Bar and catering supervisors: average salary and pay in the UK
Full-time bar and catering supervisors in the UK earned a median £26,019 in the year to 5 April 2025, according to the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE): 33% less than the £39,039 median for all full-time jobs.
What the figures show
It is in the lowest-paid third of the 382 occupations (34th from the bottom).
The middle half of full-time jobs paid between £22,643 and £29,825.
Median full-time pay: women £24,800 a year, men £28,117 a year.
About 59% of the roughly 41,000 employee jobs are full-time.
Since 2021 the median has risen 43.4% (from £18,143), faster than the 25.0% for all jobs.
The Annual Population Survey counts 64,800 people in this line of work across the UK.
Pay distribution, 2025 provisional
| Gross pay | Full-time, annual | Full-time, weekly | Full-time, hourly | All, annual | All, weekly | All, hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | £19,503 | £425.40 | £12.50 | £11,295* | £200.30 | £12.32 |
| 20th percentile | £21,781 | £451.40 | £12.79 | £15,171 | £299.70 | £12.63 |
| 25th percentile | £22,643 | £472.40 | £12.89 | £16,391 | £335.00 | £12.77 |
| 30th percentile | £23,616 | £489.80 | £13.00 | £17,243 | £360.00 | £12.85 |
| 40th percentile | £24,684 | £505.60 | £13.28 | £20,081 | £413.90 | £13.16 |
| Median (50th percentile) | £26,019 | £517.40 | £13.60 | £22,552 | £451.00 | £13.50 |
| 60th percentile | £27,062 | £551.30 | £13.95 | £24,333 | £498.30 | £13.94 |
| 70th percentile | £28,653 | £578.00 | £14.20 | £26,122 | £517.40 | £14.51 |
| 75th percentile | £29,825 | £597.00 | £14.70 | £26,973 | £542.20 | £14.99 |
| 80th percentile | – | £630.90 | £15.16 | £28,003 | £568.80 | £15.42 |
| Mean | £26,244 | £552.00 | £14.22 | £21,839 | £443.10 | £14.20 |
Pay since 2021
| ASHE year | Full-time, annual median | Full-time, weekly median | Full-time, hourly median | All, annual median | All, weekly median | Jobs (thousands, indicative) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 revised | £18,143 | £353.40 | £8.96 | £14,614 | £286.90 | 32 |
| 2022 revised | £20,220 | £421.60 | £10.88 | £16,681 | £376.40 | 30 |
| 2023 revised | £22,573 | £464.20 | £11.88 | £19,360 | £416.50 | 38 |
| 2024 revised | £23,410 | £494.90 | £12.73 | £20,388 | £432.20 | 36 |
| 2025 provisional | £26,019 | £517.40 | £13.60 | £22,552 | £451.00 | 41 |
Bar and catering supervisors by region
UK: 64,800 (± 9,900), April 2025 to March 2026.
Annual Population Survey (Nomis)
What bar and catering supervisors do
Bar and catering supervisors oversee operations and directly supervise and coordinate the activities of those working in the catering industry, in bars, restaurants and other establishments. (ONS SOC 2020, 9261)
Also covers: bar supervisor, catering supervisor, foreman (catering)Head waiter, restaurant supervisor, area manager, cafe supervisor, canteen supervisor, foreman (catering), head barmaid, head barman, head barperson, head barstaff, head barworker, head waiter, head waitress, hospitality supervisor, kitchen steward and kitchen supervisor (27 titles in the ONS coding index).
- Directly supervises and coordinates the activities of bar, waiting and catering staff
- Establishes and monitors work schedules to meet the organisation’s requirements
- Liaises with managers and other senior staff to resolve operational problems
- Determines or recommends staffing and other needs to meet the organisation’s requirements
- Reports as required to managerial staff on work-related matters
There are no formal academic entry requirements. Entrants will normally have significant relevant work experience. A variety of qualifications in hospitality and catering are available.
Related
Other elementary services occupations (median £23,628) · Hospital porters · Kitchen and catering assistants · salary percentile · UK average weekly earnings growth · Median
ASHE Table 14: 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 · coding index · notes · 15 October 2026