- According to government data, restaurant food managers earn an average annual wage of $63,820.
- But some fast food chains pay selected managers up to $100,000 a year. The In-N-Out manager can earn her more than $180,000.
- Here's a chain that offers six-figure salaries to general managers.
By some estimates, the restaurant industry has the most job openings in the United States. Fast food workers have fled the industry since the pandemic, and restaurant chains have struggled to find help.
This has led to higher wages for cashiers and cooks, some of whom are being replaced by automated voice ordering systems.
But how have fast-food restaurant general managers, whose responsibilities range from dealing with picky customers to managing inventory, fared over the years?
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average annual wage for a restaurant food manager is $63,820 as of May 2022. However, chains like Chipotle, Taco Bell, and In-N-Out Burger pay some managers well above industry standards. Salaries exceed $100,000.
At In-N-Out, restaurant managers can earn more than $180,000 a year.
To put those rare six-figure salaries into perspective, these managers are running one store. McDonald's district managers, who oversee about five stores in the Midwest, earn between $65,000 and $80,000 a year, according to job listings on LinkedIn.
These chains believe that paying store managers the highest salaries will lead to the best performance.
In a new book about the chain's history, In-N-Out owner Lynsi Snyder writes, “Offering the highest wages in the industry helps us attract top talent who will take care of our customers.'' That's one way,” he wrote.
Here's a closer look at the fast food chains that pay their managers the highest.
in and out burger
The average salary for a store manager at the iconic fast-food chain is more than $180,000 a year, including store profit sharing, owner Lynsi Snyder writes in a forthcoming book about the chain's history. I am writing.
In his 208-page book, Snyder tells how his grandparents, Harry and Esther Snyder, built a fast-food empire by paying their employees and managers high wages.
But to become a manager at In-N-Out, you'll have to learn every role necessary to run a restaurant, from working the drive-thru to flipping burgers.
In-N-Out is based in Irvine, California and has approximately 400 locations in seven states.
taco bell
In 2020, Taco Bell launched a pilot program to increase salaries for select managers at its restaurants to $100,000 a year. At the time, his salary increase amounted to nearly $50,000 a year.
The test has since evolved into an “entrepreneur” program, the chain told Insider. The Leader Development Program is a program aimed at general managers of directly managed restaurants.
“Individuals in this group demonstrate an entrepreneurial spirit, an attitude of ownership towards their restaurants, and a creative growth mindset,” Taco Bell told Insider. “Entrepreneurs' base salaries start at $80,000, with the opportunity to earn up to $100,000 a year, including bonuses.”
The chain did not say how many general managers are included in the program.
The company says, “We aim to further increase the number of participants every year.''
It's unclear how much the hundreds of franchise stores run by independent operators pay their managers.
“While Taco Bell Corporate cannot mandate salaries or wages for our franchisees, we offer competitive pay levels and encourage our franchisees to do the same,” Taco Bell said in a statement. Ta.
Taco Bell general managers are responsible for a variety of tasks, including the growth and development of team members, the smooth running of the business, operations, scheduling and maintaining customer satisfaction, the chain said.
Unlike In-N-Out, you don't have to start as an hourly employee to become a store manager. But it helps, Taco Bell said. The chain says 54% of Taco Bell general managers started out as restaurant-level employees.
“This doesn't mean we won't bring in talented leaders from outside of Taco Bell, but we're happy to see growth from within,” the chain said.
In some cases, managers climb the ladder to executive positions. Mike Grams, President and Chief Operating Officer of Taco Bell, began his career in Detroit, Michigan as an Assistant General Manager.
Taco Bell is based in Irvine, California. As of Q2 2023, 473 of the 7,241 restaurants are company-owned.
chipotle pepper
Within four years, Chipotle line workers can be promoted to top store managers, or “restaurateurs,” and earn six-figure salaries.
Restaurateur is the highest ranking general manager position at Chipotle. Like In-N-Out, Chipotle prefers to hire from current employees rather than outsiders for these positions. Chipotle announced in August that more than 85% of its restaurant executives started as crew members.
“Restaurateurs are selected from the general manager ranks based on their skills in managing restaurants and employees,” Chipotle told Insider.
The title of Restaurateur is “earned by high-achieving general managers who operate great restaurants through great people and great food,” the chain added.
“Chipotle is a people and food company, and to continue to provide great food, we need great people to grow with us,” Chief Operating Officer Scott Boatwright said in August. Ta. “We want to develop new culinary-minded talent and develop them into world-class operators to support our future growth plans.”
The average annual salary for restaurateurs is $113,500, according to the chain's website. The average salary for a general manager one level down is $89,900 per year.
Chipotle is headquartered in Newport Beach, California and operates more than 3,250 restaurants in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, France, and Germany.
shake shack
Restaurant manager jobs at Shake Shack, founded by Danny Meyer, range from $53,000 to $78,000 a year, according to LinkedIn. However, if you use it wisely, you can earn up to $100,000 a year.
At least, that's what Angela Campbell told Insider in 2021. She makes more than $100,000 a year as a general manager at Shake Shack in Las Vegas, Nevada, she said.
Campbell could not be reached for comment. However, according to her LinkedIn profile, she continues to be her GM in Las Vegas, a city booming in tourism.
Campbell, who has been Shake Shack's general manager since 2019 and previously held store leadership roles at Earth Cafe and Nordstrom, said his primary job in 2021 is to “oversee everything.” .
She tracks inventory supplies, oversees a growing number of digital orders, prepares for major events in town, and manages about 75 employees, she told Insider in 2021.
Insider asked Shake Shack whether Campbell's salary reflected the average wage paid to restaurant GMs. The New York-based chain declined to comment.
Shake Shack has 310 stores in the United States.
jersey mike
Jersey Mike's sells upscale subs with meats and cheeses hand-sliced right in front of customers. The Charlotte, N.C., store offers $60,000 to $100,000 annually for the general manager role, depending on experience and tenure, according to LinkedIn.
It's unclear if this is the average range for most general managers in the system. Jersey Mike's could not be reached for comment.
In Charlotte, franchisees are very clear about this GM role.
“As a GM, you are only required to work twice a week,” the job posting states. “We close at 9pm and the closing team leaves around 9:45pm. Other shifts are typically from 8am to 3pm or 4pm. The working week is approximately 50 hours. is.”
At least they acknowledge it's not a 40-hour-a-week job.
In 2022, Jersey Mike's was one of the fastest growing restaurant chains in the United States, according to Restaurant Business. Last year, the chain added about 300 new stores. Jersey Mike's has approximately 2,400 locations.
sweet green
Sweetgreen is a fast-growing chain that sells premium salads and hot bowls. The 200-unit chain is hiring store manager positions across the U.S. with annual salaries of $60,000 to $100,000, according to LinkedIn.
Technology-focused Sweetgreen opened its first restaurant this year with an automated food assembly line, but declined to answer questions about its manager pay structure.
The chain calls its store leaders “head coaches,” a nod to the exemplary leadership style of legendary UCLA basketball coach John Wooden.
According to the restaurant manager's job description posted on LinkedIn, “The head coach is the heart of the restaurant. He is an enthusiastic leader, quick thinker, problem solver, strong communicator, and highly motivated. He is a person who enhances the
According to LinkedIn, the job duties for head coaches are the same, but salaries vary depending on the restaurant's location. This is common for many companies due to the high cost of living in some cities. For example, her Sweetgreen general manager in Seattle pays him $100,106 a year, up from $75,000. He can make $93,000 a year, up from $69,000 a year at his GM in Irvine, California. However, in Arlington, Virginia, the salary range drops to $70,000 to $80,000 per year.
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