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Cafeteria Helper Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Oxford Community Schools Cafeteria Helper - 3.5 Hours Oxford Middle School 2026-27 School Year Primary Function : Provide students with a healthy, high quality nutritious lunch within the guidelines ...

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Cafeteria Helper information

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How much do cafeteria helper jobs pay per hour?

As of Jun 9, 2026, the average hourly pay for cafeteria helper in the United States is $14.80, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $14.42 and $15.14 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the difference between Cafeteria Helper vs Kitchen Assistant?

AspectCafeteria HelperKitchen Assistant
CredentialsNone typically requiredBasic food safety knowledge often preferred
Work EnvironmentSchool or institutional cafeterias, serving studentsCommercial or institutional kitchens, food prep areas
Employer & IndustrySchools, colleges, or cafeteriasRestaurants, catering services, food production
Job FocusAssisting with serving, cleaning, and maintaining cafeteria areasAssisting with food prep, cleaning kitchen equipment

While both roles support food service operations, Cafeteria Helpers primarily assist with serving and maintaining cafeteria areas, often in schools, whereas Kitchen Assistants focus more on food preparation and kitchen cleanliness in various food service settings.

What are Cafeteria Helpers?

Cafeteria Helpers are staff members who support the daily operations of a cafeteria, usually in schools, hospitals, or corporate settings. Their duties often include preparing and serving food, cleaning dining areas, restocking supplies, and assisting with dishwashing. They work under the supervision of cafeteria managers and ensure that food safety and hygiene standards are met. Cafeteria Helpers play an important role in creating a clean, organized, and efficient dining environment for all patrons.

What are some of the typical daily responsibilities of a Cafeteria Helper, and how do they collaborate with other staff members?

As a Cafeteria Helper, your daily responsibilities often include preparing and serving food, maintaining cleanliness in dining and kitchen areas, restocking supplies, and assisting with meal setup and cleanup. You'll frequently collaborate with cooks, kitchen staff, and other helpers to ensure smooth food service and adherence to health and safety standards. Teamwork and effective communication are key, as you'll coordinate tasks during busy meal periods and support one another to provide a positive dining experience for students or customers.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Cafeteria Helper, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Cafeteria Helper, you need basic food preparation skills, knowledge of food safety, and often a high school diploma or equivalent. Familiarity with commercial kitchen equipment, point-of-sale (POS) systems, and, in some cases, a food handler’s certification is valuable. Strong teamwork, communication, and customer service skills help you efficiently serve meals and interact positively with students and staff. These abilities ensure safe, efficient food service operations and a welcoming environment for patrons.
What cities are hiring for Cafeteria Helper jobs? Cities with the most Cafeteria Helper job openings:
What are the most commonly searched types of Cafeteria jobs? The most popular types of Cafeteria jobs are:
Who are the top companies hiring for Cafeteria Helper jobs? The top employers for Cafeteria Helper jobs are:
What states have the most Cafeteria Helper jobs? States with the most job openings for Cafeteria Helper jobs include:
Infographic showing various Cafeteria Helper job openings in the United States as of May 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 78% Full Time, 17% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 99% Physical, and 1% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $30,777 per year, or $14.8 per hour.
Cafeteria Helper - Lahaina Intermediate

Cafeteria Helper - Lahaina Intermediate

Hawaii State Department of Education

Lahaina, HI • On-site

$4K/mo

Other

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement

Posted 8 days ago


Hawaii State Department Of Education rating

6.0

Company rating: 6.0 out of 10

Based on 21 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

592nd of 645 rated public administrative organizations


Job description

Salary: $4,368.00 Monthly
Location : Lahaina Intermediate: 871 Lahainaluna Rd, Lahaina, HI 96761
Job Type: Various, 12-month
Job Number: 2026-00032P
District / Complex Area: Classified / Maui / HLLM
School / Office: Classified / Lahaina Intermediate
Opening Date: 02/01/2026
Max Number of Applicants: 50
Description
This posting will be used to fill various Cafeteria Helper positions at the specified location.
Salary Range:
Cafeteria Helper, BC-02: $4,368.00 per month
Examples of Duties
  1. Coordinates and works closely with other food service employees to ensure menu items are prepared in a timely manner to meet meal service times and/or satellite delivery schedule.
  2. Reviews daily production records and secures necessary ingredients/food items and equipment for preparation purposes.
  3. Cleans and prepares fresh fruits and vegetables; prepares simple meal items such as toast, rice, and cereals; assembles items such as salads, sandwiches, and baked goods; and may assist with the preparation of meal items for students with dietary needs.
  4. Portions and packs menu items for satellite feeding.
  5. Sets-up serving counters for meal service, serves students and staff, and replenishes food and other supplementary items as needed.
  6. Washes pots, pans, plates, and other kitchen equipment and utensils; washes dish towels, aprons, caps, etc.
  7. Cleans and maintains work areas, serving counters, dining areas, and washrooms in a neat, clean, sanitary, and orderly manner; thoroughly cleans and sanitizes utensils and equipment after use; and sweeps, scrubs, and mops kitchen and dining room floors.
  8. Properly labels, stores, and/or disposes leftover foods.
  9. Receives provisions ordered, documents product temperature if applicable, and reports discrepancies to School Food Services Manager; dates and stores goods in proper manner and place; records supplies and ingredients used; and assists in completing monthly inventory and maintaining routine records as directed.
  10. Oversees the work of student helper(s) assigned to the school kitchen.
  11. Attends and participates in staff meetings, workshops, and in-service training; achieves the annual minimum required training hours as outlined by the United States Department of Agriculture.

Minimum Qualifications
Education and Experience Requirements: Applicants must possess the ability to read, write, and understand oral and written English, follow oral and written instructions, and perform simple arithmetic. Such abilities may be demonstrated by graduation from high school or work experience which required the cited abilities.
Supplemental Information
Salary: The advertised salary is based on full-time employment and includes shortage and school year differentials, if applicable.
Requirements: Applicants must meet all the requirements for the position they are seeking as of the date of the application, unless otherwise specified. Unless specifically indicated, the required education and experience may not be gained concurrently. Calculation of experience is based on full-time, 40-hour workweeks. Part-time experience is pro-rated. Example: Twelve months of experience at 20 hours/week is equivalent to six months of experience, not one year. Also, hours worked in excess of 40 hours/week will not be credited. Example: Twelve months of experience at 60 hours/week is equivalent to one year of experience, not one and a half years.
Temporary Assignment: Claims of Temporary Assignment (TA) experience to meet the minimum qualification requirements must be verified and attached to the application using one of the options below:
  1. A copy of the applicant's TA History Report or equivalent system-generated report;
  2. A signed letter from the applicant's supervisor that includes the applicant's name, his/her TA job title, the TA start and end dates (from mm/yy to mm/yy), his/her specific TA duties performed, and either the TA hours worked per week or total TA hours worked; or,
  3. Copies of the applicant's signed SF-10 Forms.

Documents: Attach all relevant supporting documents to your application. Documents that were attached to applications submitted before November 16, 2023 do not automatically attach or transfer to applications submitted on and after December 16, 2023. All submitted documents become the property of the Hawaii State Department of Education.
Information about Temporary Positions: Temporary positions may be extended year to year, dependent upon funding and departmental needs. Making yourself available for temporary positions increases your employment possibilities and may lead to permanent opportunities. A person hired for a temporary position may also become a temporary employee upon satisfactory completion of the initial probation period of at least six months. Once a temporary employee, you would be eligible to apply for promotion and transfer opportunities to permanent as well as other temporary positions. You may also enjoy other rights and benefits as afforded to an employee in a permanent position, with the exception of return rights and placement rights associated with a reduction-in-force.
Equal Opportunity
The Hawaii State Department of Education does not discriminate in its educational policies, programs, and activities on the basis of sex, race, color, religion, national origin, age, and disability in accordance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Age Discrimination Act of 1975, and Americans with Disabilities Act of 1991. The Department does not discriminate in its employment policies, programs, and activities on the basis of sexual orientation, arrest and court record, and National Guard participation, as well as on the basis of sex, race, color, religion, national origin, age, and disability, in accordance with Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, Americans with Disabilities Act of 1991, Equal Pay Act of 1963, and Chapter 378, Part I, Hawaii Revised Statutes.
Payday
New employees can expect their first paycheck within the first 3 pay periods of their start date. Payday is on the 5th and 20th (or previous business day) of every month.
12-month civil service and SSP employees enjoy a range of competitive benefits:
  • Holidays: You may be eligible for 13 paid holidays each year; 14 holidays during an election year.
  • Vacation: Employees of Bargaining Units 1, 2, 3, 4, 9, 10 and 13 earn 21 days per year.
  • Sick Leave: Employees of Bargaining Units 1, 2, 3, 4, 9, 10 and 13 earn 21 days per year. Accumulated (unused) credits may be used toward computing retirement benefits.
  • Health Insurance: If eligible, the State pays a part of the premiums for each employee's enrollment in a State sponsored Medical, Drug, Vision, and Adult Dental Plan.
  • Group Life Insurance: The State provides a free life insurance policy for employees and retirees.
  • Premium Conversion Plan: Participating employees may increase their take-home pay by having the State deduct the cost of health care premiums before payroll taxes are withheld.
  • Flexible Spending Accounts: Eligible employees can reduce their federal and state income taxes and social security taxes through a tax-savings benefit program called Island Flex. This program allows employees to set aside money from their paychecks to pay for out-of-pocket health care expenses and eligible dependent care expenses on a BEFORE-TAX basis.
  • Retirement Plan: The State contributes to a retirement plan for eligible employees. Generally, employees with at least 10 years of credited service and who have reached 62 years of age or have 30 years of credited service and are 55 years old may retire and receive benefits.
  • Tax Shelter Annuity (TSA): If eligible, Department employees are able to participate in a tax shelter annuity program. The TSA plan allows eligible employees to contribute pre-tax dollars to an employee-selected investment service provider authorized to provide TSA products.
  • Deferred Compensation: The State offers employees a tax deferred (sheltered) retirement investment program. This program is an opportunity to build a retirement nest egg through voluntary payroll deductions. Several investment options are available.
  • Temporary Disability Insurance: Qualified employees may be eligible to receive benefits for a disability caused by a non-work related injury or illness under this program.
  • Social Security: As an employer, the State also contributes to an employee's social security account.
  • Workers' Compensation: If an employee is injured while on the job, benefits covering medical expenses and partial wage support may be available through workers' compensation.
  • Union & Collective Bargaining: Employees have the right to join the union for collective bargaining with the State and employee representation. Some employee unions provide discounts, insurance and other opportunities. Employees may also decide not to join a union, however, employees are required to pay union service fees unless the employee's job is excluded from collective bargaining.
The above is intended as a general summary of the benefits offered and is subject to change. This does not constitute a contract or binding agreement. Benefits vary by type of employment appointment and collective bargaining agreements.
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EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENT:Applicants must possess the ability to read, write and understand oral and written English, follow oral and written instructions, and perform simple arithmetic. Such abilities may be demonstrated by graduation from high school or work experience which required the cited abilities.Check all that apply:
  • I have a high school diploma or GED and/or work experience that required the ability to read, write and understand oral and written English, follow oral and written instructions, and perform simple arithmetic.
  • I have the ability to read, write and understand oral and written English, follow oral and written instructions, and perform simple arithmetic.
  • None of the above.

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