Is Food Manager Certification the Same as ServSafe?
Nearly every food establishment — including schools and healthcare facilities — requires that at least one person in charge per shift hold a valid food manager certification, known as the Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM).
ServSafe is one of the most well-known food safety training companies, but you might wonder whether they are the same as a food manager certification.
This article breaks down whether food manager certification is the same as ServSafe, and how to earn your CFPM certification.
What is food manager certification?
Being certified as a CFPM means that you have passed an exam from an organization accredited by the ANSI-National Accreditation Board (ANAB) and Conference for Food Protection.
This certification is required in nearly every state for at least one person in charge per shift at a food establishment or any place that prepares and serves food like a school or healthcare facility.
The Certified Dietary Manager, Certified Food Protection Professional (CDM, CFPP) is another type of food manager certification, though those with this certification have achieved competencies in areas beyond food safety, including nutrition and business operations.
Those with the CDM, CFPP, often work in healthcare facilities or schools alongside registered dietitians, but even with this credential, they may still need to earn certification as a CFPM.
There are no prerequisites to sit for the CFPM exam, though completing a food manager training course is highly recommended to ensure a passing score on the first attempt.
The CFPM exam must be proctored — whether online or in person — and it consists of anywhere between 60 and 90 multiple-choice questions. The passing score varies by organization.
Summary
Earning CFPM certification involves passing a proctored exam. Most places require that at least one person in charge per shift be certified.
What is ServSafe?
ServSafe is a food safety training and certification program owned by the National Restaurant Association (NRA), a trade association representing restaurant owners and advocating on their behalf.
A portion of ServSafe’s course and certification sales supports the NRA’s lobbying efforts and other initiatives for the restaurant industry.
ServSafe offers a range of courses, with its food handler training and food manager certification being the most popular. It administers the CFPM exam and issues the CFPM credential to those who pass.
Therefore, food manager certification is not synonymous with ServSafe. Instead, ServSafe is one of several organizations that provide the CFPM exam, which is required to earn the CFPM credential.
The same applies to earning a food handler card. ServSafe itself is not a food handler card, but it offers the training required to earn one.
ServSafe acquired the National Registry of Food Safety Professionals (NRFSP) in 2016, which also offers the CFPM exam and credential to those who pass it.
Summary
ServSafe, a food safety training and certification organization, is not synonymous with food manager certification. However, it is one of a handful of organizations that offers the CFPM exam, which is required to earn certification.
How to earn your food manager certification
ServSafe is only one of a handful of accredited organizations that offer the CFPM exam and issue the credential to those who pass.
Thus, you can choose to enroll in the exam with ServSafe or another accredited organization.
ServSafe and other organizations offer both the exam needed to earn the credential as well as the training to help you prepare for the exam.
You can usually purchase the exam and training as a package or buy them individually, usually for a higher price than as a package.
However, because there are no prerequisites to sit for the CFPM exam, the exam questions are created separately from the training material. This means that you can purchase the online training from one organization like FoodSafePal to help you prepare for the exam administered by a different organization.
Food Manager Prep Made Easy
Your best resource for preparing to pass the food safety manager certification exam with ease.
FoodSafePal’s food manager training takes around four hours to complete and includes a mock exam with questions similar to the types of questions you can expect the real exam to ask.
Once you complete the training, you can schedule your exam with your chosen provider — whether that’s ServSafe or an alternative. Regardless of the provider, you can schedule to take the proctored exam online or in-person.
The time you’re given to finish the exam and the number of questions it asks varies, but you’ll know whether you passed upon submitting it.
Once you pass, your certification will be good for five years. To renew your certification, follow the same steps you took to earn it the first time.
Summary
To earn CFPM certification, you must pass a test from an accredited organization. While not required, food manager training — such as what FoodSafePal offers — is highly recommended to earn a passing score.
The bottom line
Administered by the NRA, ServSafe is a food safety training and certification organization.
Food manager certification is not synonymous with ServSafe, but you can take the exam with the organization and become certified if you pass.
You can also earn your CFPM certification with alternative organizations.
FoodSafePal doesn’t yet offer the CFPM certification exam. However, it provides training designed to help you pass the exam — the first time — no matter which organization you choose to take it with.
Food Manager Prep Made Easy
Your best resource for preparing to pass the food safety manager certification exam with ease.
