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How to hire a Food Service Worker

Food service worker hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring food service workers in the United States:

  • There are currently 307,016 food service workers in the US, as well as 169,323 job openings.
  • Food service workers are in the highest demand in New York, NY, with 186 current job openings.
  • The median cost to hire a food service worker is $1,633.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • Human Resources use 15% of their expenses on recruitment on average.
  • On average, it takes around 12 weeks for a new food service worker to become settled and show total productivity levels at work.

How to hire a food service worker, step by step

To hire a food service worker, you should clearly understand the skills and experience you are looking for in a candidate, and allocate a budget for the position. You will also need to post and promote the job opening to reach potential candidates. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to hire a food service worker:

Here's a step-by-step food service worker hiring guide:

  • Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
  • Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
  • Step 3: Make a budget
  • Step 4: Write a food service worker job description
  • Step 5: Post your job
  • Step 6: Interview candidates
  • Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new food service worker
  • Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a Food Service Worker do?

Foodservice workers are employees at restaurants, food trucks, or any outlet that provides food to customers. They may be assigned to welcome customers, take food orders, prepare food orders in the kitchen, serve food, handle customer payments, clean up the tables once the guests leave, or maintain the whole store's cleanliness. They may also be assigned to manage inventories, handle stocks and deliveries, and other activities related to the restaurant's successful operations. Foodservice workers must always be hygienic and maintain the sanitation of the area to ensure food safety.

Learn more about the specifics of what a food service worker does
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    The food service worker hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

    Determine Employee vs Contractor Status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    Hiring the perfect food service worker also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

    This list presents food service worker salaries for various positions.

    Type Of Food Service WorkerDescriptionHourly Rate
    ascdesc
    Food Service WorkerFood preparation workers perform many routine tasks under the direction of cooks, chefs, or food service managers. Food preparation workers prepare cold foods, slice meat, peel and cut vegetables, brew coffee or tea, and perform many other food service tasks.$10-17
    Kitchen StaffThe kitchen staff consists of preparation workers who execute several routine tasks as directed by chefs, food service managers, and cooks. These works should have the ability to follow cooking instructions and deliver well-prepared meals... Show More$11-17
    Food Prep/DishwasherA food prep/dishwasher's role is to perform food preparation and cleaning duties in a kitchen, under the supervision and directives of a chef or manager. One of their primary responsibilities is washing dishes, sanitizing utensils, and preparing ingredients by washing, peeling, and cutting them according to size... Show More$11-17
    Show more

  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common Skills:
    • Food Handling
    • Safety Standards
    • Customer Service
    • Patients
    • Cash Control
    • Rehabilitation
    • POS
    • Cleanliness
    • Tray Line
    • Portion Control
    • Food Products
    • Kitchen Equipment
    • Culinary
    • HACCP
    Check All Skills
    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.
    • Work in full compliance with values of compassion, dignity, excellence, integrity, and team work.
    • Install and maintain HVAC systems which include walkin coolers and freezers, reach-ins and pass thru and a/c systems
    More Food Service Worker duties

  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your food service worker job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A food service worker can vary based on:

    • Location. For example, food service workers' average salary in alabama is 56% less than in hawaii.
    • Seniority. Entry-level food service workers 39% less than senior-level food service workers.
    • Certifications. A food service worker with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
    • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a food service worker's salary.

    Average food service worker salary

    $13.82hourly

    $28,753 yearly
    Entry-level food service worker salary
    $22,000 yearly salary
    Updated March 17, 2025

    Average food service worker salary by state

    Rank
    ascdesc
    		State
    ascdesc
    		Avg. Salary
    ascdesc
    		Hourly Rate
    ascdesc
    1Hawaii$43,553$21
    2District of Columbia$34,541$17
    3California$34,497$17
    4New York$33,965$16
    5Massachusetts$33,686$16
    6Washington$33,484$16
    7Minnesota$32,202$15
    8Oregon$32,034$15
    9Maine$31,092$15
    10Colorado$30,699$15
    11New Hampshire$29,405$14
    12Delaware$29,329$14
    13Arizona$28,989$14
    14Nevada$28,642$14
    15Pennsylvania$28,181$14
    16Maryland$28,132$14
    17Wisconsin$27,849$13
    18Illinois$27,665$13
    19Nebraska$26,926$13
    20New Jersey$26,370$13

    Average food service worker salary by company

  4. Writing a Food Service Worker Job Description

    A good food service worker job description should include a few things:

    • Summary of the role
    • List of responsibilities
    • Required skills and experience

    Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a food service worker job description:

    Food Service Worker job description example

    Qualifications:
    - High School diploma preferred/ GED accepted
    - One (1) year experience in fine dining hospitality and/or full service senior living preferred
    - Ability to handle multiple priorities
    - Possess written and verbal skills for effective communication
    - Must have organizational and time management skills
    - Demonstrates good judgment, problem solving and decision making skills

    Sunrise considers the health and safety of its residents, family members, and team members as its highest priorities. All offers of employment with Sunrise are conditioned on completing and passing a background and drug test, participating in mandatory vaccine programs (e.g., Covid-19), participating in testing requirements (e.g. Covid-19, TB) and using designated PPE when required.

    Sunrise Senior Living offers a comprehensive benefits plan to eligible team members including health, dental, vision, retirement benefits, short-term disability, long-term disability, and paid time off. Team members may also be eligible to receive a bonus based on their position. Some leadership roles are eligible to receive annual bonuses. All team members have the potential to receive spot bonuses and other incentive awards.


    Qualifications

    Sunrise Senior Living has championed quality of life in senior care for more than 30 years. We believe team members are our greatest resource and are looking for people who share our commitment to provide quality care for seniors and their families. It's no surprise that many of the world's leading experts in Senior Living entrust their career to Sunrise.

    At Sunrise, you will…

    Make a Difference Every Day
    We are passionate about our mission — to champion quality of life for all seniors. We deliver high-quality care with a personal touch and encourage our residents to enjoy life to the fullest.

    Be Part of a Uniquely Supportive Community
    The care-focused environment we create for residents extends to our team members. We offer programs, rewards, and benefits to help you live your best.

    Ignite Your Potential
    We believe potential has no limits. We offer best-in-class leadership development programs designed to grow our leaders. We are committed to helping our team members achieve their career goals.

    Sunrise Senior Living was again named as one of the Best Workplaces in Aging Services™ by Fortune and certified as a Great Place to Work® by Activated Insights. This is the 5th time Sunrise has received this top culture and workplace designation, highlighting the special place Sunrise is to be a part of.

    Apply today to learn why Sunrise Senior Living is a certified Great Place to Work ®

  5. Post your job

    There are various strategies that you can use to find the right food service worker for your business:

    • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
    • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
    • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
    • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your food service worker job on Zippia to find and recruit food service worker candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites.
    • Post a job on free websites.

  6. Interview candidates

    Your first interview with food service worker candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

    It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

    The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

  7. Send a job offer and onboard your new food service worker

    Once you've selected the best food service worker candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

    You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

    Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new food service worker. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

  8. Go through the hiring process checklist

    • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
    • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
    • Define job responsibilities and requirements
    • Establish budget and timeline
    • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
    • Write job description
    • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
    • Promote the job internally
    • Process applications through applicant tracking system
    • Review resumes and cover letters
    • Shortlist candidates for screening
    • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
    • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
    • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
    • Conduct background checks on top candidates
    • Check references of top candidates
    • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
    • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
    • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
    • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
    • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
    • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)
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How much does it cost to hire a food service worker?

Before you start to hire food service workers, it pays to consider both the one-off costs like recruitment, job promotion, and onboarding, as well as the ongoing costs of an employee's salary and benefits. While most companies that hire food service workers pay close attention to the initial cost of hiring, ongoing costs are much more significant in the long run.

You can expect to pay around $28,753 per year for a food service worker, as this is the median yearly salary nationally. This can vary depending on what state or city you're hiring in. If you're hiring for contract work or on a per-project basis, hourly rates for food service workers in the US typically range between $10 and $17 an hour.

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Updated March 17, 2025

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