--- title: Food Service Jobs, Careers & Salaries description: 'Find Food Service jobs: top restaurant and catering employers, salary data, and career profiles for chefs, managers, and food service directors.' type: industry url: https://www.foundrole.com/sectors/food-and-beverage-services/food-service date: 2026-06-01T08:07:56Z og_description: Explore Food Service careers — top employers, salary benchmarks, and open roles for chefs, restaurant managers, and food service professionals. og_image: https://www.foundrole.com/img/pages/7ejjkj/food-service.png?v=3 breadcrumbs: - label: Home url: https://www.foundrole.com/ - label: Sectors url: https://www.foundrole.com/sectors - label: Food and Beverage Services url: https://www.foundrole.com/sectors/food-and-beverage-services --- # Food Service Jobs, Careers & Salaries **Sector:** [Food & Beverage Jobs, Careers & Salary Data](https://www.foundrole.com/sectors/food-and-beverage-services) ## Market Insights — June 2026 *Based on 25187 postings analyzed in June 2026 • Updated June 1, 2026* Compensation in food service runs 53% below the sitewide median. The gap reflects a role mix where nearly half of postings are Executive Chef positions, a senior culinary title that nonetheless operates in a lower-wage industry. Cook and Sous Chef roles make up the remaining concentration; together, the three titles account for roughly four in five job postings. The 1% remote share underscores the on-site nature of kitchen operations. - Pay at Food Service runs 53% below the sitewide median ($40K vs $83K). - Roles in Food Service concentrate in Executive Chef (46% of postings), followed by Cook and Sous Chef. - Remote share at Food Service held steady around 1% (vs 1% last month). *Numbers above are computed from active job postings indexed during the snapshot window. Salary figures use posted ranges where available; sitewide medians are recomputed monthly from the full index. Confidence reflects sample size and signal stability vs the prior month.* ## Top hiring companies in Food Service - [Performance Foodservice Jobs & Careers — Food Distribution](https://www.foundrole.com/companies/performance-foodservice) — 31419 jobs · $85K median - [Summit Food Service Jobs & Careers — Corrections Dining](https://www.foundrole.com/companies/summit) — 7020 jobs · $38K median - [Shamrock Foods Company Jobs & Careers — Food & Dairy](https://www.foundrole.com/companies/shamrock-foods-company) — 452 jobs · $60K median - [Primo Brands Jobs & Careers — Water & Beverage Company](https://www.foundrole.com/companies/primo-brands) — 401 jobs · $61K median - [Refresco Jobs & Careers — Beverage Manufacturing](https://www.foundrole.com/companies/refresco) — 368 jobs · $52K median - [Sysco Jobs & Careers — Food Distribution & Logistics](https://www.foundrole.com/companies/sysco) — 364 jobs · $88K median - [Cura Hospitality Jobs & Careers — Healthcare Dining Services](https://www.foundrole.com/companies/cura-hospitality) — 230 jobs · $33K median - [Vistar Jobs & Careers — Specialty Food Distribution](https://www.foundrole.com/companies/vistar) — 195 jobs · $42K median - [Dutch Bros Coffee Jobs & Careers — Drive-Thru Coffee Chain](https://www.foundrole.com/companies/dutch-bros-coffee) — 177 jobs · $33K median ## Top-paying states for Food Service - [Maine Jobs Hiring Now | Salary, Industries, Companies](https://www.foundrole.com/locations/maine) — $105K median · 595 jobs - [New Hampshire Jobs Hiring Now | Salary, Industries, Companies](https://www.foundrole.com/locations/new-hampshire) — $105K median · 119 jobs - [District of Columbia Jobs Hiring Now | Salary, Industries, Companies](https://www.foundrole.com/locations/district-of-columbia) — $95K median · 1812 jobs - [Virginia Jobs Hiring Now | Salary, Industries, Companies](https://www.foundrole.com/locations/virginia) — $93K median · 2703 jobs - [California Jobs Hiring Now | Salary, Industries, Companies](https://www.foundrole.com/locations/california) — $91K median · 1841 jobs - [Indiana Jobs Hiring Now | Salary, Industries, Companies](https://www.foundrole.com/locations/indiana) — $90K median · 2093 jobs - [Maryland Jobs Hiring Now | Salary, Industries, Companies](https://www.foundrole.com/locations/maryland) — $90K median · 1105 jobs - [Oklahoma Jobs Hiring Now | Salary, Industries, Companies](https://www.foundrole.com/locations/oklahoma) — $90K median · 202 jobs - [Nebraska Jobs Hiring Now | Salary, Industries, Companies](https://www.foundrole.com/locations/nebraska) — $88K median · 714 jobs - [Pennsylvania Jobs Hiring Now | Salary, Industries, Companies](https://www.foundrole.com/locations/pennsylvania) — $85K median · 2699 jobs ## Top-paying cities for Food Service - [Jobs in Portland, ME — Top Employers & Pay Data](https://www.foundrole.com/locations/maine/portland) — $106K median · 13 jobs - [Minneapolis, MN Jobs — Hiring Trends & Top Companies](https://www.foundrole.com/locations/minnesota/minneapolis) — $100K median · 336 jobs - [Jobs in Saint Paul, MN — Top Employers & Pay Data](https://www.foundrole.com/locations/minnesota/saint-paul) — $100K median · 175 jobs - [Hiring in Fargo, ND — Jobs & Salary Outlook](https://www.foundrole.com/locations/north-dakota/fargo) — $100K median · 82 jobs - [Jobs in Maple Plain, MN — Jobs & Salary Outlook](https://www.foundrole.com/locations/minnesota/maple-plain) — $100K median · 65 jobs - [Loretto, MN Jobs — Open Roles & Pay Trends](https://www.foundrole.com/locations/minnesota/loretto) — $100K median · 34 jobs - [Jobs in Eden Prairie, MN — Hiring Trends & Top Companies](https://www.foundrole.com/locations/minnesota/eden-prairie) — $100K median · 15 jobs - [Concord, NH Jobs — Salary & Top Employers](https://www.foundrole.com/locations/new-hampshire/concord) — $99K median · 49 jobs - [Jobs in Washington, DC — Federal, Defense & Healthcare](https://www.foundrole.com/locations/district-of-columbia/washington) — $95K median · 1808 jobs - [Portland, OR Jobs — Salaries & Companies Hiring](https://www.foundrole.com/locations/oregon/portland) — $95K median · 387 jobs ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What career paths exist in Food Service? Key career paths include culinary (chef, sous chef, executive chef), management (restaurant manager, food service director, operations manager), and support functions (catering coordinator, purchasing specialist, nutrition services manager). ### What salary can I expect in Food Service? Line cooks and entry-level staff typically earn $35K–$50K; restaurant managers range from $55K–$75K; food service directors and regional managers can earn $85K–$110K+. Salary data by role is available on this page. ### What qualifications help for Food Service management roles? A culinary degree or hospitality management certification strengthens candidacy, but many managers advance through operational experience. ServSafe food safety certification is often required, and business or management degrees are valued for director-level roles. ### Is the Food Service industry growing? Food Service employment continues to grow driven by restaurant expansion, institutional dining contracts, and the rise of fast-casual and delivery-focused concepts. Technology roles in digital ordering and kitchen operations management are emerging growth areas. ### Are there remote work opportunities in Food Service? Most operational and culinary roles require on-site presence. However, food service corporate roles — including purchasing, marketing, HR, and regional operations — increasingly offer hybrid or remote work arrangements. ## Related - [Browse all companies](https://www.foundrole.com/companies) - [Search jobs](https://www.foundrole.com/jobs)