Click on the links below to learn more about the program.
General ManageFirst Program FAQ
What exactly is the ManageFirst Program?
The ManageFirst Program is an exciting management development program, based on skills industry and academia identified as those necessary to succeed in the restaurant, hospitality and foodservice industries.
The program includes a set of textbooks, exams, tools for registered Instructors/Proctors, certificates, a credential, and support activities and services. Each textbook focuses on a specific topic, dedicated to helping program participants master a set of competencies.
The ManageFirst Program leads to a credential, which designates successful candidates as qualified professionals prepared to begin or advance their careers in the restaurant, hospitality, and foodservice industry as a ManageFirst Professional®.
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How was the ManageFirst Program developed?
The program's topics were identified through a rigorous 18-month Job Task Analysis process in which industry professionals and academicians worked together to identify the content necessary to succeed in the restaurant, hospitality and foodservice industries. More than 400 restaurant, hospitality and foodservice operators, industry hiring professionals, trainers and academics participated.
This group clustered the competencies into 10 topic areas that became the 10 ManageFirst textbooks. For academic use, the topic areas align to several corresponding higher education courses. For industry use, textbooks can be aligned with teaching initiatives as the core teaching material or as a supporting resource to other materials or objectives.
Additionally, extensive market and product research was performed to ensure that the program be designed to meet the needs of the academic community as well as industry users.
ServSafe® and ServSafe Alcohol® also are part of the ManageFirst Program. To place a ServSafe order or receive more information you may contact your State Restaurant Association or the National Restaurant Association Solutions at 800-765-2122 (312-715-1010 in the Chicagoland area), ext. 6701, or visit www.ServSafe.com.
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What are the ManageFirst Program topic areas?
ManageFirst® Program Core Credential Topics:
- Controlling Foodservice Costs
- Hospitality and Restaurant Management
- Hospitality Human Resources Mgmt and Supervision
- ServSafe®
ManageFirst Program Foundation Topics:
- Customer Service
- Principles of Food and Beverage Management
- Purchasing
- Hospitality Accounting
- Bar and Beverage Management
- Nutrition
- Hospitality and Restaurant Marketing
- ServSafe Alcohol®
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How does the ManageFirst Program help students?
Students who receive a ManageFirst certificate have demonstrated mastery of a key competency as defined by industry and academia. Students who have completed five competency areas successfully and demonstrate industry work experience can earn the new ManageFirst Professional® (MFP) Credential.
Equipped with the right skills, certificates and a credential from the National Restaurant Association Solutions, students will be prepared to begin or advance their careers in the restaurant, hospitality and foodservice industries.
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How can I get more information?
Academic Instructor Review Copies or Instructor Support Materials
Instructors, for textbook review copies:
Workforce, Training Centers, Correctional Facilities, or Military Orders & Inquiries
Domestic Orders and Inquiries
International Orders and Inquiries
National Restaurant Association Solutions Customer Service Department
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Student FAQ
How does a student earn a ManageFirst Program certificate?
Students earn a certificate for each exam passed. Because most ManageFirst Program topics and exams are aligned to several college (university or higher education) courses, the textbooks can be used to cover or supplement the content typically taught in one college course. For example, the Controlling Foodservice Costs textbook is designed to align with a Cost Control or Operations Management course. Exams will cover content found in the associated textbook. For industry usage, exams and certificates act as great vehicles to measure results and provide employee recognition.
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How does a student earn the ManageFirst Professional® (MFP) Credential?
To earn the ManageFirst Professional credential, students must pass four Core Credential Exams and one Foundation Exam. Students also will be required to document 800 hours of unpaid or paid industry-related work experience through the ManageFirst Web site.
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How does the industry-related work experience requirement for the ManageFirst Professional® (MFP) Credential work?
In order to receive the ManageFirst Professional credential after passing all requisite ManageFirst exams, program participants need to document 800 hours of unpaid or paid industry-related work experience.
Eligible credential candidates will be prompted by email to submit proof of this work experience electronically through the ManageFirst Web site. All submitted work experience information is subject to verification by National Restaurant Association Solutions.
Credential candidates will be asked to provide the following work experience information: company, supervisor contact name and phone number, work description, work dates and total hours worked at each company.
Once this information is received and approved by the National Restaurant Association Solutions, a credential will be mailed to the new ManageFirst Professional via traceable, signature-required mail, for receipt in approximately two to three weeks.
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How does a student receive a certificate?
Certificates are awarded upon successful completion of ManageFirst exams. Certificates will be mailed to the instructor or proctor who administered the exam. It is this person's responsibility to deliver the certificates to the students.
ManageFirst Professional credential earners will be sent their credential to their most recent address on record with National Restaurant Association Solutions.
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Instructor and Proctor FAQ
How do I register to instruct ManageFirst Program topics and/or proctor ManageFirst Program Exams?
How can my students purchase the ManageFirst Textbooks?
Students may purchase the ManageFirst textbooks through the standard higher education channels: from National Restaurant Association, through their college bookstore, or through online retail distributors (e.g. Amazon).
Industry organizations interested in purchasing ManageFirst Program materials should see the Contact Us page.
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What is the exam scoring and posting process?
To obtain scores and certificates for any ManageFirst course, an instructor needs to simply provide class, course and contact information on the Exam Information Form.
Mail the Exam Information Form with the completed
Exam Answer Sheets to:
National Restaurant Association Solutions
Attention: Exam Administration Department
233 South Wacker Drive, Suite 3600
Chicago, Illinois 60606-6383
Utilize a traceable shipping service (i.e. UPS, Federal Express, Airborne)
If an instructor or proctor gives an online exam, Pass/Fail results are immediate. Percent scores are posted to a secure section of the Instructor/Proctor Services area of the Web site, once the proctor confirms all exams have concluded testing and officially grades the class.
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How quickly will I receive the students' test scores?
Paper-and-Pencil Exam scores: within 3-4 business days of receipt of your class answer sheets, the National Restaurant Association Solutions will grade and post your class scores. Scores will be accessible by logging in to the IRC area of the our Web site and will be emailed to the ManageFirst Instructor if there is a valid email address on file.
Online Exam scores and certificates: Pass/Fail results for online exams are immediate. Percent scores are posted to our Web site once the ManageFirst Instructor or Proctor confirms all examinees have concluded testing and officially grades the class.
Certificates will be received by the ManageFirst Instructor/Proctor within 1-5 business days from the posting of scores to the Web site.
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How can I review the ManageFirst Program?
Exam Ordering and Administration FAQ
How and when do I order the ManageFirst Program Exams and Answer Keys?
Registered ManageFirst Program Instructors and Proctors have access to the exams via secure log in to the Instructor Resource Center. You may download or print the ManageFirst exams and Answer Keys at your convenience. It is suggested that ManageFirst Instructors download exams as close as possible to the exam administration date to ensure that the most current and updated exam is used.
Note: ServSafe® Food Safety and ServSafe Alcohol® are both stand alone programs in addition to being part of the ManageFirst Program. Please refer to the ServSafe Exam Administration Handbook for information on ordering the ServSafe Food Protection Manager Certification Exams and the ServSafe Alcohol Exam Administration Handbook for information on ordering ServSafe Alcohol Exams.
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How do I administer ManageFirst Program Exams?
Detailed instructions on administering these exams are available in the ManageFirst Program Exam Administration Handbook.
Note: ServSafe® Food Safety and ServSafe Alcohol® are both standalone programs in addition to being part of the ManageFirst Program. Please refer to the ServSafe Exam Administration Handbook for information on administering the ServSafe Food Protection Manager Certification Exams and the ServSafe Alcohol Exam Administration Handbook for information on ordering ServSafe Alcohol Exam.
For further assistance please email certification@restaurant.org or phone Exam Administration Department at 800-765-2122.
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