Counter Attendants and Kitchen Helpers
Job description
These individuals prepare, cook, and serve food to customers. They clear tables, clean kitchen work areas, and wash dishes. They work for:
- Restaurants
- Coffees
- Hotels
- Fast food counters
- Cafeterias
- Hospitals
- Caterers
Environment
- Controlled ambient temperature
- Equipment, machinery, tools
- Odours
- Humidity
Main tasks
Counter Attendants and Food Preparers
- Take orders from customers.
- Wash, peel, and slice food.
- Prepare fast food and drinks.
- Divide food into portions, assemble, and wrap or place on plates.
- Serve customers at the counter or buffet table.
- Fill refrigerators and salad counters.
- Keep records of the amounts of food consumed.
- Receive payments, if applicable.
Kitchen Helpers
- Wash and peel the fruits and vegetables.
- Clean work surfaces, cabinets, and appliances.
- Take out the garbage and clean the garbage cans in the kitchen.
- Unpack and store supplies.
- Sweep floors.
- Provide any other assistance to kitchen staff.
Food Service Helpers
- Clear and clean tables and trays in the dining rooms.
- Set the tables.
- Fill condiment containers on tables and in service areas.
- Remove and replace cutlery before and after services.
- Perform other tasks (scrape and stack plates, carry linens, run errands, etc.).
Divers
- Wash dishes, glasses, utensils, pots, and pans by hand or machine.
- Store the dishes in the place provided.
- Scrub pots and pans.
- Clean and polish silverware, as required.
Advancement and mobility
- There is a high degree of mobility among the jobs in this group.
- Additional training and experience lead to other food service occupations.
Hourly wage
The hourly wage is calculated by averaging wages from 2022 to 2024.- Minimum
- $16.10
- Median
- $16.10
- Maximum
- $21.58
Job prospects for 2024-2028
Les 2 champs de sélection ci-dessous vous permettent de comparer 2 régions. Les données des régions seront automatiquement mises à jour à la sélection. Par défaut, la province de Québec est sélectionnée pour la première région.
Job prospects for 2024-2028
Job prospects
All of Québec
Very good
All of Québec
Non available
Total jobs for 2023
All of Québec
81,000
All of Québec
na
Gender distribution
All of Québec
Not available.
- 60.2% Female
- 39.8% Male
Not available.
- 60.2% Female
- 39.8% Male
Job types
All of Québec
Not available.
- Full time
- Part time
Not available.
- Full time
- Part time
Yearly wage on 2020
All of Québec
$33,200
All of Québec
Other characteristics
All of Québec
- None
All of Québec
- None
Sectors of activity
All of Québec
Not available.
-
NAICS 7262% of jobs
-
NAICS 621, 622, 62316% of jobs
-
NAICS 44, 458% of jobs
-
NAICS 311, 3123% of jobs
-
NAICS 412% of jobs
-
Others9% of jobs
All of Québec
Not available.
-
NAICS 7262% of jobs
-
NAICS 621, 622, 62316% of jobs
-
NAICS 44, 458% of jobs
-
NAICS 311, 3123% of jobs
-
NAICS 412% of jobs
-
Others9% of jobs
Training and requirements
Formation
No specific training
Sometimes required
- Some high school education usually required.
Main skills and characteristics
Skills
- Data collection
- Active listening
- Service oriented
- Oral expression
- Time management
- Social perception
Abilities
- Oral comprehension
- Near vision
- Selective attention
- Speech clarity
- Core strength
- Verbal skills
- Information organization
- Speech recognition
- Awareness of issues
- Hand-arm stability
Knowledge and attributes
- Capacity to work under pressure
- Autonomy
- Knowledge of customer and personalized services
- Capacity to work in a team
- Respect standards and regulations
- Friendliness
- Assiduity and punctuality
- Commitment to quality
- Availability
- Timeliness
Interests
- Work in sales or client service
- Work in hotels, restaurants, and tourism
- Work manually
Personality profiles (RIASEC)
- Realistic
- People with this profile prefer carrying out concrete tasks and being physically involved in what they do.
- Social
- People with this profile prefer to be in contact with others, in particular to entertain, help or teach them.
- Enterprising
- People with this profile prefer having responsibilities, influencing others and responding to challenges.
Official name of the NOC 65201
Food counter attendants, kitchen helpers and related support occupations
Job titles
- Kitchen Helpers
- Food service helper
- Cook's helper
- Dishwasher
- Food preparer
- Bar helper
- Cafeteria helper
- Dietary aide
- Bartender helper
- Food and beverage service runner assistant
- Camp cook's helper
- Logging camp cook's helper
- Caterer helper
- Sandwich artist
- Dining room assistant
- Barista
- Pot washer
- Donut shop counter clerk
- Donut shop clerk
- Bus boy/girl
- Food runner
- Snack bar attendant
- Expediter - food services
- Dessert maker
- Food assembler - fast food
- Airline food assembler
- Fish and chips preparer
- Fast-food preparer
- Salad maker
- Salad and sandwich maker
- Sandwich maker
- Sandwich, salad and dessert maker
- Sushi preparer
- Dining room attendant
- Camp lunchroom attendant
- Steam table attendant - food services
- Salad bar attendant
- Counterperson - food services
- Food concession worker
- Dishwashing machine attendant
- Silverware cleaner
- Food service attendant
- Drive-in food service attendant
- Fast-food service attendant
- Hospital tray carrier
- Take-out attendant - fast food
- Hospital meal attendant
- Food and beverage services attendant
- Donut shop attendant
- Cafeteria-buffet attendant
- Restaurant counter attendant
- Cafeteria counter attendant
- Ice cream counter attendant
- Lunchroom counter attendant
- Food counter attendant
- Steward - canadian armed forces
- Cafeteria worker
- Food service worker
- Street food vendor
- Ice cream vendor
- Hot dog vendor
- Popcorn vendor
Skill type
Sales and service
Related occupations
Last update: January 29, 2026
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