4 Fast-Food Jobs That Pay $100,000

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Certain roles within major fast-food chains offer surprisingly high earning potential in an industry often associated with low wages and entry-level positions. High-paying fast-food restaurant jobs can keep you in hospitality without having to live paycheck to paycheck. With salaries reaching six figures in some cases, working at a food company where you can get more than just fries with what you make might be worth considering.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median pay for food service managers is approximately $63,060 a year. However, big names in the fast food game such as Taco Bell, Raising Cane’s, In-N-Out Burger, and Chipotle have food manager positions where dedicated employees can potentially earn $100,000 or more annually. Here’s a look at these opportunities and what it takes to achieve them.

1. Taco Bell: General Manager

• Earning potential: Up to $100,000

Taco Bell, a popular fast-food chain known for its Mexican-inspired menu, offers lucrative positions for those climbing the managerial ladder. As a Restaurant General Manager, you can earn a six-figure salary, an initiative that started in 2020. This role involves overseeing the restaurant’s daily operations, ensuring customer satisfaction, managing staff, and driving sales growth.

Key Takeaways to Maximizing Your Earning Potential

• Have several years of experience in the food service industry, preferably in management.
• Emphasize your strong leadership and organizational skills.
• Show an ability to manage finances and understand business metrics.
• Taco Bell’s commitment to promoting from within means that dedicated employees have a clear pathway to these high-paying positions.

2. Raising Cane’s: General Manager

• Earning potential: Up to $174,000

Raising Cane’s, famous for its chicken fingers, offers competitive salaries for its Managers or Area Leaders. For example, a general manager in California earned upwards of $174,000 annually thanks to her bonuses based on her location’s sales and profit. 

Key Takeaways to Maximizing Your Earning Potential

• It helps to have extensive experience in restaurant management and exceptional leadership and communication skills.
• Focus on achieving business goals, as much of your high salary can be contingent on bonuses.
• Raising Cane’s values loyalty and rewards managers who are task and goal-oriented.
• Food general managers not only oversee operations but also play a key role in strategic planning and development, making this a rewarding financial and professional position.

3. In-N-Out Burger: Store Manager

• Earning potential: Up to $160,000

In-N-Out Burger is renowned not only for its quality food but also for how well it treats its employees. Store Managers at In-N-Out frequently earn over $100,000 annually. These managers are responsible for maintaining high standards of service and quality for their location to help them bring home the bacon.

Key Takeaways to Maximizing Your Earning Potential

• No college degree is required but experience in the fast-food industry helps.
• Ability to manage a large team and ensure operational efficiency, job training and even cleanliness of the store to keep with company standards.
• In-N-Out’s focus on employee development means that hardworking and dedicated individuals have the opportunity to rise through the ranks and secure these high-paying roles.

4. Chipotle: General Manager

• Earning potential: Up to $100,000

Chipotle, known for its customizable burritos and commitment to fresh ingredients, offers general managers the potential to earn upwards of $100,000 after at least three years on the job. Typically, top-performing managers who excel in running their restaurants efficiently and profitably earn this high salary. 

Key Takeaways to Maximizing Your Earning Potential

• Proven success as a General Manager within Chipotle after at least three years is required to earn six figures.
• You must be able to drive business growth and maintain high standards of quality and service at your location.
• Chipotle’s general managers can earn six-figure salaries and receive additional perks and benefits, making it a highly sought-after position within the company.

Have This Final Take To Go

The bottom line is that while fast-food jobs are often seen as low-paying and temporary, companies like Taco Bell, Raising Cane’s, In-N-Out Burger, and Chipotle offer career paths that can lead to impressive salaries. As with any job, what you earn is often dependent on what you achieve in your position, but by demonstrating leadership, dedication, and a commitment to excellence, you can advance to roles that provide both financial rewards and professional satisfaction. Six-figure salaries put a whole new spin on what it means to flip burgers.

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