What You'll Do

  • Communicate with customers regarding orders, comments, and complaints.
  • Accept payment from customers, and make change as necessary.
  • Scrub and polish counters, steam tables, and other equipment, and clean glasses, dishes, and fountain equipment.
  • Perform cleaning duties, such as sweeping, mopping, and washing dishes, to keep equipment and facilities sanitary.
  • Balance receipts and payments in cash registers.
  • Request and record customer orders, and compute bills, using cash registers, multi-counting machines, or pencil and paper.
  • Serve food, beverages, or desserts to customers in such settings as take-out counters of restaurants or lunchrooms, business or industrial establishments, hotel rooms, and cars.
  • Prepare daily food items, and cook simple foods and beverages, such as sandwiches, salads, soups, pizza, or coffee, using proper safety precautions and sanitary measures.
  • Clean and organize eating, service, and kitchen areas.
  • Monitor and order supplies or food items, and restock as necessary to maintain inventory.

Essential Skills

Active Listening 3.0/5
Social Perceptiveness 3.0/5
Coordination 3.0/5
Service Orientation 3.0/5
Monitoring 2.88/5
Speaking 2.62/5
Critical Thinking 2.5/5
Reading Comprehension 2.38/5
Judgment and Decision Making 2.38/5
Time Management 2.38/5
Writing 2.0/5
Mathematics 2.0/5

Career Fit Overview

Use this summary to understand the kind of profile this role rewards. It helps you judge whether this career looks like a stronger match than your current role, a nearby move worth exploring, or a broader path to compare more seriously.

Top passions

  • Maker: Building and fixing energizes you. You like tangible results and practical tools.
  • Organizer: Bringing order to data and processes satisfies you.
  • Leader: Taking charge and moving ideas forward motivates you.

Common styles

Dependability, Cooperation, Social Orientation, Optimism, Attention to Detail

Want a personal read on fit? Take the free assessment and compare this career to your current role, nearby alternatives, and broader stronger-fit options.

Key Abilities

This career demands strong capabilities in the following areas:

Oral Comprehension 3.0/5
Oral Expression 3.0/5
Near Vision 3.0/5
Speech Recognition 3.0/5
Speech Clarity 3.0/5
Time Sharing 2.88/5
Trunk Strength 2.88/5
Information Ordering 2.75/5

Technologies & Tools

Aldelo Systems Aldelo for Restaurants Pro Compris software Facebook Foodman Home-Delivery Intuit QuickBooks Point of Sale Menu and nutrition database software MICROS Systems HSI Profits Series Microsoft Excel Microsoft Office software Microsoft Windows NCR Advanced Checkout Solution NCR NeighborhoodPOS Plexis Software Plexis POS Point of sale POS software Quizlet RestaurantPlus PRO The General Store

Work Environment & Strengths

Common Strengths for This Career

  • Dependability (High importance: 4.37/5)
  • Cooperation (High importance: 4.23/5)
  • Social Orientation (High importance: 4.16/5)
  • Optimism (High importance: 3.97/5)
  • Attention to Detail (High importance: 3.84/5)

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How to Become One

Little or no previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for this career. Training is provided on the job.

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Also Known As

This career is known by many different job titles across industries. Here are all the variations:

Back of House Team Member (BOH Team Member) Bakery Associate Barista Bistro Team Member Cafe Server Cafe Worker Cafeteria Food Server Cafeteria Lunchroom Counter Attendant Cafeteria Server Cafeteria Worker Candy Attendant Candy Bar Attendant Candy Counter Clerk Canteen Operator Carhop Caterer's Aide Caterer's Helper Catering Assistant Catering Attendant Coffee Attendant Coffee Brewer Coffee Shop Attendant Concession Attendant Concession Stand Attendant Concessionaire Counter Attendant Counter Clerk Counter Helper Counter Hop Counter Person Counter Waiter Counter Waitress Counter Worker Crew Member Deli Associate (Delicatessen Associate) Deli Clerk (Delicatessen Clerk) Deli Team Member (Delicatessen Team Member) Deli Worker (Delicatessen Worker) Dietary Aide Dish Up Person Fast Food Cashier Fast Food Server Fast Food Team Member Fast Food Worker Food Counter Worker Food Server Food Service Assistant Food Service Counter Clerk Food Service Order Clerk Food Service Specialist Food Service Team Member Food Service Worker Food Team Member Fountain Attendant Fountain Clerk Fountain Dispenser Fountain Helper Fountain Jerk Fountain Operator Fountain Server Fountain Waiter Fountain Waitress Front Counter Attendant Front of House Team Member (FOH Team Member) Hot Dog Vender Hot Dog Vendor Ice Cream Dipper Ice Cream Man Ice Cream Scooper Ice Cream Server Ice Cream Shop Associate Kitchen Food Server Kitchen Team Member Line Person Line Server Meat Clerk Mess Attendant Order Clerk Order Filler Popcorn Attendant Restaurant Crew Member Restaurant Team Member Restaurant Worker Salad Counter Attendant Sandwich Artist Sandwich Counter Attendant Server Service Crew Team Member Snack Bar Attendant Soda Clerk Soda Dispenser Soda Fountain Clerk Soda Fountain Operator Soda Jerker Steam Table Attendant Steam Table Worker Take Out Waiter Take Out Waitress Window Clerk

Career Fit FAQs

Is this career a good fit for me

This page shows the role itself. To see personal fit, use the assessment to compare your interests, motivations, and strengths against this career and against the role you are in now.

Can this help if I want to stay in my field

Yes. Many people use career pages like this to compare nearby roles in the same field and see whether they need a full switch or a better-fit version of the work they already know.

What should I compare first

Start with the daily tasks, the preparation level, and the work-style signals on this page. Then use the assessment to see whether this role looks like a stronger fit than your current role or just a different title.