Career Explorer Food and hospitality
Human edge, growing
Food servers, nonrestaurant
Serve food to individuals outside of a restaurant environment, such as in hotel rooms, hospital rooms, residential care facilities, or cars.
More resilient than most: more resilient than 76% of the 831 careers we score. AI exposure is low (the Bureau of Labor Statistics rates it moderate), and US jobs are projected to change by +4.5% by 2035, faster than average. The work leans on emotional intelligence.
AI struggles with much of this work, and US employers are expected to hire more people into it than average.
- Median pay (2025)
- $35,360
- Job growth to 2035
- +4.5%
- Openings a year
- 48,800
- People doing it (2025)
- 296,000
- Usual route in
- No formal credential, then short on-the-job training
Where people already use AI for this work
- Prepare foods or beverages
- Communicate with others about operational plans or activities
- Provide general assistance to others, such as customers, patrons, or motorists
From Microsoft Research, Working with AI (2025).
Work AI rarely helps with
- Monitor operations to ensure adequate performance
- Stock supplies or products
- Clean workpieces, finished products, or other objects
What the work looks like
- Place food servings on plates or trays according to orders or instructions.
- Clean or sterilize dishes, kitchen utensils, equipment, or facilities.
- Monitor food distribution, ensuring that meals are delivered to the correct recipients and that guidelines, such as those for special diets, are followed.
- Examine trays to ensure that they contain required items.
- Load trays with accessories, such as eating utensils, napkins, or condiments.
From O*NET 31.0, US Department of Labor.
What the Bureau of Labor Statistics expects
- More of these jobs, as theaters are increasingly offering partial or full restaurant menus and services to moviegoers in addition to traditional concessions.
Careers using similar strengths, with a stronger outlook
- Food preparation and serving related workers, all otherHuman edge, growing, Index 78, +5.5%
- Cooks, all otherHuman edge, growing, Index 77, +5.2%
- Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpersHuman edge, growing, Index 96, +5.3%
- ShampooersHuman edge, growing, Index 79, +5.6%
Also known as: Food Service Worker, Room Server, Room Service Server, Tray Server, Food Server, Kitchen Runner.
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Sources: US Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2025 to 2035; O*NET 31.0; Microsoft Research (2025); Anthropic Economic Index (2026); Eloundou and colleagues (Science, 2024); Felten, Raj and Seamans (2023). How we score. Updated 12 October 2026.