Duties and Responsibilities
A cafe assistant supports the daily operations of a cafe or coffee shop. Your job duties may include:
- Taking food and beverage orders
- Stocking pastry displays and other inventory
- Cleaning the facility
- Preparing and serving coffee and tea drinks that meet quality standards
- Properly handling and maintaining all equipment
- Responding to orders, questions, concerns, and complaints in a polite and efficient manner
- Accurately handling cash and credit card payments, following appropriate cash-handling procedures
- Serving customers quickly and efficiently
- Demonstrating a thorough understanding of all the menu offerings
- Observing relevant health and safety standards
Qualifications for Cafe Assistant Jobs
What are the typical qualifications for Cafe Assistant jobs?
- A high school diploma or general education degree (GED)
- Retail, hospitality, and/or customer service experience preferred
Cafe Attendant Specifics
Cafe Attendants are often responsible for:
- Cleaning tables
- Taking dirty dishes to the kitchen
- Refilling glasses
- Seating customers
- Assisting servers by taking food to the table
- Working the entire shift standing on their feet
- Providing excellent customer service
Working in a Cafe: Age Requirements
How old do you have to be to work at a cafe?
There is no minimum age to start casual or part-time work in NSW. However, you have to be 14 and 9 months to do door-to-door sales work. Typically fifteen is the most common minimum age for cafe work, subject to certain child labor laws.
Employment Landscape
Earnings often come from tips split between servers and attendants. Opportunities fluctuate with cafe success. Many smaller cafes eliminate attendant positions by adding their duties to servers and hosts. However, food service jobs should increase 8% through 2018.