Most Common Food Service Worker Responsibilities

The food service industry comprises many different types of jobs. Various job titles include servers, bartenders, food handlers, line cooks, chefs, cashiers, and hosts. There are also bussers, bar backs, dishwashers, and other back-of-house positions that may be considered food service workers.

Each of these specific occupations has its own unique list of tasks and responsibilities. In some cases, businesses may mandate that workers have specific training and skill sets to do the job to the best of their ability.

Before seeking a job as a food service worker, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the most common responsibilities associated with this type of work so you can ultimately decide if this is the right career path for you.

First and foremost, it is best to have a solid understanding of a food service worker’s main objective. Ultimately, the goal of any food service worker is to ensure that the customer receives their food or drink order and is satisfied with their experience.

Although a restaurant might be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of a food service worker, this job can be found in many other workplace types like healthcare, entertainment, and hospitality. Food service workers can find employment in a variety of institutions, such as a hotel or resort, coffee shop, school or hospital cafeteria, convenience or grocery store, nursing home, place of worship, event space, music venue, cruise line, country club, or sports arena — among other establishments.

The requirements for a food service job do not normally include a minimum education, however, many companies prefer their employees to have at least a high school diploma or GED.

Although a college degree is not necessary, most food service workers will need to go through on-the-job training to get acquainted with their position, place of work, and the company’s work environment. Other important topics that employee training may cover include kitchen and food safety, food handling procedures, serving techniques, health and sanitation policies, customer relations, and education about the food and drinks available, to ensure the staff is as knowledgeable as possible if customers have any questions or concerns.

Depending on what type of food service role you pursue and where you plan to work, there may also be an age requirement. For example, most states require anyone serving alcoholic beverages to be at least 18 years old. On this same note, there may be certain training needed regarding state and local laws about serving and selling alcoholic beverages to customers.

Not all food service workers are required to have a certificate or license, though — some can gain experience by being at the right place at the right time and being given the opportunity to learn on the job.

Additionally, basic knowledge of customer service, communication skills, and some semblance of physical stamina, like the ability to stand for long periods of time, are ideal qualities for someone working in the food service industry.

In addition to the mentioned characteristics, someone who is employed as a food service worker should be ready to tackle some common responsibilities.

As a food service worker, you may find yourself interacting with customers at some point. When you do interact with customers, you need to make sure you are communicating well enough to address their questions or concerns and make them feel comfortable, important, and taken care of.

Back-of-the-house positions, such as cooks, bussers, and bar backs, might not have job duties with customers often, but should it happen — and it most likely will once in a while — it’s important to be prepared with interpersonal skills.

If you are working as a host, server, or bartender, this is definitely going to be the case — and possessing the right customer service and interpersonal relations skills is likely your most important responsibility of the job description. Some of the interpersonal related duties on your plate include greeting customers and answering any of their questions about the establishment, food items, and specials; answering phone calls, managing reservations, accommodating guest lists, and taking customers’ food and drink orders.

It’s not solely about being able to communicate well with the customers, though. You are also responsible for communicating effectively and efficiently with other food service workers within your place of work. Here are a few examples listed below:

• As a host, you will need to work closely with your servers when it comes to seating the right tables, in the right dining area, at the right time.
• As a server, you will need to promptly and correctly relay your customers’ orders to your co-workers, the kitchen staff.
• As the kitchen staff, you will need to work together to make sure the menu items are executed well and meet all company standards.

You will be working as part of a team and good communication and interpersonal skills are a must if you want your team to succeed.

Communication is a very important and critical component of working in the food service industry, but we can’t forget the main part of the job: the service.

Food service workers aim to provide a variety of customers with food and beverage service. Examples of customers include diners at a restaurant, shoppers at a grocery store, students at a school, residents at a nursing home, members at a country club, ticket holders at a concert, show, or sporting event, patients at a hospital, and many more. Although these are all different people in different establishments, each is a food and beverage customer in their own right and should be met with the same great service from food service workers.

Some food service activities preparing food and drink orders, and of course, you will serve food orders to customers in some capacity, whether it be to their table, a countertop or stand, in line in a cafeteria, or in a private dining room. Beyond the actual serving of food, food service workers may also be responsible for working the cash register, preparing takeout or delivery orders, boxing up customer leftovers, setting tables, cleaning and organizing kitchen utensils, prepping work areas and food items, lifting heavy objects, and making sure all service areas are fully stocked with necessary food supplies.

Depending on your place of work, you may be responsible for handling retail sales, as well.

If you are not employed in a front-of-house food service position (i.e., you are not a server, bartender, or host), you are considered a back-of-house food service worker or food preparation worker. Food preparation workers are in charge of things that go on behind the scenes, such as in the kitchen. This is where the magic happens — where the food is created and prepared to be served to the customers.

Working in this area of food service means that you are likely on the line handling food products in some way or another, requiring dexterity of the hands and fingers when chopping, slicing, or using food service equipment. You will be following orders from someone at a high level of employment, such as a food service manager, an executive chef, chef de cuisine, or in some cases, a sous chef.

Responsibilities may include things like chopping simple food items like fruits and vegetables, measuring and weighing ingredients, preparing a variety of foods and condiments for the chef, maintaining dry and cold food storage areas, cleaning work areas and kitchen equipment to ensure sanitary conditions, and you may be tasked with assembling and plating a dish in a serving line.

As you start your search for jobs as a food service worker, Joblist can help you reach millions of food service worker job listings from companies all over the United States. We can help simplify your job search by providing personalized job matches after you answer a few short questions.

Sign up with Joblist today and instantly gain access to the best food service jobs available that fit your preferences and experience level.