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What is a food service aide and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
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Working in the hotel and restaurant service industry, a food service aide is the all-around superhero of the kitchen and dining area. They perform a wide variety of duties, from serving food to cashiering.

Some of the most essential responsibilities of a food service aide are assisting the cooks in preparing meals, distributing menu cards to guests, serving food and beverage, cleaning utensils, and resetting tables. A food service aide must know all the tasks involved in servicing guests in restaurants or cafeterias.

A food service aide position has no specific educational requirement, but at least one year of experience in the industry is required to get hired. They must also possess skills such as knowledge of food preparation, communication skills, customer service skills, and physical stamina.

As the duties of a food service aide involve a lot of customer-facing tasks, they are expected to have a pleasant demeanor, professional attitude, and friendly personality.

ScoreFood Service AideUS Average
Salary
2.3

Avg. Salary $29,461

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
4.8

Growth Rate 2%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
6.6
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.87%

Asian 7.22%

Black or African American 12.65%

Hispanic or Latino 16.31%

Unknown 4.63%

White 58.32%

Gender

female 68.46%

male 31.54%

Age - 34
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 34
Stress Level
4.8

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
6.2

Complexity Level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
6.6

Work Life balance is good

6.4 - fair

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Food Service Aide career paths

Key steps to become a food service aide

  1. Explore food service aide education requirements

    Most common food service aide degrees

    High School Diploma

    40.8 %

    Bachelor's

    22.7 %

    Associate

    18.1 %
  2. Start to develop specific food service aide skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Patients36.32%
    Food Handling11.12%
    Kitchen Equipment9.98%
    Cleanliness5.53%
    Dishwashers4.08%
  3. Complete relevant food service aide training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New food service aides learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a food service aide based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real food service aide resumes.
  4. Research food service aide duties and responsibilities

    • Maintain kitchen cleanliness, perform inventory control and assist in delivery services
    • Prepare and serve patients' meals -monitore cleanliness of cafeteria and run cafeteria cash register -Stock room inventory
    • Wash dishes by loading them in dishwashers and let them dry properly.
    • Be knowledgeable about residents' special diets, allergies, likes and dislikes.
  5. Prepare your food service aide resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your food service aide resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a food service aide resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Food Service Aide Resume templates

    Build a professional Food Service Aide resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Food Service Aide resume.
    Food Service Aide Resume
    Food Service Aide Resume
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    Food Service Aide Resume
    Food Service Aide Resume
  6. Apply for food service aide jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a food service aide job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Food Service Aide Job

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Average food service aide salary

The average Food Service Aide salary in the United States is $29,461 per year or $14 per hour. Food service aide salaries range between $23,000 and $36,000 per year.

Average Food Service Aide Salary
$29,461 Yearly
$14.16 hourly

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How do food service aides rate their job?

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Food Service Aide reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2020
Pros

Not sedentary, moving around. Creativity.

Cons

Repetitive tasks. Or obviously, working with people who are highly critical.


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A zippia user wrote a review on Jan 2020
Pros

It’s an honest day’s work. Lots of lifting and walking around. Pots and pans to scrub, pantries to organize. You won’t be bored for a second, there’s always something to do.

Cons

At the end of the day, you’re body is so tired. From doing this much heavy work you’d expect a decent pay check. You won’t make enough to rent an apartment with this job.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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