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Dining Assistant Jobs in Chicago, IL (NOW HIRING)

Parkhurst Dining

Dining Room Attendant

Naperville, IL

$13 - $16.75/hr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Empty glass racks must be taken to dish room. 5. Assist our guests, as needed, in a friendly and ... Dining. * Paid time off * Management career advancement opportunities * Access to continuous ...

Parkhurst Dining

Dining Room Attendant

Lake Forest, IL

$12.75 - $16.50/hr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Empty glass racks must be taken to dish room. 5. Assist our guests, as needed, in a friendly and ... Dining. * Paid time off * Management career advancement opportunities * Access to continuous ...

Cedarhurst Senior Living

Dining Server

Dyer, IN · On-site

$14/hr

  • Medical

  • Life

  • Retirement

Dining Server About Cedarhurst: Cedarhurst Senior Living is a leading provider of senior living ... Essential Functions: * Assist with catering, room service, special events, and marketing functions ...

Cedarhurst of Naperville

Dining Server

Woodridge, IL · On-site

$16/hr

  • Medical

  • Life

  • Retirement

Dining Server About Cedarhurst: Cedarhurst Senior Living is a leading provider of senior living ... Essential Functions: * Assist with catering, room service, special events, and marketing functions ...

Cedarhurst Senior Living

Dining Server

Woodridge, IL · On-site

$16/hr

  • Medical

  • Life

  • Retirement

Dining Server About Cedarhurst: Cedarhurst Senior Living is a leading provider of senior living ... Essential Functions: * Assist with catering, room service, special events, and marketing functions ...

Cedarhurst Senior Living

Dining Server

Frankfort, IL · On-site

$15/hr

  • Medical

  • Life

  • Retirement

Dining Server About Cedarhurst: Cedarhurst Senior Living is a leading provider of senior living ... Essential Functions: * Assist with catering, room service, special events, and marketing functions ...

Cedarhurst

Dining Server

Dyer, IN · On-site

$14/hr

  • Medical

  • Life

  • Retirement

Dining Server About Cedarhurst: Cedarhurst Senior Living is a leading provider of senior living ... Essential Functions: * Assist with catering, room service, special events, and marketing functions ...

Cedarhurst of Dyer

Dining Server

Dyer, IN · On-site

$14/hr

  • Medical

  • Life

  • Retirement

Dining Server About Cedarhurst: Cedarhurst Senior Living is a leading provider of senior living ... Essential Functions: * Assist with catering, room service, special events, and marketing functions ...

Cedarhurst

Dining Server

Frankfort, IL · On-site

$15/hr

  • Medical

  • Life

  • Retirement

Dining Server About Cedarhurst: Cedarhurst Senior Living is a leading provider of senior living ... Essential Functions: * Assist with catering, room service, special events, and marketing functions ...

The Holmstad

Dining Server

Northbrook, IL · On-site

$16.06 - $20.88/hr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES: * Assist in food preparation, hospitality duties, and meal service, including serving food, waiting tables, and bussing tables. Serves Breakfast, lunch and dinner meals to ...

Cedarhurst of Frankfort

Dining Server

Frankfort, IL · On-site

$15/hr

  • Medical

  • Life

  • Retirement

Dining Server About Cedarhurst: Cedarhurst Senior Living is a leading provider of senior living ... Essential Functions: * Assist with catering, room service, special events, and marketing functions ...

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All JobsDining JobsDining Assistant JobsDining Assistant Jobs in Chicago, IL

Dining Assistant information

See Chicago, IL salary details

$8

$19

$42

How much do dining assistant jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 18, 2026, the average hourly pay for dining assistant in Chicago, IL is $19.71, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $14.95 and $21.15 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a dining assistant?

Dining assistants are professionals who support the serving of food and beverages in settings like care homes, hospitals, schools, and restaurants. Their role typically includes setting up dining areas, helping with meal service, assisting individuals who need help eating, and maintaining cleanliness. They play a key part in ensuring meal times are enjoyable and efficient, especially for people who may require additional support. Dining assistants also follow hygiene and safety regulations to ensure a safe dining environment.

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

To thrive as a Dining Assistant, you need basic food service knowledge, attention to hygiene, and often a high school diploma or equivalent. Familiarity with point-of-sale (POS) systems, food safety protocols, and sometimes a food handler certification is typically required. Excellent communication, teamwork, and a friendly demeanor help create a positive dining experience for guests. These skills ensure efficient service, safety compliance, and customer satisfaction in busy dining environments.

What are some common challenges faced by dining assistants, and how can they be effectively managed?

Dining Assistants often work in fast-paced environments where multitasking and effective communication are essential. Common challenges include managing multiple tables during busy meal times, handling special dietary needs, and ensuring customer satisfaction under time constraints. To manage these challenges effectively, it's important to stay organized, prioritize tasks, and maintain a positive attitude even during high-pressure periods. Collaborating closely with kitchen staff and fellow servers also helps ensure smooth service and a supportive team environment.

What is the difference between Dining Assistant vs Food Service Worker?

AspectDining AssistantFood Service Worker
CredentialsMay require food safety certification or trainingOften requires food handler's permit or certification
Work EnvironmentHospitals, schools, senior living facilities, cafeteriasRestaurants, cafeterias, catering services
Job DutiesAssisting diners, setting tables, serving food, cleaningPreparing, serving, and cleaning up food in various settings

Both roles involve food service and may require similar certifications, but Dining Assistants typically focus on supporting dining experiences in institutional settings, while Food Service Workers often work in restaurants or catering. The roles overlap in customer service and food handling, but their work environments and specific duties differ.

What are the most commonly searched types of Dining jobs in Chicago, IL?

The most popular types of Dining jobs in Chicago, IL are:

What cities near Chicago, IL are hiring for Dining Assistant jobs?

Cities near Chicago, IL with the most Dining Assistant job openings:

Dining Assistant jobs near you
Infographic showing various Dining Assistant job openings in Chicago, IL as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 62% Full Time, and 38% Part Time. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $40,993 per year, or $19.7 per hour.

Patient Dining Assistant - Full-Time (12 hour shifts)

Shirley Ryan AbilityLab

Chicago, IL • On-site

$16.75 - $23/hr

Full-time

Re-posted yesterday

Shirley Ryan AbilityLab rating

7.1

Company rating: 7.1 out of 10

Based on 14 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

Job description

Shirley Ryan AbilityLab is the global leader in physical medicine and rehabilitation for adults and children with the most severe, complex conditions. By joining our team, you'll be part of our life-changing mission and vision. You'll contribute to an innovative, multifaceted culture that is second to none - one that embraces collaboration, excellence, discovery and compassion. You'll play a role in something that's never been done before as we integrate science and clinical care to help patients achieve better, faster outcomes - as we Advance Human Ability, together.
Job Description Summary
The Patient Dining Assistant will provide meal assistance, including meal selection, service and retrieval, to patients on a daily basis based on physician's diet orders. Assistant will accurately serve food and beverages to patients in accordance with the patient's diet prescription and verbally communicate patient concerns with the clinical dietitian i.e. education needs, inadequate meal consumption.
The Patient Dining Assistant will consistently demonstrate support of the SRAlab statement of Vision, Mission and Core Values by striving for excellence, contributing to the team efforts and showing respect and compassion for patients and their families, fellow employees, and all others with whom there is contact at or in the interest of the institute.
The Patient Dining Assistant will demonstrate SRAlab Core Attributes: Communication, Accountability, Flexibility/Adaptability, Judgment/Problem Solving, Customer Service and SRAlab Values (Hope, Compassion, Discovery, Collaboration, & Commitment to Excellence) while fulfilling job duties.
Job Description
The Patient Dining Assistant will:
  • Assist patients with making appropriate daily menu selections.
  • Prepare, assemble and deliver patient meal trays and snacks in accordance to physician diet orders.
  • Calculate modified diets/fluid restrictions, calories, etc. for meals only.
  • Stock the pantries on the nursing units with patient food.
  • Perform assorted kitchen duties including sanitation, set-up and completion of temperature logs.
  • Utilize computer to generate patient diet orders and process snacks and tube feedings.
  • Perform all other duties that may be assigned in the best interest of SRAlab.

Reporting Relationships:
  • Reports directly to Patient Services Manager

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities Required:
  • Communication and Influence: Verbal and written communication skills to convey information that may be somewhat complex, and/or to others who may have limited knowledge of the subject in question.
  • Technical Knowledge: Full use and application of basic diet information. Ability to successfully complete training and achieve passing score on all competency tests.
  • Interpersonal Relations: Ability to develop and maintain professional, trusting, positive working relationships with patients, supervisors, nursing and ancillary staff, and managers.
  • Diversity Awareness: Ability and willingness to be aware of, understand, respect, and value the diverse cultural, ethnic, gender, age, educational, professional, etc. backgrounds and styles of others and to adapt one's own behavior based on that understanding.
  • Customer Focus: Ability and willingness to provide excellent service to patients and clients (the customers). This includes seeking to meet customer needs, expectations, and demands quickly and effectively; remaining calm and professional when dealing with difficult customers; receiving complaints from customers and taking action to remedy the complaint; and treating the customer as valuable.
  • Drive and Dependability: Ability and willingness to demonstrate optimism, and passion when working. These include demonstrating commitment, persistence, and heightened personal effort in the face of obstacles and adversity; pursuing excellence for self and organization; having a sense of urgency; and possessing ambition.
  • Stress Tolerance and Flexibility: Ability to work productively and effectively in a fast-paced, stressful, demanding, and/or ambiguous work environment.
  • Communication: Clear and Professional communication is required.
  • Physical Demands: The job requires physical activity that includes near constant standing, bending, walking and balancing; occasional kneeling, climbing, stooping/crouching. The individual must have the ability to frequently lift and/or carry items weighing up to 25 pounds and occasionally lift/carry items weighing up to 50 pounds. Work also requires frequently pushing carts and racks requiring push forces ranging from 10 lbs to 50 lbs.

Working Conditions:
  • Normal office environment with little or no exposure to dust or extreme temperature.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of personnel so classified.
Pay and Benefits*:
Pay Range:
$17.05 - $22.00
Benefits:
Shirley Ryan AbilityLab offers a comprehensive benefits program that is competitive with our industry peers in our geographic locations: https://www.sralab.org/benefits
*Benefits and benefits' eligibility can vary by position. Actual compensation will be determined by equity and qualifications of the role.
Equal Employment Opportunity Employer
Shirley Ryan AbilityLab is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. All applicants will be afforded equal employment opportunity without discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, marital status, national origin or ancestry, citizenship status, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, military status, order of protection status, unfavorable discharge from military service, or any other characteristics protected by law.
EEO is the Law | EEO is the Law - Know Your Rights | View our Full Policy
Shirley Ryan AbilityLab is an Affirmative Action Employer as required by law.

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