What data sources should be used when making a food service work forecast?

Restaurant sales forecasting helps you control inventory, intelligently control staff, and predict profits. Learn more about how to forecast sales in a restaurant.

Food service

managers are responsible for the daily operation of restaurants or other establishments that prepare and serve food and beverages. They direct staff to ensure that customers are satisfied with their dining experience and manage the business to ensure that it works efficiently.

As a natural extension of the ERS's work with the CPI for food, the ERS also analyzes and models the forecasts of the producer price index (PPI). The PPI is similar to the CPI in that it measures price changes over time; however, instead of measuring changes in retail prices, the PPI measures the average change in the prices paid to domestic producers for their production. The PPI collects data for almost every industry in the good-producing sector of the economy. The changes in PPIs at the farm and wholesale levels are of particular interest when it comes to forecasting food CPIs.

The ERS analyzes the current level of the food index, examines changes in the CPI of food and draws up forecasts of the CPI of food for the next 12 to 18 months. Some food service companies, hotels and restaurant chains recruit management apprentices from university hospitality or food service management programs. Food service managers typically need a high school diploma and several years of experience in the food service industry working as cooks, waiters, or waitresses, or supervisors of food preparation and service workers. Food service managers must understand every aspect of the restaurant business, including how to budget supplies, comply with regulations, and manage workers.

Food service managers typically need a high school diploma, but the education requirements for individual positions can range from lacking a formal educational credential to having a college degree. The work of food service managers is often busy, and dealing with dissatisfied customers can be stressful. However, more dining establishments are expected to rely on chefs and head cooks instead of hiring more food service managers, which should limit employment growth in this occupation. Food service managers will need to oversee the preparation and service of food, as people will continue to dine out, buy takeout meals and receive food at their homes or workplaces.

Most food service managers start working in related jobs, such as cooks, waiters and waitresses, or supervisors of food preparation and service workers. They often spend years working in the food service industry, gaining experience and learning the necessary skills before being promoted to management positions. Chefs and head cooks oversee the daily preparation of food in restaurants and other places where food is served. Food service managers work in restaurants, hotels, school cafeterias, and other establishments where food is prepared and served.

Managers of food service establishments or cafeterias in schools, factories, or office buildings may be more likely to work traditional business hours.