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Salary comparison

Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers vs. Fast Food and Counter Workers: Who Earns More?

Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helperss out-earn Fast Food and Counter Workerss by $3K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helperss land at $33,980 and Fast Food and Counter Workerss at $31,200. The education gap is real: dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helper programs typically require no formal educational credential, while fast food and counter worker programs require no formal educational credential. Top-paying state for Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helperss is Hawaii ($51,200); for Fast Food and Counter Workerss it's California ($42,280).

Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers
Fast Food and Counter Workers
Median salary
$33,980
$31,200
Hourly rate
$16.34/hr
$15/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$21,300
$22,840
Senior level (90th %)
$46,570
$42,650
Education required
No formal educational credential
No formal educational credential
U.S. employment
542,750
3,854,050
Job growth (10-year)
N/A
6.1%
Category
Food Service
Food Service
Top-paying state
Hawaii
California

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers median pay.

State
Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers
Fast Food and Counter Workers
Hawaii
$51,200
$35,250
Washington
$41,420
$37,710
District of Columbia
$39,080
$37,430
Maine
$38,560
$34,710
Maryland
$37,020
$33,660
Oregon
$36,800
$35,050
Colorado
$36,790
$36,270
New York
$36,740
$35,250
Arizona
$36,500
$34,230
California
$36,010
$42,280
Massachusetts
$35,380
$35,850
Connecticut
$34,540
$35,380
New Jersey
$34,170
$34,150
Vermont
$34,120
$36,030
Illinois
$31,200
$33,910

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helperss or Fast Food and Counter Workerss?

Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helperss earn more nationally. The median is $33,980 for Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helperss versus $31,200 for Fast Food and Counter Workerss, a difference of $3K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers or Fast Food and Counter Workers?

BLS Employment Projections data is not available for one or both occupations. Check the individual career pages for current outlook figures.

Which requires more education, Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers or Fast Food and Counter Workers?

Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers typically requires no formal educational credential. Fast Food and Counter Workers requires no formal educational credential. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helperss get paid the most?

Hawaii is the top-paying state for Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helperss at $51,200/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers vs. Fast Food and Counter Workers pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In Hawaii, Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helperss earn $51,200 vs. $35,250 for Fast Food and Counter Workerss. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers salary breakdownView →Full Fast Food and Counter Workers salary breakdownView →Best cities for Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helperss by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Fast Food and Counter Workerss by take-home payExplore →How to become a dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpersGuide →How to become a fast food and counter workersGuide →