AI exposure by occupation, O*NET 11-9051.00

Will AI replace Food Service Managers?

Food Service Managers: AI can already handle 7 of 28 tasks; the work mostly needs a frontier-tier model.

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Every task, scored

The 28 tasks O*NET 30.3 lists for Food Service Managers, from most to least exposed. 7 reach 60 or more, the level at which AI already handles a task.

Task AI exposure Evidence Model tier Importance
Create specialty dishes and develop recipes to be used in dining facilities. 88 Observed Frontier 3.8
Review work procedures and operational problems to determine ways to improve service, performance, or safety. 82 Observed Standard 4.0
Schedule and receive food and beverage deliveries, checking delivery contents to verify product quality and quantity. 80 Estimated Standard 4.3
Monitor budgets and payroll records, and review financial transactions to ensure that expenditures are authorized and budgeted. 65 Estimated Frontier 4.3
Organize and direct worker training programs, resolve personnel problems, hire new staff, and evaluate employee performance in dining and lodging facilities. 65 Estimated Standard 4.3
Assess staffing needs and recruit staff, using methods such as newspaper advertisements or attendance at job fairs. 65 Estimated Frontier 4.2
Review menus and analyze recipes to determine labor and overhead costs, and assign prices to menu items. 65 Estimated Standard 3.8
Coordinate assignments of cooking personnel to ensure economical use of food and timely preparation. 50 Estimated Frontier 4.3
Arrange for equipment maintenance and repairs, and coordinate a variety of services, such as waste removal and pest control. 50 Estimated Frontier 4.0
Plan menus and food utilization, based on anticipated number of guests, nutritional value, palatability, popularity, and costs. 50 Estimated Frontier 3.9
Schedule use of facilities or catering services for events such as banquets or receptions, and negotiate details of arrangements with clients. 35 Estimated Efficient 3.4
Monitor employee and patron activities to ensure liquor regulations are obeyed. 30 Estimated Efficient 4.8
Greet guests, escort them to their seats, and present them with menus and wine lists. 30 Estimated Efficient 4.6
Count money and make bank deposits. 30 Estimated Standard 4.6
Establish standards for personnel performance and customer service. 30 Estimated Standard 4.5
Keep records required by government agencies regarding sanitation or food subsidies. 30 Estimated Efficient 4.5
Schedule staff hours and assign duties. 30 Estimated Efficient 4.4
Investigate and resolve complaints regarding food quality, service, or accommodations. 30 Estimated Efficient 4.4
Estimate food, liquor, wine, and other beverage consumption to anticipate amounts to be purchased or requisitioned. 30 Estimated Standard 4.2
Test cooked food by tasting and smelling it to ensure palatability and flavor conformity. 30 Estimated Efficient 4.1
Order and purchase equipment and supplies. 30 Estimated Standard 4.1
Record the number, type, and cost of items sold to determine which items may be unpopular or less profitable. 30 Estimated Efficient 4.0
Take dining reservations. 30 Estimated Efficient 3.8
Establish and enforce nutritional standards for dining establishments, based on accepted industry standards. 30 Estimated Standard 3.4
Maintain food and equipment inventories, and keep inventory records. 20 Estimated Efficient 4.4
Monitor compliance with health and fire regulations regarding food preparation and serving, and building maintenance in lodging and dining facilities. 15 Estimated No tier 4.1
Perform some food preparation or service tasks, such as cooking, clearing tables, and serving food and drinks when necessary. 12 Estimated No tier 4.3
Monitor food preparation methods, portion sizes, and garnishing and presentation of food to ensure that food is prepared and presented in an acceptable manner. 12 Estimated No tier 4.2

Observed: scored from AI use recorded in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), 2 of 28 tasks. Estimated: scored from the task's O*NET 30.3 work activity, 26 of 28. Importance is O*NET's 1 to 5 rating of how central the task is. Model tier is the lowest tier that can do the task under the published rubric; "No tier" marks hands-on work.

The model tier this role needs

A frontier-tier model or lower covers 89% of the role's importance-weighted task work. 89% of the work is something AI can address at some tier, and 11% is hands-on.

Efficient, standard and frontier tiers come from the JobRoute model tier reference. The recommended tier is the lowest one that covers 80% of the work AI can address. How the method works.

Wages, employment and outlook

US employment
238,430
Median annual wage
$69,390
Middle half of earners
$56,870 to $86,800
Projected change, 2024 to 2034
+6.4%

Employment and wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, national. Projection: BLS Employment Projections 2024 to 2034.

Adjacent roles

The occupations that reuse the most of this role's skills, with the usual time to move. These are the first places to look when you plan to redeploy or retrain people in this role.

Skill overlap and transition time from the JobRoute role adjacency graph on O*NET 30.3 skills.

Questions about Food Service Managers and AI

Will AI replace Food Service Managers?

AI already handles 7 of the 28 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, at a task exposure of 60 or more, and the role's importance-weighted exposure is 41 out of 100. JobRoute scores tasks, not whole jobs, so the score shows how much of the work changes rather than whether the job disappears. BLS projects employment to change by +6.4% from 2024 to 2034.

What is the AI exposure of Food Service Managers?

41 out of 100 on JobRoute's task exposure measure, the importance-weighted average of the role's O*NET task scores. Higher means more of the work is AI-doable today. 2 of the 28 task scores are observed in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), and the other 26 are estimated from each task's O*NET work activity.

Which Food Service Managers tasks can AI already do?

The tasks with the highest exposure are: Create specialty dishes and develop recipes to be used in dining facilities; Review work procedures and operational problems to determine ways to improve service, performance, or safety; Schedule and receive food and beverage deliveries, checking delivery contents to verify product quality and quantity. They are three of the 7 tasks that reach 60 or more.

What AI model tier does this role need?

A frontier-tier model or lower covers 89% of the role's importance-weighted task work. JobRoute assigns each task the lowest tier that can do it under a published rubric and recommends the lowest tier that covers 80% of the work AI can address.

How many people work as Food Service Managers, and what do they earn?

238,430 people in the United States, with a median annual wage of $69,390 (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025). BLS Employment Projections expect a change of +6.4% from 2024 to 2034.

How to cite

Data version 2026-11-02, JobRoute method v1.0.0. Download all occupations or this occupation as JSON. Methodology.

JobRoute (2026). AI exposure: Food Service Managers. Data version 2026-11-02, method v1.0.0. Built on O*NET 30.3, BLS OEWS May 2025 and the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026). CC BY 4.0. https://www.jobroute.ai/jobs/food-service-managers

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