Food service worker supervisors direct and oversee staff who prepare and serve food.

Food service worker supervisors manage workers who prepare and serve food and drinks in restaurants and large cafeterias. They review work requirements each day (such as the menu or number of reservations) and assign workers to duties and workstations.

Supervisors estimate ingredients and supplies required to prepare recipes. They plan menus. They usually manage supplies and equipment. They take inventory and order supplies when needed. They often keep track of how much food has been sold on a daily basis.

Food service worker supervisors also work with customers. In restaurants they schedule parties or reservations and greet guests when they arrive. They sometimes pour wine or prepare foods. They sometimes present bills and take payment from customers. Supervisors also resolve customer complaints.

Food service worker supervisors decide when to hire new employees. They hire and train new employees in food preparation, service, sanitation, and food safety. They observe and evaluate workers. They discuss problems, such as theft or waste, and set up methods for preventing these problems in the future. They also recommend changes in work procedures or worker performance.

Food service worker supervisors who work in hospitals make sure that patients who have special dietary needs get the right kinds of meals.