What does a cafeteria helper do?
Cafeteria helper responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real cafeteria helper resumes:
- Go to different grade school cafeterias and wash dishes and prep meals.
- Complete required reports and maintain dining room cleanliness including sweeping, mopping and stocking of deliver groceries.
- Regulate the underground water systems pressure and consistency by performing HVAC relate maintenance with regular time monitoring.
- Make sure all kids that have allergies where eating the right kind of diet.
- Assist in serving students by following USDA guidelines and ensuring that their needs are recognize and acknowledge.
Cafeteria helper skills and personality traits
We calculated that 32% of Cafeteria Helpers are proficient in Kitchen Equipment, Food Service, and Food Handling. They’re also known for soft skills such as Communication skills, Customer-service skills, and Physical strength.
We break down the percentage of Cafeteria Helpers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Kitchen Equipment, 32%
Washed pots, pans, trays, plates, cups, glasses and silverware and kitchen equipment as per standards.
- Food Service, 26%
Managed the financial accounts, created a monthly report, deposited funds and wrote out checks for the NWI Food Service Association
- Food Handling, 16%
Complied with special food handling requirements for certain dishes such as vegan or gluten-free.
- Food Safety, 16%
Prepare maindishes in the absence of the main cook.FOOD SAFETY: Take and record food temperature.
- Cafeterias, 3%
Provided assistance to other cafeterias and regular staff as required
- Steamers, 3%
Operated commercial dish machines, vegetable steamers, and ovens to prepare food for over 200 people.
"kitchen equipment," "food service," and "food handling" are among the most common skills that cafeteria helpers use at work. You can find even more cafeteria helper responsibilities below, including:
Communication skills. The most essential soft skill for a cafeteria helper to carry out their responsibilities is communication skills. This skill is important for the role because "food and beverage serving and related workers must listen to customers’ orders and relay them correctly to the kitchen staff so that the orders are prepared as requested." Additionally, a cafeteria helper resume shows how their duties depend on communication skills: "assist electrician through manual labor and communication wire/install outlets, lights, switches, fans, etc. "
Customer-service skills. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling cafeteria helper duties is customer-service skills. The role rewards competence in this skill because "food service establishments rely on good food and customer service to keep customers and succeed in a competitive industry." According to a cafeteria helper resume, here's how cafeteria helpers can utilize customer-service skills in their job responsibilities: "provided excellent customer service to all patrons and ensure the cleanliness of the cafeteria serving, dining, and preparation areas. "
Physical strength. cafeteria helpers are also known for physical strength, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to cafeteria helper responsibilities, because "food and beverage serving and related workers need to be able to lift and carry stock and equipment that can weigh up to 50 pounds." A cafeteria helper resume example shows how physical strength is used in the workplace: "provided small medical attention, notched ears, castrations physical labor bailing straw and seed bags tractor driving"
Physical stamina. cafeteria helper responsibilities often require "physical stamina." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "food and beverage serving and related workers spend most of their shift doing physical tasks such as standing, carrying trays, and cleaning work areas." This resume example shows what cafeteria helpers do with physical stamina on a typical day: "developed excellent physical stamina for repetitive and demanding tasks"
The three companies that hire the most cafeteria helpers are:
- Appalachian Regional Healthcare7 cafeteria helpers jobs
- Grandville Public Schools1 cafeteria helpers jobs
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Compare different cafeteria helpers
Cafeteria helper vs. 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. Other tasks include cleaning furniture, fixtures, and kitchen equipment, and tidying up any spills and mopping the floors. Busboys are also responsible for ensuring the availability of clean dining materials such as flatware and glasses. The requirements needed for this role may include a high school diploma, previous work experience, and excellent communication and customer service skills.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, cafeteria helper responsibilities require skills like "kitchen equipment," "food handling," "food safety," and "steamers." Meanwhile a typical bus boy has skills in areas such as "customer service," "clean tables," "dishwashers," and "bus tables." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
Bus boys really shine in the manufacturing industry with an average salary of $26,928. Comparatively, cafeteria helpers tend to make the most money in the manufacturing industry with an average salary of $32,422.The education levels that bus boys earn slightly differ from cafeteria helpers. In particular, bus boys are 0.4% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a cafeteria helper. Additionally, they're 0.3% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Cafeteria helper vs. Dining room hostess
A Bus Person performs a variety of support while maintaining an active communication line with staff. They typically clean and set tables, unload ingredient deliveries, re-stock tableware and linen, prepare condiments and beverages, and maintain side stations. At times, they must greet customers and escort them to their seats, pick up food from the kitchen, and participate in serving food to customers, ensuring efficiency and customer satisfaction.
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, cafeteria helper responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "kitchen equipment," "food service," "food handling," and "food safety." Meanwhile, a dining room hostess has duties that require skills in areas such as "reservations," "cleanliness," "customer service," and "fine dining." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
In general, dining room hostesses achieve similar levels of education than cafeteria helpers. They're 3.0% more likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.3% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Cafeteria helper vs. Bus person
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. Also, they assist in cleaning the tables, clearing plates, used utensils, drinkware, and other dishes to the kitchen to be washed, refilling diners' glasses with water, and make the tables ready for the next set of service.
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a cafeteria helper is likely to be skilled in "kitchen equipment," "food handling," "food safety," and "steamers," while a typical bus person is skilled in "cleanliness," "busperson," "service stations," and "excellent guest."
Bus people make a very good living in the manufacturing industry with an average annual salary of $25,201. On the other hand, cafeteria helpers are paid the highest salary in the manufacturing industry, with average annual pay of $32,422.When it comes to education, bus people tend to earn similar degree levels compared to cafeteria helpers. In fact, they're 0.5% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.1% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Cafeteria helper vs. Busser
Types of cafeteria helper
Updated January 8, 2025
