How To Become A Food Service Worker: What It Is and Career Path

Q: How long does it take to become a Food Service Worker?

It takes 2 years of professional experience to become a food service worker. That is the time it takes to learn specific food service worker skills, but does not account for time spent in formal education.

Q: What are food service careers?

Foodservice careers include servers, cooks, and bakers, all of which have different skillsets and qualifications. The service sector is one of the fastest-growing in the world economy, and part of that is due to the expanding food service industry.

Q: What are the duties of a food service worker?

A food service worker's duties include preparing and serving meals in cafeterias, grocery stores, and food courts. Food service workers work for dining services that help universities, schools, hospitals, and correctional facilities.

Q: What is another name for food service worker?

Standard titles for food service workers include cafeteria workers, lunch or dinner aides, and cafeteria assistants. All of these titles generally describe the exact role of someone who assists in a cafeteria food setting.

Q: What skills do you need to work in food service?

Skills you need to work in food service are flexibility and keeping up in a fast-paced work environment. These are critical skills that a person needs to possess to meet the minimum requirements of the job.

Q: What type of education do you need for food service?

The type of education you need for food service is a high school diploma. This is a role typically held by students in a part-time capacity. Therefore the educational requirements are few.

What is a food service worker and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

A food service worker prepares and serves food in restaurants, cafeterias, hospitals, or schools. They may also handle cash registers, clean tables, and stock supplies. Food service workers follow health and safety regulations and maintain cleanliness in their work environment. They may work full-time or part-time, and their schedules vary depending on their employer. The role requires communication, attention to detail, and the ability to work in a fast-paced environment.

ScoreFood Service WorkerUS Average

Salary

2.2

Avg. Salary $28,753

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

4.8

Growth Rate 2%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

6.8

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.95%

Asian 7.11%

Black or African American 12.27%

Hispanic or Latino 16.74%

Unknown 4.86%

White 58.08%

Gender

female 63.42%

male 36.58%

Age - 34

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 - 34

Stress Level

4.8

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

6.2

Complexity Level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

6.6

Work Life balance is good

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a Food Service Worker?

Pros

Possibility for advancement within the company
Potential for tips or bonuses
Often offers free or discounted meals
Good starting job for those with little experience
Possible opportunities for travel or working in different locations

Cons

Low wages and limited benefits in some positions
Can be stressful during busy periods or when dealing with difficult customers
Risk of injury from hot equipment or sharp utensils
May require working in noisy environments with distractions
Limited opportunities for creativity or personal expression in food preparation.

Key steps to become a food service worker

Explore food service worker education requirements

Most common food service worker degrees

High School Diploma

44.0 %

Bachelor's

20.8 %

Associate

17.4 %

Start to develop specific food service worker skills

Skills	Percentages
Food Handling	22.45%
Safety Standards	9.06%
Customer Service	8.57%
Patients	6.52%
Cash Control	4.30%

Complete relevant food service worker training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New food service workers 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 food service worker based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real food service worker resumes.

Research food service worker duties and responsibilities

Volunteer at rehabilitation center/ nursing home escorting and communicating with the patients.
Learned how to do math quickly and efficiently.
Demonstrate money-handling and math skills in processing payments for orders.
Prepare all food stuffs, roasting meats, baking cookies, preparing salads.

Prepare your food service worker resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your food service worker 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 food service worker resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Food Service Worker Resume templates

Build a professional Food Service Worker 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 Food Service Worker resume.

Apply for food service worker jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a food service worker 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

How do food service workers rate their job?

4/5

Based On 1 Ratings

5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

Food Service Worker reviews

4.0

A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2020

Pros

Not sedentary, moving around. Creativity.

Cons

Repetitive tasks. Or obviously, working with people who are highly critical.

A zippia user wrote a review on Jan 2020

Cons

Many restaurants are corporate or franchisees, and they dont really have good management, which leads to not hiring people on skill, but just to fill the space, which leads to high turn over rates for both FOH, BOH and management. There's no stability

What is a food service worker and how to become one

What are the pros and cons of being a Food Service Worker?

Food Service Worker career paths

Key steps to become a food service worker

Explore food service worker education requirements

Most common food service worker degrees

Start to develop specific food service worker skills

Complete relevant food service worker training and internships

Research food service worker duties and responsibilities

Prepare your food service worker resume

Choose From 10+ Customizable Food Service Worker Resume templates

Apply for food service worker jobs

How Did You Land Your First Food Service Worker Job

Average food service worker salary

How do food service workers rate their job?

Food Service Worker reviews

Food Service Worker FAQs

How long does it take to become a Food Service Worker?

What are food service careers?

What are the duties of a food service worker?

What is another name for food service worker?

What skills do you need to work in food service?

What type of education do you need for food service?

Search for food service worker jobs

Food Service Worker jobs by state