What Does a Food Service Worker Do?

Foodservice workers are employees at restaurants, food trucks, or any outlet that provides food to customers. They may be assigned to welcome customers, take food orders, prepare food orders in the kitchen, serve food, handle customer payments, clean up the tables once the guests leave, or maintain the whole store's cleanliness. They may also be assigned to manage inventories, handle stocks and deliveries, and other activities related to the restaurant's successful operations. Foodservice workers must always be hygienic and maintain the sanitation of the area to ensure food safety.

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Food Service Worker Responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real food service worker resumes representing typical tasks they are likely to perform in their roles.

Volunteer at rehabilitation center/ nursing home escorting and communicating with the patients.
Learned how to do math quickly and efficiently.
Demonstrate money-handling and math skills in processing payments for orders.
Prepare all food stuffs, roasting meats, baking cookies, preparing salads.
Work in full compliance with values of compassion, dignity, excellence, integrity, and team work.
Install and maintain HVAC systems which include walkin coolers and freezers, reach-ins and pass thru and a/c systems
Participate in HACCP training and utilize those components of the HACCP system that are a function of the job tasks.
Prepare and serve patient trays, general cleaning, used commercial equipment safely, fill out HACCP temperature sheets accurately.
Clean, stock, and restock workstations and display cases -Take food and drink orders and receive payment from customers.
Wrap and weight cut meat and or cheese food items for retail sales to be enter in the store POS system.
Operate kitchen equipment including, graters, slicers, knives, ovens, steamers, food warmers, and tilting skillets.
Stock bar with beer, wine, liquor and relate supplies such as ice, glassware, napkins, or straws.
Work in main kitchen, prepare salads, wash dishes, transport food on carts and give appropriate food to residents.
Monitor patients in order to detect unusual behavior, and report observations to professional staff.
Provide patients with information about modify diets and forward complex nutritional questions to diet technician and/or register dietitian.

Food Service Worker Job Description

When it comes to understanding what a food service worker does, you may be wondering, "should I become a food service worker?" The data included in this section may help you decide. Compared to other jobs, food service workers have a growth rate described as "faster than average" at 8% between the years 2018 - 2028, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In fact, the number of food service worker opportunities that are predicted to open up by 2028 is 69,100.

A food service worker annual salary averages $28,753, which breaks down to $13.82 an hour. However, food service workers can earn anywhere from upwards of $22,000 to $36,000 a year. This means that the top-earning food service workers make $12,000 more than the lowest-earning ones.

Once you've become a food service worker, you may be curious about what other opportunities are out there. Careers aren't one size fits all. For that reason, we discovered some other jobs that you may find appealing. Some jobs you might find interesting include a kitchen staff, kitchen aide, food prep/dishwasher, and associate food scientist.

Learn More About Food Service Worker Job Descriptions

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12 Food Service Worker Resume Examples

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Kyle Parker Food Service Worker Contact Information Atlanta, GA (940) 555-0643 kparker@example.com Skills Specific Food Items Airline Equipment Positive Attitude Customer Service Personal Judgment Portion Control New Associates Pizza Oven Proper Procedures Menu Items Employment History Food Service Worker 2019 - Present Pizza Hut Atlanta, GA Wash and sanitize dishes and food preparation equipment. Managed supplies and inventory for restaurant; to help with food preparation and maintain safe working conditions and sanitary area. Assisted food preparation staff in preparing, checking, and packing food items in accordance with company's specific instructions. Addressed diner complaints with kitchen staff and served replacement menu items promptly. Food Assembler 2018 - 2019 Domino's Pizza Atlanta, GA Maintained safety of food preparation for consumtion. Provide caterers with assistance in food preparation or service. Organize Special Events including the Bonnaroo Music Festival and Country Music Association Festival. Pizza Maker 2015 - 2018 Domino's Pizza Atlanta, GA Delivered orders to customers homes.Prepared orders for customers.Customer service. Cleaned the kitchen equipment and appliances and held responsibility of getting them repaired in case of any problem. Managed quality communication, customer service for each customer Accomplishments Received positive feedback from customers about performance. Followed procedures to prepare food products for customers, maintain the highest level of product quality and cleanliness. Education High School Diploma 2015 - 2015


Jose Bradley Food Service Worker Contact Info Jacksonville, FL (270) 555-3220 jbradley@example.com Skills Customer ComplaintsFacilityIce CreamFood PreparationStore ManagementSteam TablesPortion ControlDrive-ThruHigh VolumeAppropriate Equipment Employment History Food Service Worker 2019 - Present Firehouse Subs Jacksonville, FL Assist with food preparation for daily operation. Check temperatures of all food on the food service line, and in the hot boxes. Served customers with a pleasant demeanor and positive attitude to ensure a good customer experience. Provided excellent customer service Made coffee to customer specifications Packaged up donuts and bagels as ordered Prepared sandwiches for customers Food Counter Worker 2011 - 2019 Subway Jacksonville, FL Operated a POS system & balanced currency at end of each shift. Secure cash and stock from loss or theft, Daily bread counts, Food preparation including bread and cookie baking. Maintained a positive and organized environment by providing customer/food service to patrons. Baker/Cashier 2008 - 2011 Publix Orlando, FL Job Description: Provide customer service which entails running a register, greeting customers, and processing payments using POS. Provide outstanding customer service by building relationships with our customer base. Decorated special order cakes Various specialty cakes & pies Wedding Cakes Assorted Breads & Rolls Maintain positive attitude to the customers and fellow employees. Stock Shelves, Counting my register, customer service. Education High School Diploma 2008 - 2008


Emma Garcia Food Service Worker Chicago, IL (760) 555-4678 egarcia@example.com Experience Food Service Worker2020 - Present Chicago Public Library•Chicago, IL Operated trash compacter and dishwasher. Assist customers in serving food, cutting meat and cheese Stock items needed in deli department Prepared the mornings materials for the tray line such as 210 juices, certain amount of fruits, yogurts etc. Communicate with Customers Take orders Fix hot plates from the hot bar Fix sandwiches Restock supply Deliver great customer service Food Service Worker2019 - 2020 Preferred Meal Systems•Chicago, IL Coordinated food service activities of wait staff, catering, and buffet. Washed dishes, maintained cleanliness of kitchen area and cooking utensils. Mastered point-of-service (POS) sales system. Assembled food orders while maintaining appropriate portion control. Prepare and cook food Help butcher prepare different varieties of meat Assist customers bringing items to their car Provide quality customer service Food Service/Cashier2012 - 2019 McDonald's•Chicago, IL Order and take delivery of supplies to other McDonalds. Trained new employees on all that they needed to know such as Grill, Drive-thru, and Front Line. Maintain performance evaluation of all new crew members. Skills DishwasherKitchen EquipmentPOSSeaworldVerbal InstructionsSteam TablesPositive AttitudeCustomer OrdersDrink OrdersFood Products Education High School Diploma 2012 - 2012

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Food Service Worker Skills and Personality Traits

We calculated that 22% of Food Service Workers are proficient in Food Handling, Safety Standards, and Customer Service. They’re also known for soft skills such as Dexterity, Listening skills, and Physical stamina.

We break down the percentage of Food Service Workers that have these skills listed on their resume here:

Food Handling, 22%
Trained in proper hygiene, including basic sanitation requirement related to food handling, equipment safety and sanitation of preparation surfaces.
Safety Standards, 9%
Prepared and delivered meals to 300+ patients Maintained Stanford Hospital and Clinics Safety Standards Ensured meals met dietary restrictions and patient preference
Customer Service, 9%
Exhibit a professional attitude, exceptional customer service and courtesy when assisting customers and interacting with co-workers and supervisors.
Patients, 7%
Provide patients with information about modified diets and forward complex nutritional questions to diet technician and/or registered dietitian.
Cash Control, 4%
Run cash register, fill out cash control paperwork and maintain register drawer.
Rehabilitation, 4%
Continued experience as a versatile food service worker in a rehabilitation center.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Food Service Worker Resume templates

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Most food service workers list "food handling," "safety standards," and "customer service" as skills on their resumes. We go into more details on the most important food service worker responsibilities here:

Arguably the most important personality trait for a food service worker to have happens to be dexterity. An example from a resume said this about the skill, "food preparation workers chop vegetables, cut meat, and perform many other tasks with sharp knives" Additionally, other resumes have pointed out that food service workers can use dexterity to "fast learner versatile lift 50+lbs culinary skills food saftey"

While it may not be the most important skill, we found that many food service worker duties rely on listening skills. This example from a food service worker explains why: "food preparation workers must understand customers’ orders and follow directions from cooks, chefs, or food service managers." This resume example is just one of many ways food service workers are able to utilize listening skills: "served fresh, hot food with a smile in a timely manner communicated clearly and positively with co-workers and management. "

Food service workers are also known for physical stamina, which can be critical when it comes to performing their duties. An example of why this skill is important is shown by this snippet that we found in a food service worker resume: "food preparation workers stand on their feet for long periods while they prepare food, clean work areas, or lift heavy pots from the stove." We also found this resume example that details how this skill is put to the test: "maintain cleanliness multitasking stamina teamwork working quickly"

A thorough review of lots of resumes revealed to us that "physical strength" is important to completing food service worker responsibilities. This resume example shows just one way food service workers use this skill: "food preparation workers should be strong enough to lift and carry heavy food supply boxes, which often can weigh up to 50 pounds." Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical food service worker tasks: "inventory management receive and physically check food orders for shipment accuracy. "

See the full list of food service worker skills.

Before becoming a food service worker, 20.8% earned their bachelor's degree. When it comes down to graduating with a master's degree, 1.2% food service workers went for the extra education. If you're wanting to pursue this career, it may be possible to be successful with a high school degree. In fact, some food service workers have a college degree. But about one out of every two food service workers didn't attend college at all.

The food service workers who went onto college to earn a more in-depth education generally studied business and general studies, while a small population of food service workers studied culinary arts and criminal justice.

When you're ready to become a food service worker, you might wonder which companies hire food service workers. According to our research through food service worker resumes, food service workers are mostly hired by Compass Group USA, Aramark, and Healthcare Services Group. Now is a good time to apply as Compass Group USA has 3,167 food service workers job openings, and there are 2,406 at Aramark and 1,562 at Healthcare Services Group.

But if you're interested in companies where you might earn a high salary, food service workers tend to earn the biggest salaries at University of California, Berkeley, Boston Public Schools, and Stanford University. Take University of California, Berkeley for example. The median food service worker salary is $40,617. At Boston Public Schools, food service workers earn an average of $38,919, while the average at Stanford University is $37,929. You should take into consideration how difficult it might be to secure a job with one of these companies.

View more details on food service worker salaries across the United States.

Some other companies you might be interested in as a food service worker include Michigan State University, Aramark, and Sodexo Operations, LLC. These three companies were found to hire the most food service workers from the top 100 U.S. educational institutions.

The industries that food service workers fulfill the most roles in are the hospitality and retail industries. But the highest food service worker annual salary is in the retail industry, averaging $30,177. In the health care industry they make $30,009 and average about $29,628 in the hospitality industry. In conclusion, food service workers who work in the retail industry earn a 9.2% higher salary than food service workers in the government industry.

The three companies that hire the most prestigious food service workers are:

Compass Group USA3,167 Food Service Workers Jobs
Aramark2,406 Food Service Workers Jobs
Healthcare Services Group1,562 Food Service Workers Jobs

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What Kitchen Staffs Do

The kitchen staff consists of preparation workers who execute several routine tasks as directed by chefs, food service managers, and cooks. These works should have the ability to follow cooking instructions and deliver well-prepared meals. Their responsibilities include the cleanup of dishes, cooking equipment, and the working stations. They also take charge of food safety regulations, storing and sorting of ingredients, and preparing foodstuff.

In this section, we take a look at the annual salaries of other professions. Take kitchen staff for example. On average, the kitchen staff annual salary is $1,063 higher than what food service workers make on average every year.

While their salaries may differ, one common ground between food service workers and kitchen staff are a few of the skills required in each craft. In both careers, employees bring forth skills like food handling, safety standards, and customer service.

As far as similarities go, this is where it ends because a food service worker responsibility requires skills such as "patients," "pet," "cash control," and "rehabilitation." Whereas a kitchen staff is skilled in "quality food," "meal preparation," "kitchen prep," and "attentiveness." So if you're looking for what truly separates the two careers, you've found it.

Kitchen staff receive the highest salaries in the education industry coming in with an average yearly salary of $30,914. But food service workers are paid more in the retail industry with an average salary of $30,177.

Kitchen staff tend to reach similar levels of education than food service workers. In fact, kitchen staff are 0.0% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.1% less likely to have a Doctoral Degree.

What Are The Duties Of a Kitchen Aide?

A food prep/dishwasher's role is to perform food preparation and cleaning duties in a kitchen, under the supervision and directives of a chef or manager. One of their primary responsibilities is washing dishes, sanitizing utensils, and preparing ingredients by washing, peeling, and cutting them according to size. They may also participate in organizing, sorting, and putting them in proper storage. There are also instances when they have to perform basic cooking tasks ranging from boiling and frying to baking. Furthermore, a food prep/dishwasher may have the duty of maintaining the kitchen's cleanliness and other areas.

Now we're going to look at the kitchen aide profession. On average, kitchen aides earn a $181 lower salary than food service workers a year.

Not everything about these jobs is different. Take their skills, for example. Food service workers and kitchen aides both include similar skills like "food handling," "safety standards," and "patients" on their resumes.

While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, several resumes showed us that food service worker responsibilities requires skills like "customer service," "pet," "cash control," and "rehabilitation." But a kitchen aide might use skills, such as, "meal preparation," "functional operation," "food trays," and "food safety."

On average, kitchen aides earn a lower salary than food service workers. There are industries that support higher salaries in each profession respectively. Interestingly enough, kitchen aides earn the most pay in the government industry with an average salary of $29,166. Whereas, food service workers have higher paychecks in the retail industry where they earn an average of $30,177.

On the topic of education, kitchen aides earn similar levels of education than food service workers. In general, they're 0.1% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.1% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

How a Food Prep/Dishwasher Compares

An associate food scientist is primarily responsible for developing new recipes for a company, ensuring quality and marketability. They are also responsible for improving existing recipes, performing support tasks for a head scientist, conducting market research and analysis, monitoring the progress of projects, and maintaining all recipes' data and records, including nutrition value and ingredients. Furthermore, there are instances when an associate food scientist must manage the packaging and storing processes of food, ensuring consumers' health and safety.

The third profession we take a look at is food prep/dishwasher. On an average scale, these workers bring in higher salaries than food service workers. In fact, they make a $1,211 higher salary per year.

By looking over several food service workers and food prep/dishwashers resumes, we found that both roles utilize similar skills, such as "safety standards," "customer service," and "cleanliness." But beyond that the careers look very different.

As mentioned, these two careers differ between other skills that are required for performing the work exceedingly well. For example, gathering from food service workers resumes, they are more likely to have skills like "food handling," "patients," "pet," and "cash control." But a food prep/dishwasher might have skills like "wash dishes," "unload trucks," "banquet tables," and "bus tables."

Additionally, food prep/dishwashers earn a higher salary in the professional industry compared to other industries. In this industry, they receive an average salary of $30,657. Additionally, food service workers earn an average salary of $30,177 in the retail industry.

Food prep/dishwashers typically study at similar levels compared with food service workers. For example, they're 0.8% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.1% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Description Of an Associate Food Scientist

Now, we'll look at associate food scientists, who generally average a higher pay when compared to food service workers annual salary. In fact, the difference is about $15,112 per year.

According to resumes from both food service workers and associate food scientists, some of the skills necessary to complete the responsibilities of each role are similar. These skills include "food handling," "customer service," and "patients. "

Each job requires different skills like "safety standards," "pet," "rehabilitation," and "portion control," which might show up on a food service worker resume. Whereas associate food scientist might include skills like "quality food," "quality customer service," "quality standards," and "inventory management."

In general, associate food scientists make a higher salary in the health care industry with an average of $47,462. The highest food service worker annual salary stems from the retail industry.

Associate food scientists reach similar levels of education when compared to food service workers. The difference is that they're 1.1% more likely to earn a Master's Degree more, and 0.3% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

What a Food Service Worker Does FAQs

What Are The Duties Of A Food Service Worker?

A food service worker's duties include preparing and serving meals in cafeterias, grocery stores, and food courts. Food service workers work for dining services that help universities, schools, hospitals, and correctional facilities.

What Is Another Name For Food Service Worker?

Standard titles for food service workers include cafeteria workers, lunch or dinner aides, and cafeteria assistants. All of these titles generally describe the exact role of someone who assists in a cafeteria food setting.

What Is The Food Industry?

The food industry is an industry that consists of all the global businesses that supply the food that is eaten by the population of the world. The food industry is highly diversified. Some common manufacturing structures in the food industry include:

Have more questions? See all answers to common food preparation and restaurant questions.

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Updated October 2, 2020