Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers: Salary, Job Outlook & How to Become One (2026 Parent Guide)

Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers fall under the Food Preparation and Serving category in the U.S. occupational classification. Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers earn a median salary of $32,670 per year, ranking in the top 99% of all U.S. occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects +6.3% job growth through 2034, projected to grow at roughly the US average. Entry into this field typically requires a high school diploma plus on-the-job training, certifications, or postsecondary credentials, with specific licensing or certification depending on the state and employer. For parents whose teenager is exploring this path, the most actionable step is mapping the education requirements to specific colleges and majors before junior year — not waiting until application season.

What do dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers earn?

The median annual wage for dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers is $32,670. That puts dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers at #800 on the BLS ranked list of all U.S. occupations by median pay. This salary is around or below the U.S. median for individual workers, so career growth often depends on advancement into supervisory roles, specialization, or additional credentials. Actual pay varies meaningfully by state, employer type, and years of experience — entry-level salaries are typically 30–40% below the median, while top-decile earners often exceed it by 50% or more.

Is dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers a growing career?

The 10-year outlook for dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers is +6.3%, projected to grow at roughly the US average. Employment is projected to move from approximately 527K positions in 2024 to 560K in 2034, a net change of 33K. Average growth signals a healthy, resilient occupation that mirrors broader U.S. employment trends. Job availability tends to track regional economic conditions.

What do dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers do every day?

According to O*NET task surveys of working dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers, these are the core responsibilities most professionals perform. This is what your teen would actually be doing in this role.

1. 1.Greet and seat customers.
2. 2.Clean up spilled food or drink or broken dishes and remove empty bottles and trash.
3. 3.Carry trays from food counters to tables for cafeteria patrons.
4. 4.Stock cabinets or serving areas with condiments and refill condiment containers.
5. 5.Serve ice water, coffee, rolls, or butter to patrons.
6. 6.Maintain adequate supplies of items, such as clean linens, silverware, glassware, dishes, or trays.
7. 7.Locate items requested by customers.
8. 8.Perform serving, cleaning, or stocking duties in establishments, such as cafeterias or dining rooms, to facilitate customer service.

Top skills for dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers

O*NET ranks these as the most important skills for this occupation, on a 1–5 importance scale derived from worker surveys.

What education does my child need to become dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helper?

Many dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers enter the field with a high school diploma plus on-the-job training, though employers increasingly favor candidates with certifications or some postsecondary coursework. For parents helping a teen prepare, the highest-leverage step before junior year is identifying colleges and programs that feed reliably into this occupation — Solyo's college search lets parents filter by major and admissions data side by side.

Related careers your child might also consider

• Chefs and Head Cooks
  $60,990 median
• Cooks, Private Household
  $44,530 median
• First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers
  $42,010 median
• Cooks, Restaurant
  $36,830 median
• Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria
  $36,450 median
• Cooks, All Other
  $36,210 median

Common questions parents ask about dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers