Life As a Cafeteria, Food Concession, or Coffee Shop Counter Attendant
Position Description Serve food to diners at counter or from a steam table.
Life As a Cafeteria, Food Concession, or Counter Attendant
- Brew coffee and tea, and fill containers with requested beverages.
- Arrange reservations for patrons of dining establishments.
- Replenish foods at serving stations.
- Perform cleaning duties such as sweeping, mopping, and washing dishes, to keep equipment and facilities sanitary.
- Order items needed to replenish supplies.
- Prepare bills for food, using cash registers, calculators, or adding machines, and accept payment or make change.
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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.
Time Management: Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Related Job Titles for this Occupation:
- Front Counter Attendant
- Concession Attendant
- Coffee Shop Attendant
- Cafeteria Lunchroom Counter Attendant
- Cafe Server
Is There 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.
Do Cafeteria, Food Concession, and Coffee Shop Counter Attendants Make A Lot Of Money?
The salary for Cafeteria, Food Concession, and Coffee Shop Counter Attendants ranges between about $17,790 and $30,500 a year.

Cafeteria, Food Concession, and Coffee Shop Counter Attendants who work in District of Columbia, Washington, or California, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Cafeteria, Food Concession, and Coffee Shop Counter Attendants in different U.S. states.
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
How do I Become a Cafeteria, Food Concession, or Counter Attendant?
Learn what Cafeteria, Food Concession, or Coffee Shop Counter Attendant education requirements there are.

What work experience do I need to become a Cafeteria, Food Concession, or Counter Attendant?

Cafeteria, Food Concession, and Coffee Shop Counter Attendants Sector

Cafeteria, Food Concession, and Coffee Shop Counter Attendants work in the following industries:

You May Also Be Interested In…
Those thinking about becoming a Cafeteria, Food Concession, or Coffee Shop Counter Attendant might also be interested in the following careers:
- 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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