What You Need to Know About Dining Room, Cafeteria, and Bartender Attendant or Helper
Career Description Facilitate food service. Clean tables, remove dirty dishes, replace soiled table linens; set tables; replenish supply of clean linens, silverware, glassware, and dishes; supply service bar with food; and serve items such as water, condiments, and coffee to patrons.
What Do Dining Room, Cafeteria, and Bartender Attendants and Helpers Do On a Daily Basis?
- Stock vending machines with food.
- Wash glasses or other serving equipment at bars.
- Serve ice water, coffee, rolls, or butter to patrons.
- Slice and pit fruit used to garnish drinks.
- Carry food, dishes, trays, or silverware from kitchens or supply departments to serving counters.
- Locate items requested by customers.
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Dining and Cafeteria Attendant or Bartender Helper Required Skills
Dining Room, Cafeteria, and Bartender Attendants and Helpers state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others’ actions.
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.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Other Dining and Cafeteria Attendant or Bartender Helper Job Titles
- Server Assistant
- Bartender Helper
- Dumb Waiter Operator
- Food Service Attendant
- Silver Steward
Dining and Cafeteria Attendant or Bartender Helper Employment Estimates
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 431,200 jobs in the United States for Dining Room, Cafeteria, and Bartender Attendant or Helper. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 7.1% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 30,500 new jobs for Dining Room, Cafeteria, and Bartender Attendant or Helper by 2026. The BLS estimates 78,200 yearly job openings in this field.

The states with the most job growth for Dining and Cafeteria Attendant or Bartender Helper are Washington, Texas, and Arizona. Watch out if you plan on working in Ohio, Vermont, or Maine. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Do Dining Room, Cafeteria, and Bartender Attendants and Helpers Make A Lot Of Money?
The typical yearly salary for Dining Room, Cafeteria, and Bartender Attendants and Helpers is somewhere between $17,700 and $32,240.

Dining Room, Cafeteria, and Bartender Attendants and Helpers who work in Hawaii, District of Columbia, or Massachusetts, make the highest salaries.
How much do Dining Room, Cafeteria, and Bartender Attendants and Helpers make in each U.S. state?
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $19,430 |
Alaska | $24,940 |
Arizona | $26,150 |
Arkansas | $20,790 |
California | $27,020 |
Colorado | $23,860 |
Connecticut | $25,860 |
Delaware | $19,390 |
District of Columbia | $34,730 |
Florida | $21,700 |
Georgia | $20,690 |
Hawaii | $36,930 |
Idaho | $19,820 |
Illinois | $21,340 |
Indiana | $19,980 |
Iowa | $20,000 |
Kansas | $20,130 |
Kentucky | $20,020 |
Louisiana | $19,180 |
Maine | $25,060 |
Maryland | $23,880 |
Massachusetts | $29,520 |
Michigan | $22,320 |
Minnesota | $24,140 |
Mississippi | $18,940 |
Missouri | $21,810 |
Montana | $20,610 |
Nebraska | $22,320 |
Nevada | $24,640 |
New Hampshire | $21,180 |
New Jersey | $24,160 |
New Mexico | $19,520 |
New York | $29,760 |
North Carolina | $20,310 |
North Dakota | $23,530 |
Ohio | $20,910 |
Oklahoma | $19,730 |
Oregon | $25,010 |
Pennsylvania | $20,210 |
Rhode Island | $24,400 |
South Carolina | $20,630 |
South Dakota | $21,820 |
Tennessee | $20,310 |
Texas | $20,720 |
Utah | $22,410 |
Vermont | $28,180 |
Virginia | $21,750 |
Washington | $27,810 |
West Virginia | $22,170 |
Wisconsin | $20,060 |
Wyoming | $21,520 |
What Tools do Dining Room, Cafeteria, and Bartender Attendants and Helpers Use?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Dining Room, Cafeteria, and Bartender Attendants and Helpers:
- Microsoft Windows
- Plexis Software Plexis POS
- RestaurantPlus PRO
How to Become a Dining and Cafeteria Attendant or Bartender Helper
What education or degrees do I need to become a Dining Room, Cafeteria, and Bartender Attendant or Helper?

How many years of work experience do I need?

Dining Room, Cafeteria, and Bartender Attendants and Helpers Sector

Below are examples of industries where Dining Room, Cafeteria, and Bartender Attendants and Helpers work:

Related Careers
Those interested in being a Dining Room, Cafeteria, and Bartender Attendant or Helper may also be interested in:
Those who work as a Dining Room, Cafeteria, and Bartender Attendant or Helper sometimes switch careers to one of these choices:
References:
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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