Education:
54%
Less than a High School Diploma
27%
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Fast Food and Counter Workers
This is a sub-career of
Food and Beverage Serving or Related Worker
More sub-careers
Select a specialized sub-career for more details.
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Job Outlook:
As fast as average
Education:
None
Salary
High:
$35,350.00
Average:
$28,130.00
Hourly
Average:
$13.53
What they do:
Perform duties such as taking orders and serving food and beverages. Serve customers at counter or from a steam table. May take payment. May prepare food and beverages.
On the job, you would:
- Balance receipts and payments in cash registers.
- Communicate with customers regarding orders, comments, and complaints.
- Scrub and polish counters, steam tables, and other equipment, and clean glasses, dishes, and fountain equipment.
Important Qualities
Communication skills. Food and beverage serving and related workers must listen to customers’ orders and relay them correctly to the kitchen staff so that the orders are prepared as requested.
Customer-service skills. Food service establishments rely on good food and customer service to keep customers and succeed in a competitive industry. As a result, workers should be courteous and be able to attend to customers’ requests.
Physical stamina. Food and beverage serving and related workers spend most of their shift doing physical tasks such as standing, carrying trays, and cleaning work areas.
Physical strength. Food and beverage serving and related workers need to be able to lift and carry stock and equipment that can weigh up to 50 pounds.
Personality
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Characteristics of this Career |
|---|---|---|---|
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85% | Self-Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations. | |
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82% | Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations. | |
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81% | Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude. | |
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81% | Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace. | |
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79% | Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks. | |
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78% | Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges. | |
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78% | Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations. | |
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77% | Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical. | |
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75% | Persistence - Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles. | |
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75% | Concern for Others - Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job. | |
|
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74% | Independence - Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done. | |
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71% | Social Orientation - Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job. | |
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70% | Leadership - Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction. | |
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67% | Achievement/Effort - Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks. | |
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63% | Innovation - Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems. | |
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53% | Analytical Thinking - Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems. |
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Strengths |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
78% | Realistic - Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services. | |
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56% | Social - Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities. | |
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56% | Conventional - Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources. |
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Values of the Work Environment |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
58% | 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. |
Aptitude
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Abilities | Cognitive, Physical, Personality |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
60% | Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences. | |
|
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56% | Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand. | |
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56% | Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person. | |
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53% | Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer). | |
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53% | Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you. |
Job Details
Responsibilities
Communicate with customers to resolve complaints or ensure satisfaction.
Process customer bills or payments.
Clean food preparation areas, facilities, or equipment.
Clean tableware.
Clean food preparation areas, facilities, or equipment.
Balance receipts.
Operate cash registers.
Process customer bills or payments.
Take customer orders.
Serve food or beverages.
Cook foods.
Clean food preparation areas, facilities, or equipment.
Clean food service areas.
Order materials, supplies, or equipment.
Prepare hot or cold beverages.
Serve food or beverages.
Collect dirty dishes or other tableware.
Clean tableware.
Package food or supplies.
Communicate dining or order details to kitchen personnel.
Serve food or beverages.
Prepare hot or cold beverages.
Arrange food for serving.
Stock serving stations or dining areas with food or supplies.
Train food preparation or food service personnel.
Take customer orders.
Move equipment, supplies or food to required locations.
Arrange tables or dining areas.
Collect dirty dishes or other tableware.
Add garnishes to food.
Serve food or beverages.
Communicate dining or order details to kitchen personnel.
Arrange tables or dining areas.
Deliver items.
Prepare foods or meals.
Manage preparation of special meals or diets.
Schedule dining reservations.
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Attributes & Percentage of Time Spent |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
100% | Spend Time Standing - How much does this job require standing? | |
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93% | Contact With Others - How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it? | |
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91% | Face-to-Face Discussions - How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job? | |
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87% | Work With Work Group or Team - How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job? | |
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81% | Deal With External Customers - How important is it to work with external customers or the public in this job? | |
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77% | Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions - How much does this job require making repetitive motions? | |
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75% | Importance of Being Exact or Accurate - How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job? | |
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75% | Physical Proximity - To what extent does this job require the worker to perform job tasks in close physical proximity to other people? | |
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74% | Indoors, Environmentally Controlled - How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions? | |
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73% | Coordinate or Lead Others - How important is it to coordinate or lead others in accomplishing work activities in this job? | |
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70% | Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets - How much does this job require wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hard hats or life jackets? | |
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70% | Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls - How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls? | |
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68% | Spend Time Walking and Running - How much does this job require walking and running? | |
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68% | Responsible for Others' Health and Safety - How much responsibility is there for the health and safety of others in this job? | |
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67% | Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results - What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer? | |
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66% | Frequency of Decision Making - How frequently is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization? | |
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65% | Time Pressure - How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines? | |
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63% | Importance of Repeating Same Tasks - How important is repeating the same physical activities (e.g., key entry) or mental activities (e.g., checking entries in a ledger) over and over, without stopping, to performing this job? | |
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60% | Deal With Unpleasant or Angry People - How frequently does the worker have to deal with unpleasant, angry, or discourteous individuals as part of the job requirements? | |
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58% | Responsibility for Outcomes and Results - How responsible is the worker for work outcomes and results of other workers? | |
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52% | Freedom to Make Decisions - How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer? |
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Tasks & Values |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
71% | Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources. | |
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65% | Performing for or Working Directly with the Public - Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests. | |
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61% | Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person. | |
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55% | Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events. | |
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55% | Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others - Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks. | |
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55% | Training and Teaching Others - Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others. | |
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53% | Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials - Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects. | |
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52% | Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings - Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems. | |
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52% | Coaching and Developing Others - Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills. |
What Food and Beverage Serving and Related Workers Do
Food and beverage workers may work directly with customers.
Food and beverage serving and related workers take and prepare orders, clear tables, and do other tasks associated with providing food and drink to customers.
Duties
Food and beverage serving and related workers typically do the following:
- Greet customers and answer their questions about menu items and specials
- Take food and drink orders from customers
- Prepare food and drink orders, such as sandwiches and coffee
- Relay customers’ orders to other kitchen staff
- Serve food and drinks to customers at a counter, at a stand, or in a hotel room
- Accept payment and provide customers with receipts
- Clean assigned work areas, such as dining tables or serving counters
- Stock service stations, cabinets, and tables
- Set tables or prepare food stations for new customers
Food and beverage serving and related workers are the front line of customer service in restaurants, cafeterias, and other food service establishments. They seat customers, take or prepare food and drink orders, clear and set tables, and serve food and beverages. Depending on the establishment, they may do some or all of these tasks during their shift.
Most work as part of a team, although their responsibilities and job titles vary.
The following are examples of types of food and beverage serving and related workers:
Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers—sometimes collectively referred to as bus staff—help waiters, waitresses, and bartenders by cleaning and setting tables, removing dirty dishes, and stocking serving areas with supplies. They also may help waiters and waitresses by bringing meals from the kitchen, distributing dishes to diners, filling water glasses, and delivering condiments.
Fast food and counter workers are employed primarily by limited-service restaurants, cafeterias, and snack bars at which customers generally order and pay before eating. These workers take food and beverage orders, prepare or retrieve items, and accept payment. They also heat food items and make salads and sandwiches.
Hosts and hostesses greet customers, seat guests, and manage reservations and waiting lists. They also may provide menus, take and prepare to-go orders, and assist with maintaining cleanliness of the dining area.
Nonrestaurant food servers provide food to customers outside a restaurant environment. For example, they may deliver room-service orders in hotels or meals to hospital rooms. Some work as carhops at venues such as drive-in movie theaters, bringing orders to customers in parked cars.
Work Environment
Food and beverage serving and related workers held about 4.5 million jobs in 2022. Employment in the detailed occupations that make up food and beverage serving and related workers was distributed as follows:
| Fast food and counter workers | 3,410,100 |
| Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers | 459,200 |
| Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop | 412,800 |
| Food servers, nonrestaurant | 258,600 |
The largest employers of food and beverage serving and related workers were as follows:
| Restaurants and other eating places | 77% |
| Retail trade | 4 |
| Healthcare and social assistance | 4 |
| Special food services | 4 |
| Educational services; state, local, and private | 3 |
Food and beverage serving and related workers spend most of their shift on their feet. They carry trays of food, dishes, or glassware, which are often heavy. During busy dining periods, they are under pressure to serve customers quickly and efficiently.
Injuries and Illnesses
Food preparation and serving areas in restaurants often have potential safety hazards, such as hot ovens and slippery floors. Common injuries include slips, cuts, and burns. To reduce these risks, workers may wear gloves, aprons, or nonslip shoes.
Work Schedules
Part-time work is common for food and beverage serving and related workers. Because restaurants and other eating places typically have extended dining hours, work shifts often include early mornings, late evenings, weekends, and holidays.
Work may be seasonal. Food and beverage serving and related workers may not work or may have limited hours during certain times of the year. For example, those in school cafeterias may work only during the school year, usually 9 to 10 months.
In addition, business hours in restaurants allow for flexible schedules that appeal to teenagers. Food and beverage serving and related workers employs more 16- to 19-year-olds than any other occupation.
Getting Started
How to Become a Food and Beverage Serving or Related Worker
Food and beverage and related workers need customer service skills.
Food and beverage serving and related workers typically have no requirements for education to enter the occupation. They receive short-term on-the-job training.
Most states require workers who serve alcoholic beverages, even as an accompaniment to meals, to be at least 18 years old.
Education
There typically are no formal education requirements for becoming a food and beverage serving worker.
Training
Workers typically learn through on-the-job training, which may last from few days to several weeks. Training includes basic customer service, kitchen safety, safe food-handling procedures, and sanitation guidelines.
Food and beverage serving and related workers typically learn their duties by watching and working with experienced staff. Some employers, particularly those in fast-food restaurants, have specific training programs for new workers.
Bartender helpers and other workers in establishments where alcohol is served may need training on state and local laws concerning the sale of alcoholic beverages. Some states, counties, and cities mandate such training, which typically lasts a few hours.
Advancement
Some food and beverage serving and related workers advance to waiter, waitress, or bartender positions as they learn the basics of serving food or preparing drinks. Kitchen staff may advance to become food preparation workers or cooks. Still others may move up to supervisory or food service manager positions.
Job Outlook
Overall employment of food and beverage serving and related workers is projected to grow 2 percent from 2022 to 2032, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
About 1,026,200 openings for food and beverage serving and related workers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Employment
Projected employment of food and beverage serving and related workers varies by occupation (see table).
As a growing population continues to dine out, purchase take-out meals, or have food delivered, more restaurants, particularly fast-food and casual dining restaurants, are expected to open. In response, more food and beverage serving and related workers are expected to be needed.
In addition, nontraditional food service operations, such as those inside grocery stores and cafeterias in hospitals and residential care facilities, are expected to serve more prepared meals. Because these workers are essential to the operation of a food-serving establishment, they should continue to be in demand.
Contacts for More Information
For more information on food and beverage serving careers, visit
Similar Occupations
This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of food and beverage serving and related workers.
| Occupation | Job Duties | Entry-Level Education | Median Annual Pay, May 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Bartenders |
Bartenders mix drinks and serve them directly to customers or through wait staff. |
No formal educational credential | $29,380 |
|
Cashiers |
Cashiers process payments from customers purchasing goods and services. |
No formal educational credential | $28,240 |
|
Cooks |
Cooks season and prepare foods, including soups, salads, entrees, and desserts. |
See How to Become One | $30,910 |
|
Flight Attendants |
Flight attendants provide routine services and respond to emergencies to ensure the safety and comfort of airline passengers. |
High school diploma or equivalent | $63,760 |
|
Food Preparation Workers |
Food preparation workers perform a variety of tasks other than cooking, such as slicing meat and brewing coffee. |
No formal educational credential | $29,790 |
|
Retail Sales Workers |
Retail sales workers help customers find products they want and process customers’ payments. |
No formal educational credential | $30,750 |
|
Waiters and Waitresses |
Waiters and waitresses take orders and serve food and beverages to customers in dining establishments. |
No formal educational credential | $29,120 |