The Manager, Menu & Equipment Innovation will own the end-to-end testing lifecycle for new menu items and core menu development, ensuring operational fidelity and consistent data capture across test ...
The Manager, Menu & Equipment Innovation will own the end-to-end testing lifecycle for new menu items and core menu development, ensuring operational fidelity and consistent data capture across test ...
Menu & Equipment Innovation Manager
Los Angeles, CA · On-site
$100K - $112K/yr
Own the end-to-end cross-functional market test lifecycle for new menu and core menu development - from equipment and smallware needs to test design and site selection through data analysis, readout ...
Menu & Equipment Innovation Manager
Los Angeles, CA · On-site
$100K - $112K/yr
Own the end-to-end cross-functional market test lifecycle for new menu and core menu development - from equipment and smallware needs to test design and site selection through data analysis, readout ...
Own the end-to-end cross-functional market test lifecycle for new menu and core menu development - from equipment and smallware needs to test design and site selection through data analysis, readout ...
Own the end-to-end cross-functional market test lifecycle for new menu and core menu development - from equipment and smallware needs to test design and site selection through data analysis, readout ...
Menu Services Specialist
$60K - $80K/yr
Complete assigned menu services projects related to menu development, configuration, review, validation, and approval using established best practices and MealSuite tools. * Perform recipe quality ...
Menu Services Specialist
$60K - $80K/yr
Complete assigned menu services projects related to menu development, configuration, review, validation, and approval using established best practices and MealSuite tools. * Perform recipe quality ...
We are seeking a highly detail-oriented Menu Manager to lead the development, execution and evolution of all menu materials across our portfolio. This role sits at the intersection of culinary ...
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We are seeking a highly detail-oriented Menu Manager to lead the development, execution and evolution of all menu materials across our portfolio. This role sits at the intersection of culinary ...
Menu Services Specialist
Dallas, TX · On-site
$60K - $80K/yr
Complete assigned menu services projects related to menu development, configuration, review, validation, and approval using established best practices and MealSuite tools. * Perform recipe quality ...
Quick apply
Menu Services Specialist
Dallas, TX · On-site
$60K - $80K/yr
Complete assigned menu services projects related to menu development, configuration, review, validation, and approval using established best practices and MealSuite tools. * Perform recipe quality ...
Menu Services Specialist
Dallas, TX · On-site
$60K - $80K/yr
Complete assigned menu services projects related to menu development, configuration, review, validation, and approval using established best practices and MealSuite tools. * Perform recipe quality ...
Menu Services Specialist
Dallas, TX · On-site
$60K - $80K/yr
Complete assigned menu services projects related to menu development, configuration, review, validation, and approval using established best practices and MealSuite tools. * Perform recipe quality ...
Coordinator - CNS Menu Planner
$15.75 - $21.50/hr
Supervises development of special menus for students with special needs diets and food allergies; coordinates diet needs with school nursing staff and Child Nutrition Director. * Maintain ...
Coordinator - CNS Menu Planner
$15.75 - $21.50/hr
Supervises development of special menus for students with special needs diets and food allergies; coordinates diet needs with school nursing staff and Child Nutrition Director. * Maintain ...
Culinary creativity to have input on menu development & execution, especially for dietary needs. Servsafe certified. Ability to lift and carry 50 pounds. $24/hr + based on experience. Free meals each ...
Quick apply
Culinary creativity to have input on menu development & execution, especially for dietary needs. Servsafe certified. Ability to lift and carry 50 pounds. $24/hr + based on experience. Free meals each ...
Coordinator - CNS Menu Planner
Beaumont, TX · On-site
$17.25 - $23.75/hr
Supervises development of special menus for students with special needs diets and food allergies; coordinates diet needs with school nursing staff and Child Nutrition Director. * Maintain ...
Coordinator - CNS Menu Planner
Beaumont, TX · On-site
$17.25 - $23.75/hr
Supervises development of special menus for students with special needs diets and food allergies; coordinates diet needs with school nursing staff and Child Nutrition Director. * Maintain ...
Culinary creativity to have input on menu development & execution, especially for dietary needs. Servsafe certified. Ability to lift and carry 50 pounds. $24/hr + based on experience. Free meals each ...
Quick apply
Culinary creativity to have input on menu development & execution, especially for dietary needs. Servsafe certified. Ability to lift and carry 50 pounds. $24/hr + based on experience. Free meals each ...
Culinary creativity to have input on menu development & execution, especially for dietary needs. Servsafe certified. Ability to lift and carry 50 pounds. $24/hr + based on experience. Free meals each ...
Quick apply
Culinary creativity to have input on menu development & execution, especially for dietary needs. Servsafe certified. Ability to lift and carry 50 pounds. $24/hr + based on experience. Free meals each ...
Contribute to menu development, specials, and seasonal R&D * Uphold exceptional standards for cleanliness, safety, and consistency * Jump in wherever needed -- we're all hands on deck during service ...
Quick apply
Contribute to menu development, specials, and seasonal R&D * Uphold exceptional standards for cleanliness, safety, and consistency * Jump in wherever needed -- we're all hands on deck during service ...
Amtrak Culinary Development - Executive Chef
Philadelphia, PA · On-site
$68.30K - $94.10K/yr
Expertise in menu development, recipe scaling, and culinary innovation * Experience supporting multi-unit operations, transportation dining, hospitality, airline catering, commissary, or ...
Amtrak Culinary Development - Executive Chef
Philadelphia, PA · On-site
$68.30K - $94.10K/yr
Expertise in menu development, recipe scaling, and culinary innovation * Experience supporting multi-unit operations, transportation dining, hospitality, airline catering, commissary, or ...
Executive Chef Bakery and Culinary Innovation
$80K - $100K/yr
This role combines kitchen leadership, baking expertise, and food R&D . Youll work closely with ownership to evolve the menu, improve kitchen systems, and help create the future of District. If you ...
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Executive Chef Bakery and Culinary Innovation
$80K - $100K/yr
This role combines kitchen leadership, baking expertise, and food R&D . Youll work closely with ownership to evolve the menu, improve kitchen systems, and help create the future of District. If you ...
Amtrak Culinary Development - Executive Chef
Philadelphia, PA · On-site
$72.10K - $99.40K/yr
Expertise in menu development, recipe scaling, and culinary innovation * Experience supporting multi-unit operations, transportation dining, hospitality, airline catering, commissary, or ...
Amtrak Culinary Development - Executive Chef
Philadelphia, PA · On-site
$72.10K - $99.40K/yr
Expertise in menu development, recipe scaling, and culinary innovation * Experience supporting multi-unit operations, transportation dining, hospitality, airline catering, commissary, or ...
Amtrak Culinary Development - Executive Chef
$68.30K - $94.10K/yr
Expertise in menu development, recipe scaling, and culinary innovation * Experience supporting multi-unit operations, transportation dining, hospitality, airline catering, commissary, or ...
Amtrak Culinary Development - Executive Chef
$68.30K - $94.10K/yr
Expertise in menu development, recipe scaling, and culinary innovation * Experience supporting multi-unit operations, transportation dining, hospitality, airline catering, commissary, or ...
Food Manufacturing Partnerships & Menu Alignment: Collaborate with food manufacturing partners on menu development and product focus to ensure offerings are optimized for Merrychef technology ...
Food Manufacturing Partnerships & Menu Alignment: Collaborate with food manufacturing partners on menu development and product focus to ensure offerings are optimized for Merrychef technology ...
Food Manufacturing Partnerships & Menu Alignment: Collaborate with food manufacturing partners on menu development and product focus to ensure offerings are optimized for Merrychef technology ...
Food Manufacturing Partnerships & Menu Alignment: Collaborate with food manufacturing partners on menu development and product focus to ensure offerings are optimized for Merrychef technology ...
Chef de Cuisine
Philipsburg, MT · On-site
$82K/yr
Key duties involve menu development, supervising staff, ensuring strict food safety compliance, and managing food/labor costs, while often working in versatile settings from fine dining to outdoor ...
Chef de Cuisine
Philipsburg, MT · On-site
$82K/yr
Key duties involve menu development, supervising staff, ensuring strict food safety compliance, and managing food/labor costs, while often working in versatile settings from fine dining to outdoor ...
Menu Development information
See salary details
$50K - $61.2K
15% of jobs
$61.2K - $72.5K
0% of jobs
$72.5K - $83.7K
3% of jobs
$87.7K is the 25th percentile. Wages below this are outliers.
$83.7K - $94.9K
19% of jobs
The median wage is $102.4K / yr.
$94.9K - $106.1K
19% of jobs
$115.5K is the 75th percentile. Wages above this are outliers.
$106.1K - $117.4K
22% of jobs
$117.4K - $128.6K
3% of jobs
$128.6K - $139.8K
3% of jobs
$139.8K - $151K
3% of jobs
$151K - $162.3K
3% of jobs
$162.3K - $173.5K
9% of jobs
$50K
$107.7K
$173.5K
How much do menu development jobs pay per year?
As of May 31, 2026, the average yearly pay for menu development in the United States is $107,697.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $88,000.00 and $121,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.
What is a Menu Development job?
A Menu Development job involves creating, testing, and refining food and beverage menus for restaurants, cafes, or catering businesses. Professionals in this role research food trends, balance flavors, and ensure profitability while maintaining brand identity. They collaborate with chefs, suppliers, and marketing teams to design appealing and cost-effective menu items. Additionally, they may consider dietary restrictions, sustainability, and customer preferences to enhance the dining experience.
What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in the Menu Development position, and why are they important?
Excelling in Menu Development requires a strong understanding of culinary trends, nutrition, recipe costing, and food safety, often backed by experience in culinary arts or hospitality management. Familiarity with menu engineering software, inventory systems, and culinary certifications such as ServSafe are commonly beneficial. Creativity, collaboration, and attention to detail help professionals design attractive and cost-effective menus that align with brand standards. These skills ensure menus are innovative, profitable, and meet customer and operational needs.
What are typical daily responsibilities for someone working in Menu Development?
In a Menu Development role, daily tasks often include researching food trends, developing and testing new recipes, analyzing menu performance data, and collaborating with chefs, nutritionists, and procurement teams. Menu developers may also be responsible for adjusting existing menus to optimize profitability and catering to customer preferences while ensuring quality and consistency. Regular meetings and tastings are part of the job, as is working closely with marketing teams to create visually appealing menu descriptions. This collaborative environment allows you to have a direct impact on both culinary creativity and the business success of the organization.
More about Menu Development jobs
What cities are hiring for Menu Development jobs? Cities with the most Menu Development job openings:
What are the most commonly searched types of Menu Development jobs? The most popular types of Menu Development jobs are:
What states have the most Menu Development jobs? States with the most job openings for Menu Development jobs include:
What job categories do people searching Menu Development jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Menu Development jobs are:
Sweetgreen rating
6.4
Based on 53 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz
11th of 104 rated fast food restaurants
Job description
Job Summary:
Sweetgreen is a national restaurant brand dedicated to building healthier communities by connecting people to real food. The Manager, Menu & Equipment Innovation will own the end-to-end testing lifecycle for new menu items and core menu development, ensuring operational fidelity and consistent data capture across test locations while collaborating with various teams.
Responsibilities:
• Own the end-to-end cross-functional market test lifecycle for new menu and core menu development — from equipment and smallware needs to test design and site selection through data analysis, readout, and go/no-go recommendations.
• Lead field execution for menu tests in partnership with marketing, engineering, culinary, and operations; ensure operational fidelity and consistent data capture across test locations.
• Synthesize quantitative and qualitative signals (sales, labor impact, throughput, yield/waste, customer feedback) into clear, actionable recommendations for senior leadership.
• Build and maintain cross-functional project plans that align culinary, operations, marketing, supply chain, and engineering on test timelines and launch sequencing.
• Develop and maintain menu test protocols, tracking tools, and post-test documentation to build institutional knowledge.
• Partner with the operations and technology teams to build automation compatibility into menu development from day one, ensuring test learnings inform how items are designed, sequenced, and scaled.
Qualifications:
Required:
• Bachelor's in Business, Hospitality, Food Science, Operations, Culinary Management, or related field.
• 5+ years of experience in restaurant operations, consulting, strategy, innovation, operations services, project management, or product management required; fast-casual or high-growth food & beverage experience is preferred.
• Proven ability to manage complex, multi-stakeholder projects from inception through execution with minimal oversight.
• Strong analytical skills — comfortable working with sales data, labor metrics, and operational dashboards to build a complete picture of test performance.
• Exceptional communicator with the ability to distill complexity into crisp, decision-ready recommendations for cross-functional and executive audiences.
• Operates comfortably at both altitudes — able to set strategic direction on a test program and then get into the details of a store-level execution plan without losing the thread between the two.
• High collaboration instinct — this role touches nearly every function, and a low-ego, high-trust working style is essential.
• Experience with project management tools (Smartsheet, Asana, or equivalent).
Preferred:
• Familiarity with automation or tech-enabled kitchen environments.
• Experience designing or analyzing menu tests at scale (10+ locations).
• Working knowledge of SQL sufficient to independently query sales and operational data in support of test readouts and analyses.
• Exposure to ingredient sourcing or supply chain coordination.
Company:
Sweetgreen is a fast casual restaurant chain that serves simple, seasonal, and healthy salads, and grain bowls. Founded in 2007, the company is headquartered in Washington, USA, with a team of 1001-5000 employees. The company is currently Late Stage.
Sweetgreen is a national restaurant brand dedicated to building healthier communities by connecting people to real food. The Manager, Menu & Equipment Innovation will own the end-to-end testing lifecycle for new menu items and core menu development, ensuring operational fidelity and consistent data capture across test locations while collaborating with various teams.
Responsibilities:
• Own the end-to-end cross-functional market test lifecycle for new menu and core menu development — from equipment and smallware needs to test design and site selection through data analysis, readout, and go/no-go recommendations.
• Lead field execution for menu tests in partnership with marketing, engineering, culinary, and operations; ensure operational fidelity and consistent data capture across test locations.
• Synthesize quantitative and qualitative signals (sales, labor impact, throughput, yield/waste, customer feedback) into clear, actionable recommendations for senior leadership.
• Build and maintain cross-functional project plans that align culinary, operations, marketing, supply chain, and engineering on test timelines and launch sequencing.
• Develop and maintain menu test protocols, tracking tools, and post-test documentation to build institutional knowledge.
• Partner with the operations and technology teams to build automation compatibility into menu development from day one, ensuring test learnings inform how items are designed, sequenced, and scaled.
Qualifications:
Required:
• Bachelor's in Business, Hospitality, Food Science, Operations, Culinary Management, or related field.
• 5+ years of experience in restaurant operations, consulting, strategy, innovation, operations services, project management, or product management required; fast-casual or high-growth food & beverage experience is preferred.
• Proven ability to manage complex, multi-stakeholder projects from inception through execution with minimal oversight.
• Strong analytical skills — comfortable working with sales data, labor metrics, and operational dashboards to build a complete picture of test performance.
• Exceptional communicator with the ability to distill complexity into crisp, decision-ready recommendations for cross-functional and executive audiences.
• Operates comfortably at both altitudes — able to set strategic direction on a test program and then get into the details of a store-level execution plan without losing the thread between the two.
• High collaboration instinct — this role touches nearly every function, and a low-ego, high-trust working style is essential.
• Experience with project management tools (Smartsheet, Asana, or equivalent).
Preferred:
• Familiarity with automation or tech-enabled kitchen environments.
• Experience designing or analyzing menu tests at scale (10+ locations).
• Working knowledge of SQL sufficient to independently query sales and operational data in support of test readouts and analyses.
• Exposure to ingredient sourcing or supply chain coordination.
Company:
Sweetgreen is a fast casual restaurant chain that serves simple, seasonal, and healthy salads, and grain bowls. Founded in 2007, the company is headquartered in Washington, USA, with a team of 1001-5000 employees. The company is currently Late Stage.
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