Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers assist waiters, waitresses, and bartenders by cleaning tables, removing dirty dishes, and keeping serving areas stocked with supplies. Sometimes called backwaiters or runners, they bring meals out of the kitchen and assist waiters and waitresses by distributing dishes to individual diners. They also replenish the supply of clean linens, dishes, silverware, and glasses in the dining room, and keep the bar stocked with glasses, liquor, ice, and drink garnishes.  At the conclusion of meals, they remove dirty dishes and soiled linens from tables. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers are sometimes referred to collectively as the bus staff.  Cafeteria attendants stock serving tables with food, trays, dishes, and silverware. They may carry trays to dining tables for patrons. Bartender helpers keep bar equipment clean and glasses washed. Dishwashers clean dishes, cutlery, and kitchen utensils and equipment.  These jobs are also prevalent in limited service eateries, which don’t employ servers and specialize in simpler preparations that often are made in advance.

Sample job titles include: bar attendant, bar back, bartender helper, beverage server, buffet attendant, busboy, busser, cafeteria attendant, cafeteria worker, carry out clerk, dining room attendant, dishwasher, food service attendant, kitchen help, hostess, kitchen helper, line server, lunchroom attendant, lunchroom worker, nutrition aide, server, set up attendant, silver steward, silver wrapper, table attendant, wait staff, waitress, water attendant, club attendant, cook, counter supply worker, dietary aide, and water carrier.

Average Salary:

$18,140

Average Hours (per week):

Food service and drinking establishments typically maintain long dining hours and offer flexible and varied work opportunities. Many food and beverage serving and related workers work evenings, weekends, and holidays. The long business hours allow for more flexible schedules that appeal to many younger applicants, who can gain valuable work experience. Part-time work is more common among food and beverage serving and related workers than among workers in almost any other occupation.

Union:

Many large hotels and restaurant kitchen workers belong to unions, including the Service Employees International Union or the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees International Union.

Certifications:

None

Training Period:

Some food-serving workers can acquire more skills by attending relevant classes offered by public or private vocational schools, restaurant associations, or large restaurant chains.

Strongest Market(s):

Job opportunities at most eating and drinking places will be excellent because many people in these occupations change jobs frequently. Of course, the opportunities exist all over the country.

Entry Level Salary:

Starting salaries range from $6.82 to $7.39 per hour.

Top Salary:

$24,270

Job Growth Forecast:

Projected growth for the next decade is below average at 6 percent.  Job opportunities at most eating and drinking places will be excellent, though, because many people in these occupations change jobs frequently, creating a steady stream of openings.

Related posts:

1. Culinary Jobs – Combined Food Preparation and Serving Workers, Including Fast Food
2. Bartender
3. Culinary Jobs – Waiters and Waitresses
4. Culinary Jobs – Cooks, Short Order
5. Culinary Jobs – Food Preparation Workers