Food Service Supervisor salary

The median pay for a food service supervisor nationally is $22.41 an hour — about $46,620 a year full time. That figure comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for U.S. (2025). Half of the roles pay more than this and half pay less, so treat it as the middle of the market rather than a target.

Most food service supervisors nationally earn between $16.86 an hour and $29.54 an hour — that is the 10th to the 90th percentile. The spread usually reflects experience, shift, certifications and employer size more than anything else.

Pay at the bottom of the range — roughly what someone starting out can expect — is around $16.86 an hour. A quarter of food service supervisors earn below $18.75 an hour, so the first year or two typically sits in that band.

The top 10% of food service supervisors nationally earn about $29.54 an hour or more, roughly 1.3× the median. Getting there usually means experience plus something specific — certifications, supervisory duties, specialised skills or premium shifts.

Food service supervisors run a shift — scheduling the team, keeping service moving and handling whatever goes wrong. Almost always promoted from the floor. Day to day, that means assign stations and run the shift, train and coach new staff, handle customer complaints and monitor food safety and portion control.

The usual route is: (1) start on the line or front of house, (2) take on opening or closing responsibility, (3) move to shift lead, then supervisor, (4) progress to restaurant manager. Employers typically look for experience in the kitchen or front of house, food safety manager certification often required and full availability including weekends.

Usually not. Most employers hire food service supervisors without a specific licence, though food safety manager certification often required will widen your options and often your pay.

There are currently 6 open food service supervisors listed on LocalWork. One of the clearest and fastest promotion ladders in any hourly industry — high turnover below means supervisors are constantly needed.

Often under a year. Turnover in food service is high enough that reliable staff who learn every station get offered shift leadership quickly — frequently faster than in any other hourly industry. It is the first real pay step above line wages.