Food Server job description: duties, skills and qualifications.

Core duties

13

O*NET task statements

Preparation

Job Zone 1-2 of 5

very little to some preparation

Typical entry education

No formal educational credential

BLS 2025–35

Median pay

$35,360

BLS May 2025

Data Government data groups this job as Food Servers, Nonrestaurant (O*NET-SOC 35-3041.00). Figures on this page are for that occupation.

1. Place food servings on plates or trays according to orders or instructions. importance 4.8 of 5
2. Clean or sterilize dishes, kitchen utensils, equipment, or facilities. importance 4.8 of 5
3. Monitor food distribution, ensuring that meals are delivered to the correct recipients and that guidelines, such as those for special diets, are followed. importance 4.8 of 5
4. Examine trays to ensure that they contain required items. importance 4.7 of 5
5. Load trays with accessories, such as eating utensils, napkins, or condiments. importance 4.6 of 5
6. Take food orders and relay orders to kitchens or serving counters so they can be filled. importance 4.5 of 5
7. Monitor food preparation or serving techniques to ensure that proper procedures are followed. importance 4.5 of 5
8. Remove trays and stack dishes for return to kitchen after meals are finished. importance 4.5 of 5
9. Carry food, silverware, or linen on trays or use carts to carry trays. importance 4.4 of 5
10. Record amounts and types of special food items served to customers. importance 4.3 of 5
11. Stock service stations with items, such as ice, napkins, or straws. importance 4.3 of 5
12. Prepare food items, such as sandwiches, salads, soups, or beverages. importance 4.2 of 5
13. Determine where patients or patrons would like to eat their meals and help them get situated. importance 4.2 of 5

Work activities O*NET rates most important here: Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events, Getting Information, Performing for or Working Directly with the Public, Performing General Physical Activities and Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates.

Also part of the job

Supplemental tasks O*NET lists for this occupation: less central than the core duties above, and not done in every job.

• Total checks, present them to customers, and accept payment for services.

Knowledge areas: Customer and Personal Service, English Language and Food Production.

Software O*NET lists for this occupation: Facebook, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Windows, CBORD Nutrition Service Suite, Capital Codeworks MenuMax. These are examples O*NET records for the job, not a list of tools every employer uses or a checklist of what you must know.

• Education: BLS lists no formal educational credential as the typical entry-level education.
• Experience: BLS lists no work experience in a related occupation as typical to enter.
• Training on the job: BLS lists short-term on-the-job training as typical once hired.
• Preparation: O*NET places the job in Job Zone 1-2 of 5 (very little to some preparation). Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience.
• Licenses and certifications: not listed here. A license is a legal requirement set by a state; a certification is a credential from a private or professional body. Rules vary by state and employer, and a missing entry on this page does not mean none is required: check with your state's licensing board and see how to become a food server.

The most common answer among food servers surveyed by O*NET is a high school diploma or equivalent (48%).

Job title: Food Server
[Company] · [City, State] · [Full-time or part-time] · [Pay range, where your state requires one]

About the role
[Company] is hiring a Food Server to serve food to individuals outside of a restaurant environment, such as in hotel rooms, hospital rooms, residential care facilities, or cars.
[One sentence on your team and why this role matters.]

What you will do
- Place food servings on plates or trays according to orders or instructions.
- Clean or sterilize dishes, kitchen utensils, equipment, or facilities.
- Monitor food distribution, ensuring that meals are delivered to the correct recipients and that guidelines, such as those for special diets, are followed.
- Examine trays to ensure that they contain required items.
- Load trays with accessories, such as eating utensils, napkins, or condiments.
- Take food orders and relay orders to kitchens or serving counters so they can be filled.
- Monitor food preparation or serving techniques to ensure that proper procedures are followed.
- Remove trays and stack dishes for return to kitchen after meals are finished.

What we are looking for
- [Education: BLS lists no formal educational credential as typical for this occupation; set the level this role truly needs]
- [Experience: BLS lists no related work experience as typical to enter; set what this role needs]
- Strength in service orientation, active listening and speaking
- Working knowledge of Customer and Personal Service and English Language
- [Software your team uses, e.g. Facebook or Microsoft Office software]
- [Any license or certification your state or company requires]

[Schedule, benefits and how to apply]

Illustrative: every name, employer, school, date and number in these samples is fictional or a bracketed placeholder. Replace each bracket with your own true details; never copy a result you did not achieve.

Not a real job posting. This template is TryHired's illustration built from government occupational data. It is not an opening at any employer, and no employer wrote it.

The median annual wage was $35,360 in May 2025. The median hourly wage was $17.00. BLS estimates about 293,900 jobs in this occupation in the U.S.

BLS projects employment of food servers to grow 4.5% from 2025 to 2035, with about 48,800 openings a year over that period, including openings to replace workers who leave.

• Read a real food server posting next to the core duties above. Duties it repeats, such as “Place food servings on plates or trays according to orders or…”, tell you what that employer weighs most; anything it adds is specific to that team.
• Tailor your resume to the posting, not to this page: describe only food server work you have actually done, with your own results.
• Prepare a story for each of the top-rated skills (service orientation and active listening).