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Occupation AtlasFood Servers, Nonrestaurant

O*NET · 35-3041.00

Food Servers, Nonrestaurant

Serve food to individuals outside of a restaurant environment, such as in hotel rooms, hospital rooms, residential care facilities, or cars.

Also called Boat Hop · Car Attendant · Car Hop · Curb Attendant · Curb Hop · Curber · Dining Room Server · Food and Beverage Server
32 more

Food Cart Attendant · Food Order Delivery Runner · Food Porter · Food Runner · Food Server · Food Service Attendant · Food Service Hotel Runner · Food Service Tray Attendant · Food Service Worker · Hospital Food Service Worker · Hospital Tray Service Worker · Hot Dog Vendor · Hot Tamale Man · Hot Tamale Worker · In Room Dining Server · Kitchen Runner · Line Server · Outside Food Server · Room Attendant · Room Server · Room Service Associate · Room Service Attendant · Room Service Bellhop · Room Service Clerk · Room Service Food Server · Room Service Food Service Attendant · Room Service Server · Room Service Waiter · Room Service Waitress · Teletray Operator · Tray Server · Tray Service Worker

Job Zone 2 — Some Preparation NeededHolland code RSC35 skills on file

Compare with another occupationCompare with Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers

Job Zone

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5

Zone 2: Some Preparation Needed

Some preparation. Usually a high school diploma, some previous work-related skill or experience, and a few months to a year of training with experienced workers.

Job Zone is O*NET's rating of how much education, experience and training an occupation typically needs — a property of the work, not of anyone doing it.

Occupational interest profile

RSCRealistic · Social · Conventional — the three strongest interests, in order

  • R Realistic4.84
  • S Social4.23
  • C Conventional3.87
  • E Enterprising2.85
  • A Artistic2.10
  • I Investigative1.46

RIASEC (Holland) interests on O*NET's 0–7 scale: what the work draws on, not what any individual prefers. Hover a row for what each dimension means.

Education and experience

The education level respondents say the job requires, and the most common answer for experience and training.

  • Less than a High School Diploma27%
  • High School Diploma or the equivalent48%
  • Post-Secondary Certificate1%
  • Some College Courses9%
  • Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree2%
  • Bachelor's Degree6%
  • Post-Doctoral Training7%
Related work experience
None (38%)
On-site or in-plant training
Up to and including 1 month (45%)
On-the-job training
Anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month (54%)

Typically associated skills

All 35 O*NET skills, most important first. Importance (1–5) says how much a skill matters here; level (0–7) says how much of it the work calls for, with O*NET's example of a nearby level. Neither is a proficiency rating of a person.

  • Speakingbasic3.02.5Level 2 looks like: Greet tourists and explain tourist attractions
  • Active Listeningbasic3.02.4Level 2 looks like: Take a customer's order
  • Service Orientation3.02.1Level 2 looks like: Ask customers if they would like a cup of coffee
  • Coordination2.92.6Level 2 looks like: Schedule appointments for a medical clinic
  • Social Perceptiveness2.92.6Level 2 looks like: Notice that customers are angry because they have been waiting too long
  • Critical Thinkingbasic2.92.4Level 2 looks like: Determine whether a subordinate has a good excuse for being late
  • Reading Comprehensionbasic2.92.1Level 2 looks like: Read step-by-step instructions for completing a form
  • Time Management2.92.1Level 2 looks like: Keep a monthly calendar of appointments
  • Monitoringbasic2.82.3Level 2 looks like: Proofread and correct a letter
  • Judgment and Decision Making2.82.1Level 2 looks like: Decide how scheduling a break will affect work flow
  • Management of Personnel Resources2.32.0Level 2 looks like: Encourage a coworker who is having difficulty finishing a project
  • Complex Problem Solving2.12.1Level 2 looks like: Lay out tools to complete a job
Show the other 23
  • Persuasion2.12.0Level 2 looks like: Solicit donations for a charity
  • Quality Control Analysis2.12.0Level 2 looks like: Inspect a draft email for errors (e.g., grammar, punctuation)
  • Instructing2.11.9Level 2 looks like: Instruct a new employee in the use of a timekeeping system
  • Negotiation2.11.4Level 2 looks like: Present justification to a manager for altering a work schedule
  • Operations Monitoring2.11.4Level 2 looks like: Monitor completion times while running a computer program
  • Active Learningbasic2.02.1Level 2 looks like: Think about the implications of a news article for job opportunities
  • Learning Strategiesbasic2.02.1Level 2 looks like: Learn a different method of completing a task from a coworker
  • Writingbasic2.02.1Level 2 looks like: Write down a guest's order at a restaurant
  • Mathematicsbasic2.01.5Level 2 looks like: Count the amount of change to be given to a customer
  • Systems Analysis2.01.3Level 2 looks like: Determine how loss of a team member will affect the completion of a job
  • Operation and Control2.01.1Level 2 looks like: Navigate the settings on an office printer to print on both sides of the paper
  • Systems Evaluation2.01.1Level 2 looks like: Determine why estimates for the time to complete a task are overly optimistic
  • Troubleshooting2.01.1Level 2 looks like: Identify the source of a leak by looking under a machine
  • Management of Financial Resources1.91.0Level 2 looks like: Use available funds to buy office supplies and record the amount of the purchase
  • Management of Material Resources1.91.0Level 2 looks like: Reserve a room for a management meeting
  • Technology Design1.80.8
  • Operations Analysis1.50.6
  • Equipment Maintenance1.1—
  • Equipment Selection1.1—
  • Programming1.1—
  • Installation1.0—
  • Repairing1.0—
  • Sciencebasic1.0—

Tasks

13 core · 1 supplemental

What people in this occupation do, as O*NET records it, core tasks first by importance (1–5).

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

Knowledge

Bodies of knowledge the work draws on.

  • Customer and Personal Service3.73.5Level 4 looks like: Be responsible for 10 children at daycare
  • English Language3.73.5Level 4 looks like: Edit an article for a news website
  • Administration and Management3.02.4Level 1 looks like: Approve a reimbursement request
  • Food Production3.02.7
  • Education and Training2.93.0Level 4 looks like: Lead a quality improvement seminar
  • Public Safety and Security2.92.8
  • Mathematics2.82.5Level 1 looks like: Add two numbers
  • Psychology2.52.9
Show all 33
  • Law and Government2.42.0Level 1 looks like: Describe the length of a U.S. presidential term
  • Administrative2.32.3Level 1 looks like: Direct phone calls to the appropriate staff member
  • Computers and Electronics2.32.3Level 1 looks like: Operate a media player to watch a training video
  • Economics and Accounting2.31.6Level 1 looks like: Answer billing questions from credit card customers
  • Production and Processing2.32.0Level 1 looks like: Put a computer back into its packing materials
  • Telecommunications2.31.2Level 1 looks like: Send an email
  • Communications and Media2.21.9Level 1 looks like: Write a thank you note
  • Chemistry2.12.0Level 1 looks like: Use a common household bug spray
  • Medicine and Dentistry2.11.3Level 1 looks like: Use a band-aid
  • Personnel and Human Resources2.11.9Level 1 looks like: Fill out a medical claim form
  • Sales and Marketing2.11.3Level 1 looks like: Sell cakes at a bake sale
  • Mechanical2.01.8Level 1 looks like: Replace the filters in a furnace
  • Sociology and Anthropology1.91.6Level 1 looks like: Identify two cultures in a story as being different
  • Engineering and Technology1.81.5Level 1 looks like: Install a door lock
  • Biology1.71.1Level 1 looks like: Feed domestic animals
  • Design1.71.6Level 1 looks like: Draw a straight line 4 3/16 inches long
  • Therapy and Counseling1.71.4Level 1 looks like: Put ice on a sprained ankle
  • Building and Construction1.61.0Level 1 looks like: Choose the proper type of wood for adding a deck onto a house
  • Foreign Language1.6—
  • Philosophy and Theology1.61.2Level 1 looks like: Watch a TV show on family values
  • Physics1.61.1Level 1 looks like: Use a crowbar to pry open a box
  • Transportation1.61.0Level 1 looks like: Ride a train to work
  • Geography1.50.8Level 1 looks like: Know the capital of the United States
  • History and Archeology1.3—
  • Fine Arts1.2—

Abilities

Enduring capacities the work calls for.

  • Oral Comprehension3.53.0Level 2 looks like: Understand a television commercial
  • Near Vision3.13.0Level 2 looks like: Read indicators on the dashboard of a car
  • Oral Expression3.13.0Level 2 looks like: Place an order at a restaurant drive-thru
  • Selective Attention3.02.3Level 2 looks like: Answer a business call with coworkers talking nearby
  • Speech Clarity3.03.0Level 4 looks like: Make stadium-wide announcements during a sporting event
  • Speech Recognition3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Recognize the voice of a coworker
  • Arm-Hand Steadiness2.92.6Level 2 looks like: Light a candle
  • Deductive Reasoning2.92.1Level 2 looks like: Know that a stalled car can coast downhill
Show all 52
  • Inductive Reasoning2.92.3Level 2 looks like: Decide what to wear based on the weather report
  • Information Ordering2.92.1Level 2 looks like: Follow the correct steps to make change
  • Manual Dexterity2.92.3Level 1 looks like: Screw a light bulb into a light socket
  • Problem Sensitivity2.92.6Level 2 looks like: Recognize that an unplugged lamp won't work
  • Trunk Strength2.92.4Level 2 looks like: Sit up in an office chair
  • Written Comprehension2.82.8Level 2 looks like: Understand signs on the highway
  • Far Vision2.62.3Level 2 looks like: Read a roadside billboard
  • Written Expression2.52.1Level 1 looks like: Write a note to remind someone to take food out of the freezer
  • Extent Flexibility2.42.1Level 2 looks like: Reach to adjust the radio in a car
  • Gross Body Coordination2.42.1Level 2 looks like: Get in and out of a truck
  • Gross Body Equilibrium2.41.4Level 2 looks like: Stand on a ladder
  • Static Strength2.42.1Level 1 looks like: Push an empty shopping cart
  • Category Flexibility2.32.1Level 2 looks like: Sort paintbrushes based on length
  • Finger Dexterity2.32.3Level 2 looks like: Put coins in a parking meter
  • Multilimb Coordination2.32.0Level 2 looks like: Row a boat
  • Stamina2.32.1Level 1 looks like: Walk 1/4 mile
  • Time Sharing2.32.1Level 2 looks like: Listen to music while entering numbers into a spreadsheet
  • Auditory Attention2.12.1Level 2 looks like: Listen to a lecture while people nearby are talking
  • Dynamic Strength2.11.3Level 2 looks like: Use pruning shears to trim a bush
  • Flexibility of Closure2.12.0Level 2 looks like: Detect that your phone is ringing while at a concert
  • Memorization2.11.8Level 1 looks like: Remember the number on your bus to be sure you get back on the right one
  • Number Facility2.11.9Level 1 looks like: Add 2 and 7
  • Perceptual Speed2.12.1Level 2 looks like: Sort mail according to ZIP codes with no time pressure
  • Visual Color Discrimination2.11.9Level 1 looks like: Separate laundry into colors and whites
  • Visualization2.12.1Level 2 looks like: Imagine how to place paper in a printer so that the letterhead comes out on top
  • Control Precision2.02.0Level 2 looks like: Adjust a room light with a dimmer switch
  • Depth Perception2.01.5Level 2 looks like: Merge a car into traffic on a city street
  • Fluency of Ideas2.01.9Level 2 looks like: Name four different uses for a screwdriver
  • Hearing Sensitivity2.02.0Level 2 looks like: Notice a doorbell ringing
  • Mathematical Reasoning2.01.1Level 1 looks like: Determine how much 20 oranges will cost when they are priced at 5 for 4 dollars
  • Originality2.01.9Level 2 looks like: Use a credit card to open a locked door
  • Rate Control2.01.1Level 1 looks like: Ride a bicycle alongside a jogger
  • Reaction Time2.01.1Level 2 looks like: Start to slow down the car when a traffic light turns yellow
  • Speed of Closure2.01.3
  • Wrist-Finger Speed1.90.9
  • Speed of Limb Movement1.80.8
  • Response Orientation1.60.6
  • Spatial Orientation1.50.6
  • Explosive Strength1.40.5
  • Dynamic Flexibility1.0—
  • Glare Sensitivity1.0—
  • Night Vision1.0—
  • Peripheral Vision1.0—
  • Sound Localization1.0—

Work activities

Kinds of activity the work is made of.

  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events4.44.3Level 4 looks like: Judge the suitability of food products for an event
  • Getting Information4.33.8Level 4 looks like: Review a budget
  • Performing for or Working Directly with the Public4.14.6Level 4 looks like: Sell shoes in a crowded shoe store
  • Performing General Physical Activities3.94.1Level 4 looks like: Paint the outside of a house
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates3.84.0Level 4 looks like: Report the results of a sales meeting to a supervisor
  • Handling and Moving Objects3.84.4Level 4 looks like: Arrange books in a library
  • Assisting and Caring for Others3.64.0Level 4 looks like: Help a medical patient find in-home assistance or healthcare
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships3.44.3Level 4 looks like: Maintain good working relationships with almost all coworkers and clients
Show all 41
  • Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials3.33.1Level 4 looks like: Inspect equipment in a chemical processing plant
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems3.33.1Level 4 looks like: Select the location for a major retail store
  • Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings3.33.8Level 4 looks like: Test electrical circuits
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work3.33.2Level 4 looks like: Plan and adjust a personal to-do list according to changing demands
  • Training and Teaching Others3.33.4Level 4 looks like: Teach a social sciences course to high school students
  • Analyzing Data or Information3.23.3Level 4 looks like: Determine the interest cost to finance a new building
  • Coaching and Developing Others3.23.4Level 4 looks like: Provide on-the-job training for administrative workers
  • Communicating with People Outside the Organization3.23.3Level 4 looks like: Present information to potential clients about available services
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards3.23.3Level 4 looks like: Evaluate a complicated insurance claim for compliance with policy terms
  • Processing Information3.23.4Level 4 looks like: Calculate the adjustments for insurance claims
  • Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others3.23.1Level 4 looks like: Get two subordinates to agree about vacation schedules
  • Controlling Machines and Processes3.13.3Level 4 looks like: Operate a drilling rig
  • Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People3.12.4Level 1 looks like: Determine whether to remove a tree that has been damaged
  • Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others2.92.9
  • Monitoring and Controlling Resources2.92.9
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge2.92.7
  • Documenting/Recording Information2.82.7
  • Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates2.82.7
  • Working with Computers2.82.7
  • Developing and Building Teams2.72.5Level 1 looks like: Encourage two coworkers to stick with a tough assignment
  • Providing Consultation and Advice to Others2.72.8
  • Thinking Creatively2.72.6
  • Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others2.52.4Level 1 looks like: Interpret a blood pressure reading
  • Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information2.41.8Level 1 looks like: Estimate the size of household furniture to be shipped
  • Developing Objectives and Strategies2.31.8Level 1 looks like: Plan the holiday schedule for an airline workforce
  • Scheduling Work and Activities2.31.8Level 1 looks like: Make appointments for patients using a predetermined schedule
  • Selling or Influencing Others2.32.2Level 1 looks like: Convince a coworker to assist with an assignment
  • Performing Administrative Activities2.22.0Level 1 looks like: Complete routine paperwork
  • Staffing Organizational Units1.91.6Level 1 looks like: Work in a position that has minimal staffing requirements
  • Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment1.71.2Level 1 looks like: Drive a car
  • Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment1.71.2Level 1 looks like: Use display settings to adjust a television picture
  • Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment1.71.2Level 1 looks like: Make simple, external adjustments to a door hinge with ordinary hand tools
  • Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment1.61.0Level 1 looks like: Specify the lighting for a work area

Work context

The conditions most characteristic of the work, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale.

  • Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams4.7
  • Spend Time Standing4.7
  • Spend Time Walking or Running4.6
  • Physical Proximity4.4
  • Time Pressure4.4
  • Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team4.4
  • Contact With Others4.3
  • Spend Time Bending or Twisting Your Body4.2
  • Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls4.1
  • Health and Safety of Other Workers4.0

Technology

7 tools

Software used in this work. In demand: among the tools job postings for this occupation name most. Hot: often named in job postings across the economy.

Hot (4)

  • Facebook
  • Microsoft Office software
  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Microsoft Windows
Other tools (3)
  • Capital Codeworks MenuMax
  • CBORD Nutrition Service Suite
  • Picis CareSuite

Related occupations

O*NET's own list of the occupations most related to this one, closest first.

  1. Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers
  2. Fast Food and Counter Workers
  3. Waiters and Waitresses
  4. Food Preparation Workers
  5. Dishwashers
  6. Cooks, Restaurant
  7. Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop
  8. Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria
  9. Cooks, Short Order
  10. Food Service Managers

ESCO equivalents

From the official ESCO–O*NET crosswalk, strongest match first. A broader occupation takes in this one; a narrower one is a part of it.

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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. ESCO occupations and skills are from the European Commission's ESCO classification, and the occupation crosswalk is the official ESCO–O*NET mapping by the ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA. This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission. BlissPoint Analytics has modified all or some of this information: skill, task and descriptor ratings are rounded to one decimal, and ESCO occupations show Job Zone and interests copied from a crosswalked O*NET occupation. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.