You can start on the first step of the ladder in an entry-level position and climb the management ladder rung by rung as you gain experience. Or you can start higher up the ladder by attending a two or four-year College. Wherever you start in the fast food industry, there are good prospects for your advancement.
Advancement in Operations
The entry-level worker is promoted to shift leader, then to assistant manager, and finally manager within a restaurant. In some restaurants and chains, there will be more intermediate positions like training instructor and second and first assistant managers. The manager is at the top of the ladder in the restaurant, but the manager can keep climbing the ladder to possibly become president of a chain or a large franchise as you can see in the following career ladder for operations:
- Career Progression Ladder
- Crew Worker
- Shift Leader
- Assistant Manager
- Restaurant Manager
- District Manager
- Area Manager
- Regional Vice-President
- Senior Vice-President of Operations
- President
District Manager: One step up the ladder from the restaurant manager is the district manager, who is almost always promoted from within. Depending on the company, the district manager will generally oversee the operation of three to seven stores. District managers help train the managers in their districts and work with the managers on such things as quality assurance, meeting company standards, marketing issues, sales goals, and achieving maximum financial results. They have usually attended company management development courses that last a week and will continue to receive help and training from the area manager.
Area Manager: With each step up the ladder, responsibilities increase. Area managers generally supervise five to 10 district managers. This is the beginning of the upper level of management. At this level, area managers may take company training courses or management courses sponsored by colleges and associations.
Regional Vice-President: The larger fast food chains and franchises will divide the United States into regions like Western, Northeastern, Southern, and so on. Ten or more area managers may report to a regional office, which is often run by a company vice-president. The regional vice-presidents plan, organize, and control the operations and growth of their regions.
Senior Vice-President of Operations: When someone reaches this position, the person is in charge of the operation and growth of all the restaurants in the company. The senior vice-president of operations works in the company's headquarters, and all of the regional vice-presidents report to this corporate position.
President: This is the top rung of the ladder. Besides being in charge of the operation of all the stores, the president is in charge of all aspects of the company, from marketing to architecture to research and development.
Branching Out Into Other Management Areas
The path from crew worker to president is the path an employee can follow straight through operations. However, there are several branches away from this path that can lead to positions of considerable responsibility.
Training: Assistant managers have to be trained. In some fast food chains and franchise companies, this is done by training managers who run structured training programs instead of having the restaurant managers do the training. There are also training programs at regional centers and corporate headquarters for assistant managers, managers, and district managers. All of these training programs require instructors, as do advanced management courses and training programs for franchise holders. Many of the people who are involved in these programs come from the ranks of restaurant managers. Some of these instructors will go on to be training supervisors and directors of training.
Franchise Operations: Franchise holders need help in building, opening, and running stores and in training workers. Franchises also have to be inspected to make sure that they are meeting company standards. The people who are chosen to do these jobs are those with experience in operations.
Specialized Jobs in Fast Food
There are other entry-level positions in the fast food industry besides crew worker. Many restaurants hire janitors to do cleaning. Offices at all levels have secretaries, receptionists, accountants, keypunch operators, and other office personnel. Some area and regional offices have large maintenance, warehouse, and construction staffs. Promotion to a variety of supervisory positions is possible from all of these jobs.
More Career Paths
You certainly don't have to have experience working in a fast food restaurant to have a successful career in fast food. There are many positions which do not require this experience. However, you will always have a leg up on getting a job and being promoted more rapidly if you have some fast food experience. This is true whether you want to work in a legal department, research and development, or human resources.
Here is a list of some career opportunities outside of the operations area which may interest you. Many of these areas are in large corporate departments headed by vice-presidents. A great number of the jobs in these areas will require some college training.
Marketing: Employees in the marketing department of a fast food company are basically responsible for developing advertising and promotional activities that will increase sales. This department will work with advertising companies to dream up commercials like Wendy's "Where's the beef?"
Human Relations: This department is responsible for hiring employees, negotiating labor contracts, and maintaining corporate salary schedules. One of its most important tasks is overseeing all company benefits, including pensions and health and life insurance.
Franchise: In a fast food chain, this department will handle franchise inquiries, interview prospective franchisees, oversee the selling of franchises, and help new franchisees get their restaurants started.
Law Department: You may need to be a lawyer to work in this department, which handles all contracts, lawsuits, and legal filing requirements for a fast food company.
Finance: This department handles anything in a company that has to do with money. It collects, pays, and borrows money. Accountants, auditors, and controllers work here.
Research and Development: New product development and nutrition are the major concerns of this department. It is here that a new sandwich will be created and the nutrients in the company's food will be determined.
Information Services: Here is where you will find the computer people: the operators, programmers, and systems analysts. They will be running and creating programs. This department also handles telecommunications.
Purchasing: This department lines up supplies for restaurants and makes sure that suppliers are meeting a company's standards.
Communications: Press relations, civic activities, and public relations are handled in this department. It tries to show the company in a good light to the public.
International Division: Instead of being concerned with operations in the United States, this department is responsible for all of a company's operations outside of this country.
You may not find opportunities in all of these areas except in the larger chains and companies. Other areas in which you will find opportunities at many companies include equipment, office services, real estate, architecture, and engineering.
Remember this: If you show potential, a fast food company will have a place for you.
