Cafe Worker

Kaimahi Toa Kawhe

Cafe workers prepare, serve and sell food and drinks to customers at delicatessens, cafes, canteens and snack bars.

Pay

Cafe workers usually earn an average of

$16 per hour

Source: Hospitality New Zealand, 2014

Job opportunities

Chances of getting a job as a cafe worker are good as staff turnover is high.

Length of training

There are no specific training requirements. Find out more about how to enter the job.

About the job

Pay

Cafe workers earn an average of minimum wage an hour.

Source: Hospitality New Zealand, 'Annual Wage Survey 2014', 2014.

(This information is a guide only. Find out more about the figures and diagrams in our job information)

What you will do

Cafe workers may do some or all of the following:

prepare foods such as salads, sandwiches, baked goods, as well as meat
ensure food is fresh and kept at a safe temperature
make drinks, such as coffee and tea
take orders, serve customers, and answer their questions about the food
weigh, price and pack food for customers
clear tables, wash dishes and clean and stock cabinets
manage the till
order food from suppliers
supervise other staff and organise work rosters.

Skills and knowledge

Cafe workers need to have:

knowledge of the foods they sell, and how to prepare this food
knowledge of food hygiene and safety regulations, and how to judge if food is fresh
basic maths skills for weighing food and calculating ingredient quantities
ability to use a coffee machine.

Depending on where they work, cafe workers may also need to know about specialty foods.

Working conditions

Cafe workers:

may work regular business hours, or do shift work, including evenings and weekends
work in cafes, delicatessens and canteens.

What's the job really like?

Check out the video of Andy Low to find out what it's like to be a cafe worker -1.13 mins.

View transcript

Cheers Sue.
I really like the regulars that come in because they’re people you get to kind of know them, but then the surprises that come with the people who don’t come every day, just maybe pop in.
Maybe one day you’ll end up washing dishes a lot. Another day you’re outside doing a lot more connection with the customers. Another day you might be on the till a lot more.
Skills wise, number one I would think - if you like people, it’s really about that the job. People don’t just come in for a coffee, they come in to be with other people and that’s the environment you are in.
I can believe in a good cup of coffee and I can believe in the stuff that I’m actually bringing out, and I can believe in just that 20 minutes of experience and I know you can actually make that almost perfect, yeah, with a bit of effort and a bit of love in it.

How to enter the job

Entry requirements

There are no specific entry requirements to become a cafe worker, as you learn most skills on the job.

You can do on-the-job training, such as ServiceIQ's New Zealand Certificate in Hospitality (Cafes) Level 3, and employers may also send staff on food handling and hygiene courses.

ServiceIQ website - information on the New Zealand Certificate in Hospitality

Secondary education

NCEA Level 1 English and maths are useful.

Personal requirements

Cafe workers need to be:

friendly, helpful and polite
honest and reliable
good at customer service
able to communicate clearly
able to work well as part of a team
accurate, with an eye for detail
quick and efficient
able to work well under pressure.

Useful experience

Useful experience for cafe workers includes:

customer service
cooking and baking
food packaging and preparation experience.

Physical requirements

Cafe workers need to be fit and healthy, as they are on their feet for long periods, and may have to lift and put away food deliveries. They should also have a clean and tidy appearance.

Find out more about training

Hospitality New Zealand: (04) 385 1369 - nsc@hospitalitynz.org.nz - www.hospitalitynz.org.nz
ServiceIQ: 0800 863 693 - www.serviceiq.org.nz

Check out related courses

Job opportunities

What are the chances of getting a job?

High turnover and increased spending on eating out means vacancies common

Chances of getting a job are generally good for cafe workers – particularly those with previous experience – because:

vacancies arise often, as most people see cafe work as a temporary job and then move on
hospitality is a large industry, employing about 126,000 people
spending on eating out has increased.

Types of employers varied

While most cafe workers are employed by cafes, the size and type of cafe can vary from a small business to a large franchise.

Sources

Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, '2003-2012 Occupation Data' (prepared for Careers New Zealand), 2012.
Robertson, B, chief executive officer, Hospitality New Zealand, Careers New Zealand interview, January 2015, (www.hospitalitynz.org.nz).
ServiceIQ, Careers New Zealand interview, December 2014, (www.serviceiq.org.nz).
Statistics New Zealand, 'Food Price Index Review: 2014', accessed January 2015, (www.stats.govt.nz).
Statistics New Zealand, 'International Travel and Migration: November 2014', accessed January 2015, (www.stats.govt.nz).