Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other Salary

The median food preparation and serving related workers, all other salary in the United States is $35,840 per year ($17.23/hour). Salaries range from $25,470 at the entry level to $47,550+ for the top 10% of earners. There are 84,630 food preparation and serving related workers, all other jobs nationwide. Employment is projected to grow 6.4% through 2034.

Last updated: June 2026 Β· Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Median Salary
$35,840
per year
Hourly Rate
$17.23
per hour
Employment
84,630
jobs in the U.S.

Salary Distribution

10th percentile
$25,470
25th percentile
$31,200
Median
$35,840
75th percentile
$39,880
90th percentile
$47,550

Job Growth (2024-2034)

+6.4%
Faster than average

Annual Openings

14,600
jobs/year (growth + replacements)

Education Required

No formal educational credential

Training Needed

Short-term on-the-job training

Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other Career Guide

Interview questions, resume templates, and a career ladder written specifically for food preparation and serving related workers, all others.

This is the BLS catch-all category (SOC 35-9099) for food-prep and food-service workers who don't fit a specific title elsewhere. In practice the occupation concentrates in five settings: (1) contract food-service prep at hospitals and long-term care facilities (Aramark, Compass Group / Morrison Healthcare, Sodexo), (2) corrections food service (Aramark Correctional, Trinity Services Group, Summit Food Service), (3) sports and entertainment venue concessions (Delaware North, Levy Restaurants, Centerplate / Sodexo Live, Aramark Sports), (4) K-12 school food-service assistants (usually district-employed or contracted through Chartwells / Sodexo Schools), and (5) film and event catering / craft services support (independent caterers, IATSE Local 80 in Los Angeles). BLS puts the occupation at 84,630 employed with median $35,840, p10 near $25,000 and p90 above $50,000. Entry $25-32k, established $32-42k, senior $42-50k+, with union-covered stadium and film work in high-cost metros running 20-40% above BLS median. Certification (ServSafe Food Handler and Manager, HACCP awareness, allergen protocol) is required or preferred at every credible employer. The career path forks between (a) production kitchen track β€” Cook / Sous Chef / Kitchen Manager, and (b) supervisor track β€” Lead Prep / Shift Supervisor / Food Service Director.

Core Skills Hiring Managers Screen For

ServSafe Food Handler + Manager certification (ServSafe / National Restaurant Association)
ServSafe Food Handler ($15 online, 2-hour course, valid 3 years) is the entry-level food-safety credential required in most states within 30-60 days of hire. ServSafe Food Manager ($179 exam, 8-hour prep, valid 5 years) is required for anyone in a supervisory food-service role and preferred for advancement to Lead Prep / Kitchen Manager. Every credible employer (Aramark, Compass Group, Sodexo, Delaware North) reimburses these fully after 90 days tenure.
HACCP awareness (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points)
HACCP is the FDA / USDA food-safety framework built on 7 principles (hazard analysis, critical control points, critical limits, monitoring, corrective actions, verification, record-keeping). At hospital and long-term care food service, HACCP compliance is audited by state departments of health and by CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) as a condition of participation. Understanding CCPs (cooking temps, holding temps, cooling curves, sanitizer strength) is expected at the Sr Prep / Lead level.
Allergen protocol + special-diet compliance
The Big 9 allergens (milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans, and sesame β€” added under the FASTER Act in 2023) require dedicated protocols: color-coded prep tools, ingredient verification, dedicated storage, cross-contact prevention. In hospital and school settings, special diets (gluten-free, texture-modified, renal, diabetic, cardiac, low-sodium) require dietitian-approved production standards. Getting an allergen touch wrong can trigger anaphylaxis; getting a renal-diet portion wrong can trigger a dialysis complication.
Portion control + production sheet execution
Contract food service and hospital food service run on production sheets β€” every meal service has a documented recipe, ingredient quantity, portion size, cook temp, hold time, and yield. Executing to the production sheet is what keeps costs on budget and quality consistent across a 500-tray hospital service or a 12,000-fan concession run. Fluency with production-sheet math (yield scaling, batch conversion, edible-portion vs as-purchased) is a working-professional signal.
Temperature control + food-safety logs
Cold storage 41Β°F or below, hot holding 135Β°F or above, cooking temps by protein (145Β°F seafood, 155Β°F ground beef, 165Β°F poultry and reheats), rapid cooling from 135Β°F to 70Β°F in 2 hours and 70Β°F to 41Β°F in 4 more hours (2-hour / 4-hour rule under FDA Food Code). Every station keeps a temp log β€” thermometers calibrated weekly, HACCP checks logged every 2-4 hours, corrective actions documented. State health inspectors and CMS auditors will pull the logs first.
Institutional kitchen equipment operation
Combi ovens (Rational, Alto-Shaam, Convotherm) for high-volume production, blast chillers for the 2-hour / 4-hour cooling rule, rethermalizers for cook-chill hospital service, tilt skillets and steam kettles for batch production, patient-tray belts (Aladdin, Meiko, Hobart). Fluency with the specific equipment at your setting β€” not generic 'commercial kitchen' β€” is what a hiring manager screens for.
Serving line + patron-facing service reflex
In sports venues and school cafeterias, food-service workers face guests directly β€” order-taking, cash / POS handling, plate-up and portion, allergen questions, complaint de-escalation. In hospital tray line and long-term-care service, it's about respectful patient-facing delivery of meals to bedside, with a nod to dignity for patients who often have limited independence.
Cleaning + sanitation to health-code standard
3-compartment sink protocol (wash, rinse, sanitize at 50-100 ppm chlorine or 200-400 ppm quat), commercial dishmachine operation with final rinse >180Β°F for high-temp or sanitizer-injected for low-temp, floor-drain and hood-vent cleaning, waste separation. Health-inspector citations on sanitation are the #1 shutdown risk for institutional food-service operations.

How to Become a Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other

  1. 1
    HS diploma or GED preferred; background check + food-safety pre-employment
    Most food-service employers accept HS diploma or GED. Corrections food service (Aramark Correctional, Trinity, Summit) requires additional background screening and often a state-issued security clearance. School food-service (Chartwells, Sodexo Schools, or district-employed) requires child-abuse registry clearance. Hospital food service requires TB screening and standard health-system onboarding.
  2. 2
    Start in an entry Food Service Worker / Prep Cook / Server role at a contract food-service employer or venue
    $14-17/hr ($25-32k annualized full-time). Aramark, Compass Group / Morrison Healthcare, Sodexo, Delaware North, Levy Restaurants, Centerplate hire year-round for hospital, LTC, sports venue, school, and corrections accounts. Union-covered stadium work through UNITE HERE Local 11 (LA), Local 25 (DC), or state locals pays 15-40% above open-shop rates.
  3. 3
    Earn ServSafe Food Handler within 30-60 days of hire; then ServSafe Manager at 6-12 months
    ServSafe Food Handler ($15, employer-reimbursed) is required in most states within 30-60 days of hire. ServSafe Manager ($179 exam + $80-125 prep book, employer-reimbursed after 90 days at all major employers) is required for anyone stepping into a supervisor / lead role and lifts pay 8-15%.
  4. 4
    Move into a Lead Prep / Cook / Shift Supervisor role
    $32-42k. Own a station on a large hospital tray line, or lead a concession stand at a stadium, or run the prep team at a corrections kitchen. Requires ServSafe Manager, working knowledge of HACCP, ability to execute production sheets under pressure, and comfort supervising 3-8 staff during service.
  5. 5
    Advance to Kitchen Manager / Food Service Director / Executive Chef (in institutional settings)
    $52-90k+. Kitchen Manager runs a specific unit (a hospital cafeteria, a corrections dining hall, a stadium concessions cluster). Food Service Director owns the entire contract at a hospital or LTC facility, reports to the client and to the contract-service regional. Executive Chef path leads to Executive Chef ($65-100k+) in the higher-end institutional accounts and event-catering side. Certified Dietary Manager (CDM) or Certified Food Service Professional (CFSP) are relevant credentials at this rung.

Career Progression

Food Service Worker / Prep Cook / Server (entry)
0-2 yrs$25-32k ($14-17/hr) Β· union stadium / film work $30-48k Β· $18-28/hr with benefits
  • β€’Execute production-sheet items: prep, cook to temp, portion, plate-up under lead direction
  • β€’Serve guests / patients / inmates on the line; handle POS or tray-line assignment as directed
  • β€’Follow temp logs, cooling records, sanitation checklists; call out any deviations to lead
  • β€’Clean and sanitize station, equipment, and floors to health-code standard at end of shift
Next: Sr Prep / Cook II at 12-24 months once ServSafe is earned and one station is second nature.
Sr Prep / Cook II / Lead Server
2-5 yrs$32-42k ($16-20/hr) Β· union $40-58k Β· $22-32/hr with benefits
  • β€’Own a specific station or specialty (grill, salad / cold prep, hot line, tray line assembly, specialty diets)
  • β€’Execute production sheets with minimal lead supervision; scale recipes and adjust for yield / substitutions
  • β€’Coach entry Food Service Workers; own opening / closing checklist for the station
  • β€’Handle HACCP temp logs and cooling records; escalate deviations to lead / manager
Next: Shift Supervisor / Cook III at 4-7 years once ServSafe Manager is earned.
Shift Supervisor / Cook III / Lead Prep
5-10 yrs$40-52k ($20-25/hr) Β· union $52-72k Β· $26-36/hr with benefits
  • β€’Run a shift on the line: 6-12 staff, patient tray line, concessions cluster, or corrections dining service
  • β€’Own the shift's HACCP compliance: temp logs, cooling records, allergen protocol, sanitation checklists
  • β€’Train new hires; execute the onboarding checklist and skill-sign-off matrix
  • β€’Interface with the unit manager, dietitian (in hospital / LTC), or venue operations lead on shift issues
Next: Kitchen Manager / Food Service Director at 8-13 years, once you're the go-to for one specialty and can run a full operation.
Kitchen Manager / Food Service Director / Executive Chef (out of BLS band)
8+ yrs$52-95k+ salaried (out of BLS FoodPrep-All-Other band; upper-mid food-service management)
  • β€’Own a full unit (hospital cafeteria, LTC kitchen, concessions cluster, corrections dining, school district kitchen)
  • β€’Manage 15-60 staff; own hiring, training, scheduling, discipline; own P&L for food, labor, supplies
  • β€’Own annual health-inspection compliance, HACCP program, and any CMS / state-agency audits
  • β€’Report to the contract-service regional (Aramark District Manager, Compass Group Regional Director) or to the client
Next: District Manager / Regional Director at contract food-service companies; or Executive Chef leading a high-end institutional account.

Interview Questions & Answers

5 free questions below. Career Kit unlocks 17 total plus resume bullets for every level.

Q1. Walk me through the temperature control rules you'd follow on a hot line during service.technical
Structure: (1) Cold ingredients held at 41Β°F or below at all times β€” check with a calibrated thermometer at line-setup, every 2 hours during service, and pre-close. (2) Hot foods held at 135Β°F or above β€” check same cadence. (3) Cooking temps by protein per FDA Food Code: 145Β°F for whole muscle beef and seafood, 155Β°F for ground beef and eggs held for service, 165Β°F for poultry, stuffed items, and reheated cook-chill foods. (4) The 2-hour / 4-hour cooling rule: 135Β°F down to 70Β°F within 2 hours, then 70Β°F down to 41Β°F within 4 more hours. (5) Every temp check logged on the station's HACCP log with time, temp, and initials. (6) Deviations: pull the item, document the corrective action, notify the lead. Interviewers screen for specific temps (not 'we keep it hot') and the 2-hour / 4-hour rule.
Q2. A patient / guest tells you they have a nut allergy but they don't see it noted on the ticket. What do you do?situational
Stop the ticket. Do not proceed with the order until you confirm. In a hospital setting, verify with the dietitian or the tray-line lead β€” the patient's diet order in the ERP (Cerner Nutrition, Epic Beacon, CBORD dietary system) should include the allergy flag; if it doesn't, the RN needs to update the order before we serve. In a concessions / cafeteria setting, verify the ingredient list on every product being considered (some sauces, condiments, and 'plain' items contain nut derivatives), use dedicated allergen prep tools (color-coded purple in most institutional kitchens), and prepare on a fully cleaned surface. Never guess and never rely on 'I think it's fine.' The FASTER Act added sesame as the 9th major allergen in 2023 β€” the same protocol applies. Interviewers screen for the reflex to stop, verify, and document β€” not to serve and hope.
Q3. Describe a time you dealt with a rush during service.behavioral
STAR. Situation: Halftime rush at a college football concessions stand where our line went from 30 fans to 250 fans in about 8 minutes; I was the lead server at a hot-dog and pretzel stand for Delaware North. Task: keep service moving without breaking food-safety standards (holding temps, sanitation between orders) and without letting cash / POS accuracy slip. Action: I called the second cash register operator over to run parallel POS, moved one of the food-runners to plate-up while I ran register, radio'd our supervisor for a runner to restock cups / condiments / receipt paper before we ran out, and set a pace that could sustain the crowd β€” steady portioning, no shortcutting on hot-hold temp checks. Result: We cleared the halftime line in 22 minutes with zero POS errors, zero temp-log gaps, and $6,400 in stand revenue that shift vs. an $8,200 stand average β€” high given the abbreviated service window. Interviewers reward specific setting, specific actions, and quantified outcomes on food-service work.
Q4. Why food service rather than retail or warehouse work?culture
Honest answer: food service has structured career progression through ServSafe Handler β†’ Manager β†’ Certified Dietary Manager (CDM) β†’ Kitchen Manager β†’ Food Service Director / Executive Chef, and the certifications are employer-reimbursed. Union-covered stadium and film work pays 20-40% above BLS median with health / pension. Contract food service (Aramark, Compass Group, Sodexo, Delaware North) has structured training and internal-promotion culture. Avoid saying 'I love food' as the only reason β€” every candidate says that. Name the specific setting (hospital, LTC, corrections, stadium, school, film) and one thing about that setting that draws you.
Q5. Where do you see yourself in 3-5 years?closer
Show the fork concretely. From Food Service Worker ($25-32k), the paths are: (a) Cook track β€” Cook II ($32-42k) β†’ Cook III / Lead ($40-52k) β†’ Sous Chef β†’ Executive Chef ($65-100k+). (b) Supervisor track β€” Sr Prep β†’ Shift Supervisor ($40-52k) β†’ Kitchen Manager ($52-75k) β†’ Food Service Director ($75-95k+). (c) Dietary specialty β€” CDM (Certified Dietary Manager) toward Food Service Director in hospital / LTC settings. Name the fork you're leaning toward, the credential you're pursuing (ServSafe Manager by year 1, CDM by year 3-5 if hospital-focused), and the specific setting you want to build in.

Resume Template β€” Food Service Worker / Prep Cook (0-2 yrs)

Copy these bullets into your resume as a starting point. Career Kit includes bullets for every level of the ladder.

Food Service Worker / Prep Cook (0-2 yrs)
  • β–ΈExecuted 220-320 patient trays per meal service on the tray line at a 480-bed hospital contracted with Morrison Healthcare / Compass Group; zero recorded allergen incidents in 18 months.
  • β–ΈServSafe Food Handler certified within 45 days of hire; enrolled in ServSafe Manager exam at month 10.
  • β–ΈMaintained station temp logs and cooling records to HACCP standard; zero state health-inspector citations at my station across 3 quarterly inspections.
  • β–Έ$15.75/hr ($32.7k) + full benefits + $500 ServSafe Manager exam reimbursement + $2/hr shift differential on the 4pm-12am shift.

What Gets You Rejected

  • βœ—No ServSafe Food Handler within 60 days of hire β€” screens out at every state that mandates food-handler credentialing, which is now most states.
  • βœ—Cannot cite the specific FDA Food Code cook temps (145 / 155 / 165) or the 2-hour / 4-hour cooling rule β€” signals surface-level food-safety knowledge.
  • βœ—Allergen carelessness β€” treats allergen calls as an interruption rather than a stop-and-verify moment; single-strike termination or reassignment at credible employers.
  • βœ—Weak sanitation discipline β€” sloppy 3-compartment sink work, no thermometer calibration, no HACCP temp log completion. Health-inspector citations on this are the #1 shutdown risk.
  • βœ—No credential trajectory β€” 2+ years in food service with no ServSafe Manager, no CDM interest, no cook / lead track signals limited advancement potential.
  • βœ—No specialty-diet or HACCP awareness at hospital / LTC settings β€” these environments live and die by CMS-audited nutrition compliance.

Salary Negotiation Levers

  • βœ“Credential premium β€” ServSafe Manager lifts pay 8-15% and unlocks Shift Supervisor / Lead promotions. CDM (Certified Dietary Manager) lifts hospital / LTC pay 15-25% and unlocks Food Service Director track.
  • βœ“Union coverage at stadium / film / large-venue work β€” UNITE HERE Local 11 (LA venues), Local 25 (DC venues), Local 100 (NYC), IATSE Local 80 (LA film craft services). Union-covered work runs 20-40% above BLS median with health / pension.
  • βœ“Metro adjustment β€” SF Bay, NYC, DC, LA, Seattle, Boston food-service pay is 15-30% above BLS national median. Union-covered stadium and film work in these markets runs even higher.
  • βœ“Shift differential β€” 2nd shift (typically 4pm-midnight) $1.50-3/hr, 3rd shift (overnight) $2-4/hr, weekend $1-2/hr, hospital or corrections holiday shifts often 1.5x rate. Ask about differential before accepting a schedule.
  • βœ“Bilingual capability β€” Spanish-English at LA / TX / FL / NY institutional food service adds 5-10%. Rarer languages (Mandarin, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Haitian Creole, Arabic) command higher premiums in specific metros with specific patient populations.
  • βœ“Corrections premium β€” Aramark Correctional, Trinity Services Group, Summit Food Service pay 10-20% above open-shop hospital / LTC rates due to the security-clearance requirement and the environment. Also PSLF-eligible when working for a state or county corrections agency directly.
  • βœ“Retirement structure β€” many union food-service positions include pension (UNITE HERE, IATSE, or state / county pension for public-sector employees). Pension formulas are often more valuable than a similar-sized 401(k) match; understand the vesting schedule.
  • βœ“Meal credit / free meals during shift β€” worth $1,200-2,600/year in most institutional settings; ask if included and whether taxable per IRS Publication 15-B.

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Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other Salary by State

Best Cities (cost-adjusted) β†’

Salary Map β€” Click a state for details

$22K
$46Kβ–  No data

Top Paying States

Nebraska
$46K
+29%
Hawaii
$44K
+21%
Oregon
$39K
+9%
Illinois
$39K
+8%
District of Columbia
$39K
+8%
New Hampshire
$38K
+7%
Indiana
$38K
+6%
Arizona
$38K
+5%
Maryland
$38K
+5%
Utah
$37K
+4%
Vertical line = national median. Click a state for full details.
StateMedianvs. National
Nebraska$46,170+28.8%
Hawaii$43,540+21.5%
Oregon$39,080+9.0%
Illinois$38,880+8.5%
District of Columbia$38,580+7.6%
New Hampshire$38,210+6.6%
Indiana$38,160+6.5%
Arizona$37,600+4.9%
Maryland$37,500+4.6%
Utah$37,180+3.7%
1–10 of 44

Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other Salary by Metro Area

Metro AreaMedianvs. National
Salem, OR$49,900+39.2%
Kahului-Wailuku, HI$49,400+37.8%
Omaha, NE-IA$48,070+34.1%
Bend, OR$45,810+27.8%
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$44,720+24.8%
Trenton-Princeton, NJ$43,350+21.0%
Manchester-Nashua, NH$43,330+20.9%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$41,970+17.1%
Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ$41,180+14.9%
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN$40,370+12.6%
1–10 of 174
Data Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Data reflects the most recent annual survey.
How does this compare to pro athletes?
A food preparation and serving related workers, all other earning $35,840/year would need 1663 years to match Stephen Curry's NBA salary, or 1786 yearsto match Patrick Mahomes' NFL contract.
See all sports & celebrity salaries β†’
πŸ“ˆ See how food preparation and serving related workers, all other salaries have changed over the past decade.
View Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other salary trend (2011–2024) β†’