Skip to content
Boston Career Explorer

Food Preparation and Serving Related

First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers

Directly supervise and coordinate activities of workers engaged in preparing and serving food.

Also called: Cafeteria Manager, Dietary Supervisor, Dining Services Director, Food and Beverage Director, Food and Nutrition Services Supervisor, Food Production Supervisor

Compare with my current job (Retail Salespersons)
Median pay in Greater Boston
$47,090
$22.64/hr
Jobs in Greater Boston
16,410
Massachusetts 2024–2034
+5.7%
3,590 openings a year
Typical U.S. entry requirement
High school diploma or equivalent
Less than 5 years of related work experience

Greater Boston: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, May 2025. Growth and openings: Massachusetts statewide projection.

Pay range in Greater Boston

Yearly pay in Greater Boston by percentile
10th25thMedian75th90th
$38,900$39,940$47,090$61,050$77,390

10% of workers earn less than the first figure and 10% earn more than the last.

What you’d do

  • Resolve customer complaints regarding food service.
  • Train workers in food preparation, and in service, sanitation, and safety procedures.
  • Assign duties, responsibilities, and work stations to employees in accordance with work requirements.
  • Present bills and accept payments.
  • Perform various financial activities, such as cash handling, deposit preparation, and payroll.
  • Supervise and participate in kitchen and dining area cleaning activities.

AI and this job

AI exposure: how much of this job’s work AI tools can do or help with, based on national research. It is not a forecast of job loss.

Moderate exposure42 of 100

The index averages three national research measures, each shown as a percentile of all jobs:

  • AIOE 40
  • Language-model AIOE 42
  • GPTs-are-GPTs 44

Observed AI use today: Some (Anthropic Economic Index)

AI exposure for this job is moderate, and observed AI use is some. AI tools can help with money tasks like payments, cash handling, and payroll, and with scheduling. Handling upset customers, training workers, and running a busy shift rely on people.

Likely to change

  • Payroll and cash handling records
  • Billing and payment processing

Still relies on people

  • Resolving customer complaints face to face
  • Training and coaching workers on the floor

Written with AI from the data on this page. Check with a career coach before making a decision.

Next steps from here

Related jobs that build on what you already do.

  • Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors

    Training and guiding people carries over. This job pays $65,190 in Boston, with 14.0% projected growth in Massachusetts.

    Pay difference
    +$18,100 median
    AI exposure
    Lower
    MA growth
    +14.0%
    To get started
    High school diploma or equivalent

  • Maintenance and Repair Workers, General

    Solving problems and keeping a safe workplace carry over. Boston pay is $59,670, with lower AI exposure.

    Pay difference
    +$12,580 median
    AI exposure
    Lower
    MA growth
    +5.2%
    To get started
    High school diploma or equivalent

  • Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria

    Food safety and kitchen know-how carry over. This job pays $48,530 in Boston and has lower AI exposure.

    Pay difference
    +$1,440 median
    AI exposure
    Lower
    MA growth
    +4.7%
    To get started
    No formal educational credential

Training near Boston

College and school programs in the Boston metro area that lead to this job, with 2023-24 completions (IPEDS).

4 programs near Boston (plus 1 graduate)

Related occupations

Talk to a career coach

A coach at the Office of Workforce Development can help you plan your next step, and connect you with training, apprenticeships and City partner programs that are not listed here.

Talk to a career coach