How to become a restaurant and catering establishment manager or proprietor

Official title: Restaurant and catering establishment managers and proprietors

Also called: Manager, Cafe manager, Club manager, Mess manager, Shop manager, Store manager, Buffet manager, Retail manager, District manager, Restaurant owner, Catering director, Snack bar manager

Restaurant and catering establishment managers and proprietors plan, direct and co-ordinate the catering services of restaurants, hotels and large-scale catering services within other organisations.

Main tasks

• Plans catering services and directs staff
• Decides on range and quality of meals and beverages to be provided
• Discusses customer’s requirements for special occasions
• Purchases or directs the purchasing of supplies and arranges for preparation of accounts
• Verifies that quality of food, beverages and waiting service is as required, that kitchen and dining areas are kept clean and appropriate hygiene standards are maintained in compliance with statutory requirements
• Plans and arranges food preparation in collaboration with other staff and organises the provision of waiting or counter staff
• Checks that supplies are properly used and accounted for to prevent wastage and loss and to keep within budget limit
• Determines staffing, financial, material and other short- and long-term requirements

How to become one

There are no set entry routes. Entry is possible with a variety of academic qualifications and/or relevant experience. Larger restaurants and catering chains offer managerial trainee schemes, entry to which may be based on a variety of qualifications and/or relevant experience. Off and on-the-job training is provided. Various vocational qualifications are available at levels 2 to 4.

Pay · Outlook

• Median full-time pay: £31,692 a year The middle half earn £27,257 to £37,814.
• About 178,600 people work in this job now, and about 206,500 are projected by 2035. (+15.6%)

Related jobs

• Hotel and accommodation managers and proprietors
• Publicans and managers of licensed premises
• Leisure and sports managers and proprietors
• Travel agency managers and proprietors

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Questions people ask

How do I become a restaurant and catering establishment manager or proprietor?

There are no set entry routes. Entry is possible with a variety of academic qualifications and/or relevant experience. Larger restaurants and catering chains offer managerial trainee schemes, entry to which may be based on a variety of qualifications and/or relevant experience. Off and on-the-job training is provided. Various vocational qualifications are available at levels 2 to 4.

How much does a restaurant and catering establishment manager or proprietor earn in the UK?

Median full-time pay is £31,692 a year (Office for National Statistics). The middle half earn £27,257 to £37,814.

Is a restaurant and catering establishment manager or proprietor a growing career in the UK?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 16% by 2035, from about 178,600 to about 206,500 people (Department for Education).

Do you need a degree to become a restaurant and catering establishment manager or proprietor?

Not always. 40% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Sources

• Office for National Statistics: Annual Population Survey: employment by occupation (April 2025 to March 2026), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• Office for National Statistics: SOC 2020 Volume 1: structure and descriptions (2026-08-27 edition), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• Department for Education: Skills Imperative 2035: employment projections by occupation (2021 to 2035 (Warwick IER / Cambridge Econometrics)), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• Office for National Statistics: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Table 14 (2025 provisional), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03