Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers Salary
Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations · 543K employed in the U.S.
Median annual
$33,980
Median hourly
$16
Average annual
$34,230
Typical range
$21,300–$46,570
Pay distribution
10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.
What this role pays
The median annual salary for Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers is $33,980 as of May 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. That works out to about $16 an hour at a full-time schedule.
Facilitate food service. Clean tables; remove dirty dishes; replace soiled table linens; set tables; replenish supply of clean linens, silverware, glassware, and dishes; supply service bar with food; and serve items such as water, condiments, and coffee to patrons..
Most earn between $21,300 and $46,570 a year. There are roughly 543K people employed as dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers in the United States. Use the state and metro pages below to see how pay changes by location, and the calculator to convert any hourly or annual figure.
Salary calculator
Convert your pay and see where it lands for Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers.
- Hourly
- $16.34
- Daily
- $131
- Weekly
- $653
- Bi-weekly
- $1,307
- Monthly
- $2,832
- Annual
- $33,980
$33,980 a year is around the 50th percentile for Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helperss. The median is $33,980.
Highest-paying states
Median annual wage by state.
- 1VI$51,760
- 2Hawaii$51,200
- 3Washington$41,420
- 4District of Columbia$39,080
- 5Maine$38,560
- 6Maryland$37,020
- 7Oregon$36,800
- 8Colorado$36,790
- 9New York$36,740
- 10Arizona$36,500
- 11California$36,010
- 12Massachusetts$35,380
Top-paying metro areas
Median annual wage by metro area.
- 1Kahului-Wailuku, HI$61,230
- 2Urban Honolulu, HI$50,200
- 3Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$45,120
- 4San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$41,710
- 5San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$39,310
- 6Portland-South Portland, ME$39,170
- 7Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$38,210
- 8Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA$38,120
- 9Barnstable Town, MA$37,980
- 10Kennewick-Richland, WA$37,700
- 11Walla Walla, WA$37,700
- 12Bangor, ME$37,670
Related job titles
Employers advertise Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers roles under these titles.
Related occupations
What a Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers does
- Serve ice water, coffee, rolls, or butter to patrons.
- Clean up spilled food or drink or broken dishes and remove empty bottles and trash.
- Carry trays from food counters to tables for cafeteria patrons.
- Clean and polish counters, shelves, walls, furniture, or equipment in food service areas or other areas of restaurants and mop or vacuum floors.
- Run cash registers.
- Scrape and stack dirty dishes and carry dishes and other tableware to kitchens for cleaning.
- Wipe tables or seats with dampened cloths or replace dirty tablecloths.
- Set tables with clean linens, condiments, or other supplies.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers make?
- The median annual wage for Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers is $33,980 ($16 per hour). Pay ranges from about $21,300 at the 10th percentile to $46,570 at the 90th percentile.
- What is the average salary for a Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers?
- The average (mean) annual salary is $34,230, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
- Which state pays Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helperss the most?
- VI has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $51,760.
- Is Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers a growing occupation?
- BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 543K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
- What does a Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers do?
- Serve ice water, coffee, rolls, or butter to patrons.; Clean up spilled food or drink or broken dishes and remove empty bottles and trash.; Carry trays from food counters to tables for cafeteria patrons..