What Does it Take to Be a Cafeteria, Food Concession, or Coffee Shop Counter Attendant?
Cafeteria, Food Concession, or Counter Attendant Definition Serve food to diners at counter or from a steam table.
A Day in the Life of a Cafeteria, Food Concession, or Counter Attendant
- Arrange reservations for patrons of dining establishments.
- Take customers’ orders and write ordered items on tickets, giving ticket stubs to customers when needed to identify filled orders.
- Prepare bills for food, using cash registers, calculators, or adding machines, and accept payment or make change.
- Add relishes and garnishes to food orders, according to instructions.
- Deliver orders to kitchens, and pick up and serve food when it is ready.
- Balance receipts and payments in cash registers.
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What a Cafeteria, Food Concession, or Counter Attendant Should Know
When polled, Cafeteria, Food Concession, and Coffee Shop Counter Attendants say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Time Management: Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Related Job Titles
- Counter Attendant
- Candy Attendant
- Food Service Assistant
- Coffee Brewer
- Bistro Team Member
Job Demand for Cafeteria, Food Concession, and Coffee Shop Counter Attendants
In the United States, there were 505,200 jobs for Cafeteria, Food Concession, or Coffee Shop Counter Attendant in 2016. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 4.6% which is below the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 23,100 new jobs for Cafeteria, Food Concession, or Coffee Shop Counter Attendant by 2026. There will be an estimated 113,200 positions for Cafeteria, Food Concession, or Counter Attendant per year.

The states with the most job growth for Cafeteria, Food Concession, or Counter Attendant are Utah, Colorado, and Arizona. Watch out if you plan on working in Maine, Minnesota, or Ohio. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Cafeteria, Food Concession, or Counter Attendant Salary
The average yearly salary of a Cafeteria, Food Concession, or Counter Attendant ranges between $17,790 and $30,500.

Cafeteria, Food Concession, and Coffee Shop Counter Attendants who work in District of Columbia, Washington, or California, make the highest salaries.
How much do Cafeteria, Food Concession, and Coffee Shop Counter Attendants make in each U.S. state?
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $20,180 |
Alaska | $24,750 |
Arizona | $25,530 |
Arkansas | $22,030 |
California | $28,120 |
Colorado | $24,300 |
Connecticut | $25,860 |
Delaware | $21,690 |
District of Columbia | $31,780 |
Florida | $20,970 |
Georgia | $19,830 |
Hawaii | $25,060 |
Idaho | $21,920 |
Illinois | $23,830 |
Indiana | $19,600 |
Iowa | $21,090 |
Kansas | $19,300 |
Kentucky | $20,150 |
Louisiana | $18,420 |
Maine | $23,040 |
Maryland | $24,010 |
Massachusetts | $26,780 |
Michigan | $22,870 |
Minnesota | $23,290 |
Mississippi | $18,720 |
Missouri | $21,300 |
Montana | $21,320 |
Nebraska | $21,690 |
Nevada | $25,440 |
New Hampshire | $23,440 |
New Jersey | $21,800 |
New Mexico | $20,180 |
New York | $25,680 |
North Carolina | $20,980 |
North Dakota | $23,850 |
Ohio | $22,340 |
Oklahoma | $19,520 |
Oregon | $26,020 |
Pennsylvania | $20,690 |
Rhode Island | $24,610 |
South Carolina | $20,010 |
South Dakota | $21,860 |
Tennessee | $19,270 |
Texas | $21,140 |
Utah | $21,900 |
Vermont | $25,490 |
Virginia | $21,640 |
Washington | $27,720 |
West Virginia | $21,850 |
Wisconsin | $19,890 |
Wyoming | $20,840 |
What Tools & Technology do Cafeteria, Food Concession, and Coffee Shop Counter Attendants Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Cafeteria, Food Concession, and Coffee Shop Counter Attendants may use on a daily basis:
- Data entry software
- Microsoft Windows
- Point of sale POS software
- Plexis Software Plexis POS
- RestaurantPlus PRO
- Aldelo Systems Aldelo for Restaurants Pro
- Foodman Home-Delivery
Becoming a Cafeteria, Food Concession, or Counter Attendant
Are there Cafeteria, Food Concession, and Coffee Shop Counter Attendants education requirements?

How many years of work experience do I need?

Where Cafeteria, Food Concession, and Coffee Shop Counter Attendants Are Employed

The table below shows the approximate number of Cafeteria, Food Concession, and Coffee Shop Counter Attendants employed by various industries.

Similar Careers
Those interested in being a Cafeteria, Food Concession, or Coffee Shop Counter Attendant may also be interested in:
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers
- Library Assistants, Clerical
- Amusement and Recreation Attendants
Career changers with experience as a Cafeteria, Food Concession, or Coffee Shop Counter Attendant sometimes find work in one of the following fields:
References:
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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