How to hire a cafeteria attendant

How to hire a cafeteria attendant, step by step

Here's a step-by-step cafeteria attendant hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a cafeteria attendant job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new cafeteria attendant
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your cafeteria attendant job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a cafeteria attendant for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect cafeteria attendant also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   This list presents cafeteria attendant salaries for various positions.

   Type of Cafeteria Attendant	Description	Hourly rate
   Cafeteria Attendant	Food and beverage serving and related workers perform a variety of customer service, food preparation, and cleaning duties in restaurants, cafeterias, and other eating and drinking establishments.	$10-16
   Bus Boy	The job of busboys is to assist other staff members at a restaurant by doing varied tasks. These include greeting customers, cleaning and resetting tables, and removing dishes after customers leave... Show more	$7-17
   Busser	Busser, also known as dining room attendants or bartender helpers, is an entry-level position in the restaurant and dining industry. The bussers help in preparing the dining areas before guests arrive and decorating tables with a set of candles, napkins, linens, flowers, or other ornaments, especially if with a special theme for the day, usually when it's a national celebration or holidays... Show more	$8-15

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Cleanliness
   • Kitchen Equipment
   • Culinary
   • Safety Standards
   • Food Handling
   • Meal Preparation
   • BARS
   • Cold Food
   • Food Line
   • Clean Cafeteria
   • General Maintenance
   • Hot Food
   • Fine Dining
   • Food Service

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage VIP's with personal requirements and assist in their room set up and hospitality experience.
   • Adhere to HACCP laws and following all food safety rules and regulations.
   • Set up dish machine, intake trays, plates and cups, scrap plates clean and run through machine.
   • Sanitize, sterilize and maintain cleanliness of utensils and kitchen products.
   • Keep records on individual pet, including daily observations and information activities perform, meals sever, and medication administer.
   • Operate large-volume cooking equipment such as grills, deep-fat fryers, and griddles.

   More cafeteria attendant duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your cafeteria attendant job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A cafeteria attendant salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, cafeteria attendants' average salary in mississippi is 53% less than in washington.
   • Seniority. Entry-level cafeteria attendants earn 38% less than senior-level cafeteria attendants.
   • Certifications. A cafeteria attendant with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a cafeteria attendant's salary.

   Average cafeteria attendant salary

   $13.25hourly

   $27,558 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level cafeteria attendant salary

   $21,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 31, 2026

   Average cafeteria attendant salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Washington	$36,245	$17
   2	California	$35,965	$17
   3	District of Columbia	$33,781	$16
   4	New York	$32,901	$16
   5	Oregon	$31,502	$15
   6	Massachusetts	$31,217	$15
   7	Colorado	$30,353	$15
   8	Arizona	$29,605	$14
   9	Nevada	$29,573	$14
   10	Minnesota	$29,146	$14
   11	Rhode Island	$27,189	$13
   12	Illinois	$26,729	$13
   13	New Mexico	$25,318	$12
   14	Oklahoma	$24,030	$12
   15	Georgia	$23,264	$11
   16	Florida	$22,836	$11
   17	New Jersey	$22,766	$11
   18	Pennsylvania	$22,140	$11
   19	Texas	$21,863	$11
   20	South Carolina	$21,782	$10

   Average cafeteria attendant salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Boston Public Schools	$36,473	$17.54	20
   2	HEI Hotels & Resorts	$32,862	$15.80	105
   3	Hyatt Hotels	$32,433	$15.59	184
   4	Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts	$32,216	$15.49	58
   5	Wyndham Hotels & Resorts	$32,077	$15.42	5
   6	Avera Health	$29,680	$14.27	2
   7	St Joseph Medical Group	$29,583	$14.22	9
   8	Catholic Health East	$28,896	$13.89
   9	InterContinental Hotels Group Resources, Inc.	$28,821	$13.86	66
   10	Marriott International	$28,686	$13.79	365
   11	Sage Hospitality Group	$28,542	$13.72	71
   12	Hersha Hospitality	$28,253	$13.58	265
   13	Highgate Hotels	$28,190	$13.55	288
   14	Hard Rock Hotels	$28,161	$13.54	11
   15	Aerotek	$28,105	$13.51	4
   16	Biltmore	$28,054	$13.49
   17	McAlester Regional Health Center	$27,995	$13.46	2
   18	Management & Training	$27,889	$13.41	2
   19	Aleut	$27,728	$13.33
   20	Hilton	$27,704	$13.32	409

4. Writing a cafeteria attendant job description

   A cafeteria attendant job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a cafeteria attendant job description:

   Cafeteria attendant job description example

   Wage: $15.50/hour
   
   Benefits:
   MTC offers an excellent benefits package with both company paid and optional benefits. Eligible for fully vested 401(k) after one year. We offer 11 paid holidays, three weeks' vacation, and two weeks sick time. Enjoy free use of our fitness facility, racquetball courts and low-cost ($3.50) meals in our dining hall.
   
   Multiple Shifts Available!!
   
   1. Tues-Sat 10:30AM-7PM
   2. Thurs-Mon 10:30AM-7PM
   Schedules flexible, but weekends preferred.
   
   Brief Job Description:
   

   • Perform clean-up and sanitation duties in the food preparation and dining area to ensure adequate health standards at all times.
   • Prepare vegetables, salads, as instructed and set forth in an appetizing manner.
   • Know regulations of communicable diseases as they relate to the food services industry.
   • Work alongside students in the dish room providing a positive example of a strong work ethic.

   Job Requirements:
   Valid Oregon Food Handlers permit required. HSD and training in food prep preferred.
   
   About Tongue Point:
   Tongue Point Job Corps Center is operated by Management & Training Corporation (MTC) for the U.S. Department of Labor. Located at the mouth of the Columbia River, the Center is one of the five largest employers in Clatsop County. Our staff teach ages 16-24, the academic, technical training, employability, and social skills they need to become prepared for successful careers. A Job Corps campus is like a mini-city. It has dormitories, classrooms, a dining hall, and recreational and medical facilities. Training is open entry, open exit and can last up to two years. Students work at their own pace, guided by academic and career training instructors who are committed to their success.
   
   Tongue Point Job Corps offers students training in 12 vocations. We are the only Job Corps Center in the nation with a seamanship program, and seamanship is the Center's largest vocation.
   
   Tongue Point Job Corps Center is a drug-free workplace and a tobacco-free campus. Due to being federally funded, all successful applicants must pass a drug screen, including testing negative for marijuana.
   
   For more information about Job Corps visit:
   
   

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right cafeteria attendant for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with cafeteria attendants they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit cafeteria attendants who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your cafeteria attendant job on Zippia to find and recruit cafeteria attendant candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with cafeteria attendant candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new cafeteria attendant

   Once you've selected the best cafeteria attendant candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new cafeteria attendant first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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