Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers
People classed as Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers facilitate food service. The strongest interest signal is Realistic (5.6 of 7), then Conventional (4.6) and Social, which gives it the code RCS. The preparation level is some preparation, typically a few months to a year of learning on the job. O*NET’s skill data points to service orientation, coordination, and active listening as the ones to build. A regular part of the work is to run cash registers. You may also need to serve ice water, coffee, rolls, or butter to patrons. People who want hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world usually fit better here than those who need research, analysis and working through hard problems.
What they do
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.
Main tasks
- Run cash registers.
- Serve ice water, coffee, rolls, or butter to patrons.
- Scrape and stack dirty dishes and carry dishes and other tableware to kitchens for cleaning.
- Wipe tables or seats with dampened cloths or replace dirty tablecloths.
- Set tables with clean linens, condiments, or other supplies.
- Greet and seat customers.
Skills
- Service Orientation
- Coordination
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Social Perceptiveness
- Monitoring
Who this career fits
May suit you if
- You like ending the day with a physical result you can point to.
- You like clear rules and getting the details right.
- You want to start work after a short stretch of training.
- You are comfortable relying on service orientation and coordination.
May not suit you if
- You would rather stay away from physical, hands-on tasks.
- You want to spend most of your time analyzing and researching. Investigative rates 1.0 out of 7 here.
- You want a career built on years of advanced study.
Interest profile
O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code RCS takes the three highest, and Realistic comes first here.
Preparation
Some preparation. Most people start with a high school diploma, then learn from experienced coworkers over a few months to a year.
Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED). This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.
Also called
- Barback
- Buffet Attendant
- Bus Boy
- Bus Person
- Busser
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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.