Cafeteria worker vs buffet attendant

The differences between cafeteria workers and buffet attendants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a buffet attendant has an average salary of $26,138, which is higher than the $24,465 average annual salary of a cafeteria worker.

The top three skills for a cafeteria worker include food handling, kitchen equipment and food preparation. The most important skills for a buffet attendant are cleanliness, food handling, and buffet line.

Cafeteria worker vs buffet attendant overview

	Cafeteria Worker	Buffet Attendant
Yearly salary	$24,465	$26,138
Hourly rate	$11.76	$12.57
Growth rate	9%	9%
Number of jobs	31,802	44,657
Job satisfaction	-	4
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 45%	High School Diploma, 45%
Average age	39	39
Years of experience	-	-

Cafeteria worker vs buffet attendant salary

Cafeteria workers and buffet attendants have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Cafeteria Worker	Buffet Attendant
Average salary	$24,465	$26,138
Salary range	Between $18,000 And $32,000	Between $20,000 And $33,000
Highest paying City	Yuba City, CA	Saratoga Springs, NY
Highest paying state	Washington	Washington
Best paying company	Jefferson Elementary School District	Hyatt Hotels
Best paying industry	Hospitality	Hospitality

Differences between cafeteria worker and buffet attendant education

There are a few differences between a cafeteria worker and a buffet attendant in terms of educational background:

	Cafeteria Worker	Buffet Attendant
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 45%	High School Diploma, 45%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Cafeteria worker vs buffet attendant demographics

Here are the differences between cafeteria workers' and buffet attendants' demographics:

	Cafeteria Worker	Buffet Attendant
Average age	39	39
Gender ratio	Male, 20.4% Female, 79.6%	Male, 33.3% Female, 66.7%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.7% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 13.5% Asian, 7.0% White, 61.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%	Black or African American, 9.9% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 14.4% Asian, 7.8% White, 62.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between cafeteria worker and buffet attendant duties and responsibilities

Cafeteria worker example responsibilities.

Prepare food, operate dishwasher, manage salad bar, and cash out students, teachers, and faculty.
Clean grills, ovens, and stoves.
Help prepare food, set-up salad bars.
Set up and break down fryers and slicers.
Sanitize and clean equipment according to HACCP standards.
Sell food to student and operating the POS system.

Buffet attendant example responsibilities.

Manage VIP's with personal requirements and assist in their room set up and hospitality experience.
Maintain cleanliness of equipment, tables, utensils, and floors to ensure safety, and sanitation regulations are meet.
Maintain cleanliness and temperature log.
Keep records on individual pet, including daily observations and information activities perform, meals sever, and medication administer.
Lift raw materials, finish products, and pack items, manually or using hoists.

Cafeteria worker vs buffet attendant skills

Common cafeteria worker skills

Food Handling, 22%
Kitchen Equipment, 20%
Food Preparation, 16%
Customer Service, 4%
Dishwashers, 4%
Nutritious Meals, 3%

Common buffet attendant skills

Cleanliness, 21%
Food Handling, 20%
Buffet Line, 8%
Buffets, 6%
Culinary, 6%
Wine, 6%

Cafeteria Worker vs. similar jobs

Cafeteria Worker related careers

Cafeteria Worker related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Food Preparation and Restaurant Industry
Cafeteria Worker
Cafeteria Worker vs Buffet Attendant

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse food preparation and restaurant jobs