Plan, direct, or coordinate activities of an organization or department that serves food and beverages.

Other names for Food Service Managers: Banquet Director, Banquet Manager, Boarding House Manager, Cafe Operator, Cafeteria Director, Cafeteria Operator, Catering Manager, Club Manager, Concessionaire, Cook Manager, Culinary Specialist, Deli Manager, Dietary Manager, Dietary Supervisor, Dining Room Manager, Director of Catering, Director of Food and Beverage, Executive Chef, Fast Food Services Manager, Flight Kitchen Manager, Food and Beverage Director, Food and Beverage Manager, Food Manager, Food Production Manager, Food Service Director, Food Service Manager, Food Service Specialist, Food Service Supervisor, Hospitality Manager, Industrial Cafeteria Manager, Kitchen Manager, Liquor Establishment Manager, Luncheonette Operator, Lunchroom Operator, Menu Planner, Restaurant General Manager, Restaurant Manager, Restaurant Owner, Restauranteur, Saloonkeeper, Sommelier, Tavern Keeper, Tavern Operator,

• Test cooked food by tasting and smelling it to ensure palatability and flavor conformity.
• Investigate and resolve complaints regarding food quality, service, or accommodations.
• Schedule and receive food and beverage deliveries, checking delivery contents to verify product quality and quantity.
• Monitor food preparation methods, portion sizes, and garnishing and presentation of food to ensure that food is prepared and presented in an acceptable manner.
• Monitor budgets and payroll records, and review financial transactions to ensure that expenditures are authorized and budgeted.
• Schedule staff hours and assign duties.
• Monitor compliance with health and fire regulations regarding food preparation and serving, and building maintenance in lodging and dining facilities.
• Coordinate assignments of cooking personnel to ensure economical use of food and timely preparation.
• Keep records required by government agencies regarding sanitation, and food subsidies when appropriate.
• Establish standards for personnel performance and customer service.
• Estimate food, liquor, wine, and other beverage consumption to anticipate amounts to be purchased or requisitioned.
• Review work procedures and operational problems to determine ways to improve service, performance, or safety.
• Perform some food preparation or service tasks such as cooking, clearing tables, and serving food and drinks when necessary.
• Maintain food and equipment inventories, and keep inventory records.
• Organize and direct worker training programs, resolve personnel problems, hire new staff, and evaluate employee performance in dining and lodging facilities.
• Order and purchase equipment and supplies.
• Review menus and analyze recipes to determine labor and overhead costs, and assign prices to menu items.
• Record the number, type, and cost of items sold to determine which items may be unpopular or less profitable.
• Assess staffing needs, and recruit staff using methods such as newspaper advertisements or attendance at job fairs.
• Arrange for equipment maintenance and repairs, and coordinate a variety of services such as waste removal and pest control.
• Monitor employee and patron activities to ensure liquor regulations are obeyed.
• Greet guests, escort them to their seats, and present them with menus and wine lists.
• Establish and enforce nutritional standards for dining establishments based on accepted industry standards.
• Plan menus and food utilization based on anticipated number of guests, nutritional value, palatability, popularity, and costs.
• Create specialty dishes and develop recipes to be used in dining facilities.
• Take dining reservations.
• Schedule use of facilities or catering services for events such as banquets or receptions, and negotiate details of arrangements with clients.

• Laser printers
• Cash registers
• Notebook computers
• Personal computers
• Personal digital assistant PDAs or organizers

Project management software

Inventory management software

Office suite software

Accounting software

Time accounting software

Word processing software

Calendar and scheduling software

Spreadsheet software

Desktop publishing software

Data base user interface and query software

Analytical or scientific software

Point of sale POS software

Electronic mail software