United States
Hong KongWhat the exam looks like: 80 questions, 120 minutes, one sitting
Eighty multiple-choice questions in 120 minutes, proctored and closed book, taken at a test center or under remote proctoring. That is 90 seconds a question, which is generous for the format.
- Questions
- 80, multiple choice
- Time
- 120 minutes
- Per question
- 90 seconds average
- Materials
- Closed book
- Proctoring
- Always - test center or remote
- Languages
- English and Spanish across all providers
- Sitting
- On demand, no fixed windows
- Result
- Usually immediate on screen
Ninety seconds is generous
Most candidates finish with time left. This is not an exam that beats you on the clock.
Which means the time pressure people report is usually second-guessing rather than pace. If you know the temperature, you know it in ten seconds; the other eighty are spent talking yourself out of it.
The question styles
- Direct recall. "What is the minimum hot-holding temperature?" Fast, and the ones that fund the rest.
- Scenario. Two or three sentences describing a kitchen, then a question about what is wrong or what to do.
- Best answer. Several options are defensible and one is best, usually the one that addresses the system rather than the instance.
- Negative phrasing. "Which of the following is NOT acceptable?" Slow down on these; they are where careless marks go.
The mix is weighted towards scenarios, which is why revision built purely on flashcards under-prepares people.
The most common scenario pattern gives you a real Food Code figure applied to the wrong food. 130°F is real for roasts and wrong for rice. Read what the food is before you read the number.
On the screen
One question at a time, with a review screen at the end. You can flag questions and come back. There is no penalty for a wrong answer, so nothing is left blank.
A basic on-screen calculator is generally available and almost never needed. No formulas appear on this exam.
Scoring
Scaled. A scaled score of 75 is required, which is not 75% and is not a fixed number of correct answers - the conversion accounts for the difficulty of the particular form you sat.
Anyone who tells you exactly how many questions you must answer correctly is guessing.
How the 80 are distributed
Across eight content areas, unevenly. Contamination is 15 questions and pest control is 3, and knowing that shape is worth more than any single fact.
Common questions
How many questions is the food manager exam?
Eighty multiple-choice questions in 120 minutes. That works out at 90 seconds each, which most candidates find generous - the majority finish with time remaining.
Is the food manager exam multiple choice?
Yes, entirely. There is no written component, no practical, and no oral element. There is also no penalty for a wrong answer, so nothing should be left blank.
What kinds of questions are there?
Direct recall, scenarios describing a kitchen situation, best-answer questions where several options are defensible, and negatively phrased questions asking what is NOT acceptable.
Can you go back to earlier questions?
Yes. Questions can be flagged and revisited, and there is a review screen at the end before you submit.
What score do you need?
A scaled score of 75, which is not 75% and not a fixed number of correct answers. The scaling accounts for the difficulty of the particular form you sat.