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Taste Tester Jobs in Decatur, GA (NOW HIRING)

Associate Category Manager

Atlanta, GA · On-site

$31.75 - $43.50/hr

Ability to work closely with food products, including preparation and handling during tastings and testing, with an understanding that exposure to common food allergens may occur. TRAVEL REQUIRED ...

Associate Category Manager

Atlanta, GA · On-site

$31.75 - $43.50/hr

Ability to work closely with food products, including preparation and handling during tastings and testing, with an understanding that exposure to common food allergens may occur. TRAVEL REQUIRED ...

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Taste Tester information

What Is the Job of a Taste Tester?

The job of a taste tester is to provide sensory feedback on food and beverages. Before food companies manufacture a product, they test out recipes and, as a taste tester, your duties are to provide input to the food technicians or chefs who survey you on a number of qualities about the product, such as taste, smell, and texture. Other responsibilities may include providing quality control and assurance to ensure that product taste and other qualities remain consistent within a batch and among batches.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Taste Tester, and why are they important?

To excel as a Taste Tester, you need a refined palate, sensory evaluation skills, and often a background in food science or culinary arts. Familiarity with sensory analysis tools, tasting protocols, and sometimes certifications like Sensory Analyst are advantageous. Attention to detail, strong communication, and objectivity are critical soft skills for providing accurate and unbiased feedback. These abilities ensure reliable product evaluations, support quality control, and aid in the development of successful food and beverage products.

What are some common challenges faced by Taste Testers, and how can they be managed effectively?

Taste Testers often encounter challenges such as palate fatigue, maintaining objectivity, and adapting to a variety of products in a single session. To manage these, professionals use palate cleansers between samples, adhere to structured tasting protocols, and participate in regular calibration sessions to ensure consistency. Additionally, working in well-ventilated, neutral environments helps minimize external influences on taste perception. Team collaboration is also crucial, as sharing observations with fellow testers enhances accuracy and provides valuable feedback for product development.

What are taste testers?

Taste testers, also known as sensory evaluators or food tasters, are professionals who sample food and beverages to evaluate their flavor, texture, aroma, and overall quality. They provide feedback to food manufacturers, helping to develop new products or improve existing ones. Taste testers use their senses to detect subtle differences and ensure products meet company or industry standards. The job often requires a sensitive palate, attention to detail, and sometimes specialized training.

What is the difference between Taste Tester vs Food Critic?

AspectTaste TesterFood Critic
Required CredentialsNone typically required; some food knowledge helpfulJournalism or food writing experience often preferred
Work EnvironmentFood labs, testing kitchens, or product development settingsRestaurants, media outlets, or online platforms
Employer & Industry UsageFood companies, product developers, market research firmsMedia, newspapers, magazines, online review sites

While both roles involve evaluating food, Taste Testers focus on product development and quality control, often working behind the scenes. Food Critics analyze and review restaurants or dishes for the public, providing opinions and ratings. The roles differ mainly in purpose, environment, and audience, but both require a good palate and food knowledge.

What are popular job titles related to Taste Tester jobs in Decatur, GA? For Taste Tester jobs in Decatur, GA, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Taste Tester jobs in Decatur, GA look for? The top searched job categories for Taste Tester jobs in Decatur, GA are:
What cities near Decatur, GA are hiring for Taste Tester jobs? Cities near Decatur, GA with the most Taste Tester job openings:
Infographic showing various Taste Tester job openings in Decatur, GA as of May 2026, with employment types broken down into 5% Internship, 85% Full Time, 5% Contract, and 5% Nights. Highlights an 95% In-person, and 5% Remote job distribution.
Culinary Innovation Manager (Sonic)

Culinary Innovation Manager (Sonic)

Inspire Brands

Atlanta, GA

Full-time

Posted 17 days ago


Inspire Brands rating

5.7

Company rating: 5.7 out of 10

Based on 55 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

30th of 104 rated fast food restaurants


Job description

The Culinary Innovation Manager should bring a creative viewpoint to all new product development, while delivering relevant food and beverage concepts to the SONIC guest. This position will lead and manage product development of new products and execution of strategic initiatives as it relates to all segments and dayparts from concept approval to product launch, including bringing concepts to life through consumer and in-store testing. It will be critical for this role to partner with cross-functional teams to deliver products that best meet successful criteria for consumer, operations & financial goals.


Responsibilities:

  • Support the Product Innovation team and Director of Culinary in delivering against organizational and personal goals, objectives, and strategies

  • Work independently on development projects, with check-ins and guidance from supervisor as needed

  • Participate in the creation of new product development objectives while collaborating with cross functional teams including Category Management, Brand Experience, Operations, Procurement, Commercialization, Quality Assurance, and others as appropriate

  • Independently work with vendor partners to develop new products from gold-standard products to initial benchtop samples and through commercialization process. Own development of products.

  • Make recommendations for improvements to current prototypes. Collaborate with cross-functional teams in the development and creation of product specifications on commercialized products with vendor partners, Commercialization Quality Assurance, and other teams as necessary

  • Lead product taste tests and new product showings

  • Present product improvement/change recommendations based on taste test results and/or feedback to Culinary Innovation leadership Partner with Procurement Team to develop accurate food & paper formulas.

  • Plan and execute Product Showcase events to (and not limited to) SONIC Senior Management, Board of Directors, Franchise Community, Marketing Leadership, Shareholders & SONIC National Convention

  • Provide guidance and support to other product developers

  • Other duties assigned as needed

Requirements:

  • 2 Year Degree Preferred - A culinary or Food related degree is preferred for this position

  • 3-5 years' experience in a culinary or product development role required. Experience in QSR culinary development highly preferred

  • Ability to think strategically, be detail oriented and respond quickly to business needs

  • Bring creativity to menu development and trend dives for the team

  • Excellent communication and presentation skills, especially the ability to explain difficult concepts and insights in applicable business terms. Ability to summarize insights into PowerPoint presentations in clear and understandable calls to action.

  • Ability to collaborate and motivate across the operations, supply chain, field, and marketing teams.

  • Self-starter with the ability to project manage and handle multiple assignments simultaneously and meet all desired deadlines.

  • Strong leadership, sales support, project management and training skills

  • Understanding how to take products or programs through a development and testing process

  • Effective problem-solving skills and ability to listen and translate details accurately

  • Should possess an innate curiosity and growth mindset

At SONIC, we encourage and attract wildly creative people. Bold, unique personalities whose passion for what they do shows in the food, the experience and the culture of our brand. Sound like you? Join us as we deliver delightful and delicious moments to our guests!


    Inspire is a multi-brand restaurant company whose portfolio includes more than 33,000 Arby's, Baskin-Robbins, Buffalo Wild Wings, Dunkin', Jimmy John's, and SONIC restaurants worldwide.
    We're made up of some of the world's most iconic restaurant brands, but we're much more than just a restaurant company. We're a team of hundreds of thousands who individually and collectively are changing the way people eat, drink, and gather around the table. We know that food is much more than a staple-it's an experience. At Inspire, that's our purpose: to ignite and nourish flavorful experiences.

    What Inspire Brands employees say

    Pay

    Benefits

    Hours and flexibility

    Workplace

    Get the full story on Breakroom


    Inspire Brands logo

    About Inspire Brands

    Sourced by ZipRecruiter

    Inspire Brands Inc., located in Atlanta, GA, United States, operates in the foodservice industry as a multi-brand restaurant company, making it among the biggest restaurant companies globally. Their portfolio includes well-known restaurant brands such as Arby's, Buffalo Wild Wings, Sonic, and Jimmy John's, reflecting their commitment to innovation and quality. Founded in 2018 as a result of a consolidation of various restaurant brands under one corporate umbrella, Inspire Brands was formed with a vision to invigorate excellent brands and supercharge their long-term growth.

    Industry

    Food services and drinking places

    Company size

    10,000+ Employees

    Headquarters location

    Atlanta, GA, US

    Year founded

    2018