What Do Deli Workers Do (including Their Typical Day At Work)

Job Description

Deli Workers serve food to diners at counter or from a steam table. They also scrub and polish counters, steam tables, and other equipment, and clean glasses, dishes, and fountain equipment.

Other tasks include:

• Prepare bills for food, using cash registers, calculators, or adding machines, and accept payment or make change.
• Take customers’ orders and write ordered items on tickets, giving ticket stubs to customers when needed to identify filled orders.
• Perform cleaning duties such as sweeping, mopping, and washing dishes, to keep equipment and facilities sanitary.
• Balance receipts and payments in cash registers.
• Serve food, beverages, or desserts to customers in such settings as take-out counters of restaurants or lunchrooms, business or industrial establishments, hotel rooms, and cars.
• Cook food or prepare food items, such as sandwiches, salads, and ice cream dishes, using standard formulas or following directions.

We asked Deli Workers how satisfied they are with their job. Here is what they said.

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55% of them said they were satisfied with their job and 33% said they find that their job makes the world a better place or helps to make someone else’s life better.

Typical Day At Work

On a daily basis, Deli Workers prepare bills for food, using cash registers, calculators, or adding machines, and accept payment or make change. They brew coffee and tea, and fill containers with requested beverages.

A typical day for a Cafeteria, Food Concession and Coffee Shop Counter Attendant will also include:

• Serve salads, vegetables, meat, breads, and cocktails, ladle soups and sauces, portion desserts, and fill beverage cups and glasses.
• Take customers’ orders and write ordered items on tickets, giving ticket stubs to customers when needed to identify filled orders.
• Balance receipts and payments in cash registers.
• Perform cleaning duties such as sweeping, mopping, and washing dishes, to keep equipment and facilities sanitary.
• Cook food or prepare food items, such as sandwiches, salads, and ice cream dishes, using standard formulas or following directions.

We asked some Deli Workers a few questions to find out what else does their work day look like. Here is what we found.

	Do you have telephone conversations everyday in this job?	21% said yes
	How important is it to work in a team in this job?	58% said very important
	Do you have group discussions everyday in this job?	45% said yes
	Do you talk or work with customers everyday in this job?	41% said yes
	Do you have to deal with angry customers everyday in this job?	15% said yes
	Do you have to make decisions everyday in this job?	39% said yes

Other responsibilities

Besides their typical day, Deli Workers also order items needed to replenish supplies. They may also carve meat.

On a weekly to monthly basis, Deli Workers Arrange reservations for patrons of dining establishments. They might also Set up dining areas for meals and clear them following meals.

In addition, they Add relishes and garnishes to food orders, according to instructions.

Although specific duties may vary, many of them Cook food or prepare food items, such as sandwiches, salads, and ice cream dishes, using standard formulas or following directions.

To some Deli Workers, it is also their responsibility to Replenish foods at serving stations.

Working life

Less than 40 hours per week

Regular schedule like a 9 to 5

In a typical work week as a Cafeteria, Food Concession and Coffee Shop Counter Attendant, you can expect to work less than 40 hours per week.

Is this right for me

People who are suitable for this job tends to like work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They like working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery..

They also like working with, communicating with, and teaching people. They like helping or providing service to others.

You can read more about these career personality types here.

Explore other careers

http://www.bls.gov/OOH/food-preparation-and-serving/food-and-beverage-serving-and-related-workers.htm

http://www.restaurant.org/

http://www.restaurant.org/