How To Become A Cafeteria Server: What It Is and Career Path

What is a cafeteria server and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

2 min read

There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a cafeteria server. For example, did you know that they make an average of $14.27 an hour? That's $29,674 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 14% and produce 775,300 job opportunities across the U.S.

ScoreCafeteria ServerUS Average

Salary

2.3

Avg. Salary $29,674

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

4.2

Growth Rate 14%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

2.9

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.85%

Asian 6.49%

Black or African American 9.64%

Hispanic or Latino 18.63%

Unknown 6.92%

White 57.47%

Gender

female 71.32%

male 28.68%

Age - 21

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 21

Stress Level

4.2

Stress level is moderate

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

4.0

Complexity Level is basic

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

10.0

Work Life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a cafeteria server

Explore cafeteria server education requirements

Most common cafeteria server degrees

High School Diploma

41.4 %

Bachelor's

25.8 %

Associate

18.0 %

Start to develop specific cafeteria server skills

Skills	Percentages
Clean Kitchen	36.75%
Quality Customer Service	20.69%
Portion Control	14.35%
Food Products	7.90%
Service Line	7.40%

Complete relevant cafeteria server training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New cafeteria servers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a cafeteria server based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real cafeteria server resumes.

Research cafeteria server duties and responsibilities

Manage event reservations and party requests, inform customers about upcoming events and specials.
Establish a positive relationship with co-workers and managers through a solid work ethic, positive attitude, punctuality and dependability.
Develop credibility and confidence with VIP guests by maintaining confidentiality and complying with company standards.

Prepare your cafeteria server resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your cafeteria server resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a cafeteria server resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Cafeteria Server Resume templates

Build a professional Cafeteria Server resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Cafeteria Server resume.

Apply for cafeteria server jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a cafeteria server job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams