A dining room attendant keeps the dining area clean, stocked, and ready for guests, supporting servers and the host team. Attendants are common in cafeterias, buffets, and fast-casual restaurants, where they keep tables and stations in order. Here is what the job looks like across a shift, in the order it happens.
Opening duties
- Wipe and sanitize tables, chairs, and booths
- Stock the drink, condiment, and napkin stations
- Sweep and mop the dining room floor
- Empty trash cans and put in clean liners
- Check restrooms and refill soap, paper towels, and tissue
During service
- Clear and wipe tables as soon as guests leave
- Keep drink and condiment stations full and clean
- Spot-clean spills and wet floors right away
- Empty trash before it overflows
- Check restrooms on the posted schedule
- Help guests with trays, high chairs, or questions
- Refill buffet or serving line items when asked
Closing duties
- Clean and sanitize all tables, chairs, and booths
- Break down and clean drink and condiment stations
- Sweep and mop the entire dining room
- Clean windows, doors, and glass surfaces
- Take out trash and recycling and reset the room
Weekly duties
- Deep clean booths, baseboards, and vents as scheduled
- Wash walls and light fixtures within reach
- Check and report any damaged furniture or fixtures
- Reorganize cleaning supply storage and request restocks
Writing a posting? The dining room attendant job description turns these duties into a ready-to-paste template. For shift planning, try the free restaurant schedule template.