Occupation Details
Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers
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.
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Interests
Realistic
Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Social
Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
Conventional
Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Work Values
Relationships
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Support
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
Independence
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Salary & Job Outlook
Starting Salary
$28,750.00
New York StateMedian Salary
$32,310.00
New York StateExperienced Salary
$45,030.00
New York StateNational Average for Comparison
New York State Job Market Outlook
Jobs Right Now (2018)
31,610
professionals in NYFuture Job Growth (2030)
59,080
+2,747 jobs/yearNew Jobs Every Year
10,586
new opportunities yearlyGrowth Rate
0.9%
projected increasePreparation: Experience, Training, and Education
The list below outlines the prior educational experience required to perform in this occupation.
Quick Start - High school or less
Experience Requirements
Little or no previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, a person can become a waiter or waitress even if he/she has never worked before.
Education Requirements
Some of these occupations may require a high school diploma or GED certificate.
Training Details
Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few days to a few months of training. Usually, an experienced worker could show you how to do the job.
Transferrable Skills and Experience
These occupations involve following instructions and helping others. Examples include food preparation workers, dishwashers, floor sanders and finishers, landscaping and groundskeeping workers, logging equipment operators, and baristas.
School Programs
School Programs information is not available for this occupation.
Licensing & Certification
State License and Certifications Requirements are not currently associated with this occupation.
Skills
The list below includes the skills required by workers in this occupation; skills are what allow you to learn more quickly and improve your performance.
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.
Coordination
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Service Orientation
Actively looking for ways to help people.
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
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.
Judgment and Decision Making
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Skill level is measured on a seven point scale, where one means 'some competence required for this occupation' and seven means 'a high level of expertise required for this occupation'.
Knowledge
The list below includes knowledge items, the principles and facts required by this occupation.
Customer and Personal Service
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Food Production
Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
English Language
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Sales and Marketing
Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
Administration and Management
Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Knowledge level is measured on a seven point scale, where one means 'some competence required for this occupation' and seven means 'a high level of expertise required for this occupation'.
Work Environment
The list below includes the physical and social factors that influence the nature of work in this occupation.
Hover over or tap each factor to see its description.
Work Styles
Included in the list below are the personal work style characteristics that can affect how well a worker is likely to perform in this occupation.
Adaptability/Flexibility
Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Attention to Detail
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Concern for Others
Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
Cooperation
Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Dependability
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Initiative
Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Integrity
Job requires being honest and ethical.
Self-Control
Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Social Orientation
Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.
Stress Tolerance
Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
Tools & Technology
This list below describes the machines, equipment, tools, software, and information technology that workers in this occupation will use.
Tools
- Blenders
- Carbonated beverage dispensers
- Cash registers
- Chefs' knives
- Commercial coffeemakers
- Commercial dishwashers
- Commercial microwave ovens
- Food processors
- Fruit pitters
- Fruit zesters
- Garbage disposals
- Glass washing machines
- Ice-making machines
- Juice dispensers
- Point of sale POS computer terminals
- Soft-serve ice cream machines
Technology
- Cafe Cartel Systems
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Windows
Duties
Duties are job behaviors describing activities that occur on multiple jobs. The generalized and detailed work activities described in the list below apply to this occupation.
- replenish supplies of food, tableware or linen
- clean rooms or work areas
- set or clear tables in dining areas
- use knowledge of food handling rules
- use oral or written communication techniques
- mix drinks or flavors for mixed drinks
- wash dishes, glassware, or related utensils
- prepare beverages
- understand government health, hotel or food service regulations
- serve food or beverages
- provide customer service
Tasks
The list below outlines specific tasks that a worker in this occupation is called upon to do regularly.
- Serve ice water, coffee, rolls, or butter to patrons.
- Run cash registers.
- Wipe tables or seats with dampened cloths or replace dirty tablecloths.
- Scrape and stack dirty dishes and carry dishes and other tableware to kitchens for cleaning.
- Set tables with clean linens, condiments, or other supplies.
- Greet and seat customers.
- Clean up spilled food or drink or broken dishes and remove empty bottles and trash.
- Maintain adequate supplies of items, such as clean linens, silverware, glassware, dishes, or trays.
- Locate items requested by customers.
- Fill beverage or ice dispensers.
- Carry food, dishes, trays, or silverware from kitchens or supply departments to serving counters.
- Perform serving, cleaning, or stocking duties in establishments, such as cafeterias or dining rooms, to facilitate customer service.
- Carry trays from food counters to tables for cafeteria patrons.
- Replenish supplies of food or equipment at steam tables or service bars.
- Wash glasses or other serving equipment at bars.
- Stock cabinets or serving areas with condiments and refill condiment containers.
- Serve food to customers when waiters or waitresses need assistance.
- Carry linens to or from laundry areas.
- Garnish foods and position them on tables to make them visible and accessible.
- Clean and polish counters, shelves, walls, furniture, or equipment in food service areas or other areas of restaurants and mop or vacuum floors.
- Mix and prepare flavors for mixed drinks.
- Slice and pit fruit used to garnish drinks.
- Stock vending machines with food.
- Stock refrigerating units with wines or bottled beer or replace empty beer kegs.
Learning Resources
More information on this occupation may be found in the links provided below.
Food and beverage serving and related workers
Visit this link for additional information on this career from the Occupational Outlook Handbook; a publication produced and maintained by the United States Department of Labor.
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