Bottom 10% Annual Salary: Less than $33,880 ($16.29/hour)