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What is a food service attendant and how to become one
In restaurants, cafes, hotels, and other food service establishments, food service attendants help ensure the smooth flow of service and meal preparation. Although their duties may vary depending on the establishment they are working for, anyone who wants to be a food service attendant can expect general responsibilities like taking orders, responding to customer queries, assisting with food preparation, and keeping the workspace clean.
Food service attendants may also act as a cashier, especially in quick-service restaurants. They may also work the drive-thru window or manage delivery orders. Many food service attendants learn to cook on the job and may even progress to actual cooking positions over time.
To become a food service attendant, an applicant must have at least a high school diploma, GED, or equivalent. Depending on the establishment, prior work experience may not be required but can be an advantage. Basic skills in food preparation, cleaning, and customer service are also a plus.
The average salary of a food service attendant is $11 per hour or about $23,000 a year. They may make additional income from tips, depending on the nature of their position and the establishment itself.
Avg. Salary $25,604
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth rate 14%
Growth rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.85%
Asian 6.49%
Black or African American 9.64%
Hispanic or Latino 18.63%
Unknown 6.92%
White 57.47%
Genderfemale 59.87%
male 40.13%
Age - 21American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 21Stress level is high
7.1 - high
Complexity level is intermediate
7 - challenging
Work life balance is excellent
6.4 - fair
Food service attendant career paths
Key steps to become a food service attendant
Explore food service attendant education requirements
Start to develop specific food service attendant skills
Skills Percentages Food Handling 28.54% Patients 12.71% Customer Service 9.47% Cash Handling 8.03% Basic Math 4.93% Complete relevant food service attendant training and internships
Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New food service attendants 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 attendant based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real food service attendant resumes.Research food service attendant duties and responsibilities
- Process payment transactions on a POS system.
- Wait on customers, take orders, run cash register, help prepare food on grill and deep fryer.
- Follow established procedures and standards for cleanliness to ensure a healthy and safe environment
- Learned to cook and pre pare pizza, learned to make drinks associate with Starbucks
Prepare your food service attendant resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your food service attendant 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 attendant 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 attendant resume templates
Build a professional food service attendant 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 attendant resume.
Apply for food service attendant jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a food service attendant job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How did you land your first food service attendant job
Are you a food service attendant?
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Average food service attendant salary
The average food service attendant salary in the United States is $25,604 per year or $12 per hour. Food service attendant salaries range between $19,000 and $33,000 per year.
What am I worth?
How do food service attendants rate their job?
Food service attendant reviews
I like everything about making a pizza
Not sedentary, moving around. Creativity.
Repetitive tasks. Or obviously, working with people who are highly critical.
I like food, I believe that food is a comfort and food brings people together, and I like being apart of this.
Many restaurants are corporate or franchisees, and they dont really have good management, which leads to not hiring people on skill, but just to fill the space, which leads to high turn over rates for both FOH, BOH and management. There's no stability
Updated January 8, 2025
