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Restaurant Director Salary in the United States

How much does a Restaurant Director make in the United States?

As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a Restaurant Director in the United States is $120,101 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $58.

However, a Restaurant Director's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $142,128
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $102,161 to $131,631
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $85,828
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence Restaurant Director Salaries

A Restaurant Director's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Restaurant Director Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Restaurant Director's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Assistant Restaurant Manager (0-3 years): $42,409
  • Restaurant Manager (3-5 years): $57,237
  • Regional Restaurant Manager (5+ years): $86,237
  • Restaurant Director (5+ years): $120,101
Job Role Years of Experience Average Salary
Assistant Restaurant Manager0-3 years$42,409
Restaurant Manager3-5 years$57,237
Regional Restaurant Manager5+ years$86,237
Restaurant Director5+ years$120,101
View as Graph

How Do Restaurant Directors Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Restaurant Directors. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $132,976.
  • California: $132,471.
  • Massachusetts: $130,706.

Top Paying Cities for Restaurant Director

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $151,483
  • San Francisco: $149,825
  • Oakland: $146,667

What Skills Can Increase a Restaurant Director's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Planning (Mentioned in 19.13% Job Postings): An act or process of making or carrying out plans. Establishment of goals, policies, and procedures for a social or economic unit city planning business planning.
  • Economics (Mentioned in 2.68% Job Postings): Economics is a social science that focuses on the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services, and analyzes the choices that individuals, businesses, governments, and nations make to allocate resources.
  • Food Handling (Mentioned in 1.75% Job Postings): Food Handling means one or more operations of food production, manufacture, offering or displaying for sale, storage, preserving, wrapping, transportation, delivery, importation, exportation, or the licensing or approval for any of such activities.
Skills Demand Percentage
Planning 19.13%
Economics 2.68%
Food Handling 1.75%
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What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Restaurant Director's salary.

  • Room Service: Can increase your salary by up to 11%.
  • Commitment: Can increase your salary by up to 11%.
  • Business Administration: Can increase your salary by up to 10%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Room Service $133,312
11%
Commitment $133,312
11%
Business Administration $132,111
10%
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Restaurant Director Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

Restaurant Director salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $129,358. While startup companies pay approximate $109,687.

Restaurant Director Salary by Company Size

Company Size Employees Average Salary
Startup 1~50 $109,687
Growth Stage 51~500 $115,942
Established 501~5000 $124,986
Enterprise 5000+ $129,358

Restaurant Director Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Restaurant Director roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 40% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Healthcare and Retail & Wholesale sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 20% above the average. In contrast, Restaurant Director positions in Business Services or Hospitality & Leisure typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Restaurant Director as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Restaurant Director

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Healthcare$144,121$69.020%
Retail & Wholesale$132,111$64.010%

How Education impacts an Restaurant Director's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Restaurant Director enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for an Restaurant Director with a Bachelor's Degree is between $113,931 and $129,050.

Restaurant Director Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Restaurant Director
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 15.6%
High School 15.6%
Associates 31.3%
Bachelors 40.6%
Masters 12.5%
Doctorate 0.0%
View as Graph

Restaurant Director Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Restaurant Director's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on August 01, 2026
$102,161
Average $120,101/year
$131,631
$8,513
Average $10,008/month
$10,969
$1,965
Average $2,310/week
$2,531
$49
Average $58/hour
$63
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $131,631 $10,969 $2,531 $63
Average $120,101 $10,008 $2,310 $58
25th Percentile $102,161 $8,513 $1,965 $49

Most common benefits for Restaurant Director

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Restaurant Director

Here are companies hiring for Restaurant Director and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Restaurant Director

1. Where can a Restaurant Director earn the most?

A Restaurant Director's earning potential can vary widely depending on several factors, including location, industry, experience, education, and the specific employer. According to the latest salary data by Salary.com, a Restaurant Director earns the most in San Jose, CA, where the annual salary of a Restaurant Director is $151,483.

2. What is the highest pay for Restaurant Director?

The highest pay for Restaurant Director is $142,128.

3. What is the lowest pay for Restaurant Director?

The lowest pay for Restaurant Director is $85,828.

4. What are the responsibilities of Restaurant Director?

Directs the operations in one or several restaurants. Designs sales plans, oversees restaurant revenue, and monitors customer satisfaction. May require a bachelor's degree. Typically reports to senior management. Manages a departmental sub-function within a broader departmental function. Creates functional strategies and specific objectives for the sub-function and develops budgets/policies/procedures to support the functional infrastructure. Typically requires 5+ years of managerial experience. Deep knowledge of the managed sub-function and solid knowledge of the overall departmental function.

5. What industry pays the highest salary for Restaurant Director?

The Healthcare industry offers the highest average compensation for Restaurant Director roles, with salaries approximately 20% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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