Prevailing Wage for Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers
Prevailing wage rules for Buffet Attendants, Bussers, and Barbacks are set by DOL using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys across more than 360 metropolitan areas. DOL assigns four experience-based wage levels, and the floor a sponsored candidate must meet shifts considerably depending on which city the worksite is in.
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Level 1 covers entry-level Buffet Attendants with no prior experience in the role, typically learning table-clearing, dish transport, and linen replacement routines under close supervision. Employers filing at this level expect to provide on-the-job training for most tasks.
Level 2 applies to Bussers and Buffet Attendants with some practical experience who work with limited supervision and handle the full range of service support tasks independently. This is the most common filing level for this occupation.
Level 3 reflects experienced Dining Room Attendants who handle complex or high-volume service environments, may coordinate with multiple floor teams, and require minimal supervisory direction. Prior experience in full-service or high-turnover venues typically supports this level.
Level 4 covers fully competent Barbacks or senior Buffet Attendants who may train newer staff, manage supply logistics for a service station, or lead setup and breakdown for large banquet or cafeteria operations.
Prevailing Wage for Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers by OES area
Each shape is a DOL OES area, the unit prevailing wage is published for.
What’s an OES area?
The Department of Labor publishes prevailing wages for geographic zones called OES areas. Every U.S. county belongs to exactly one, and the wage floor applies across the whole area. A worker in Oakland gets the San Francisco metro wage, not a separate Oakland wage.
Top 10 cities · Level 1
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See which U.S. employers are actively hiring for Buffet Attendant and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
Search visa-sponsored jobsPrevailing Wage Guide for Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers
Verify the worksite city before comparing wages
The prevailing wage for a Busser in San Jose exceeds the floor in Gadsden, Alabama by a wide margin at every level. Confirm the LCA lists your actual worksite address, not the employer's headquarters, before evaluating whether the offer clears the floor.
Confirm tips are excluded from the wage floor calculation
DOL's prevailing wage for this occupation is based on base hourly pay only. Tip income, service charges, and gratuity pools do not count toward satisfying the LCA wage requirement, which catches many candidates in tipped food-service roles off guard.
Watch for SOC misclassification in hotel and resort filings
Large hotel and resort employers sometimes file Buffet Attendant positions under a food-preparation SOC rather than SOC 35-9011, which can shift the applicable wage floor. Check the SOC code on the certified LCA matches this occupation before accepting an offer.
Use Migrate Mate to find employers with Busser sponsorship history
Migrate Mate shows which employers have previously sponsored Dining Room Attendants and similar roles, helping you focus on venues and hospitality groups with a documented record of filing LCAs for this occupation rather than starting from scratch.
Jobs for Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Jobs for Buffet AttendantPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 35-9011.00 alongside Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Barback Prevailing Wage
Barback Prevailing Wage
Barback positions fall under SOC 35-9011.00 (Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Buffet Attendant Prevailing Wage
Buffet Attendant Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Buffet Attendant for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 35-9011.00 (Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Bus Boy Prevailing Wage
Bus Boy Prevailing Wage
Bus Boy is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 35-9011.00 (Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Bus Person Prevailing Wage
Bus Person Prevailing Wage
Bus Person positions fall under SOC 35-9011.00 (Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Busser Prevailing Wage
Busser Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Busser for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 35-9011.00 (Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Dining Room Attendant Prevailing Wage
Dining Room Attendant Prevailing Wage
Dining Room Attendant is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 35-9011.00 (Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Food Service Aide Prevailing Wage
Food Service Aide Prevailing Wage
Food Service Aide positions fall under SOC 35-9011.00 (Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Food Service Helper Prevailing Wage
Food Service Helper Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Food Service Helper for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 35-9011.00 (Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Server Assistant Prevailing Wage
Server Assistant Prevailing Wage
Server Assistant is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 35-9011.00 (Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Server's Assistant Prevailing Wage
Server's Assistant Prevailing Wage
Server's Assistant positions fall under SOC 35-9011.00 (Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does DOL determine the prevailing wage for Buffet Attendants?
DOL calculates prevailing wages using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics from employer surveys across more than 360 metropolitan areas. For this occupation, DOL maps the data to SOC 35-9011 and derives four wage levels based on the statistical distribution of wages reported for that SOC in each area.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I know which one applies to my offer?
Level 1 is entry-level with close supervision; Level 2 is qualified with routine independent work; Level 3 is experienced with minimal oversight; Level 4 is fully competent, often with a lead or training role. The employer selects the level that matches the actual duties and supervision described in the job offer. You can cross-check that selection against the DOL definitions published by OFLC.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same Buffet Attendant role vary so much by city?
DOL sets wages using regional OES surveys, so the floor reflects local labor market conditions rather than a single national rate. The LCA rule requires the employer to pay the prevailing wage for the worksite metropolitan area, not the company's headquarters city. High cost-of-living markets with strong hospitality industries report higher wages in BLS surveys, which raises the floor in those areas.
What happens if a job offer for a sponsored Busser or Barback position is below the prevailing wage?
DOL will not certify an LCA for a wage below the prevailing wage floor for the worksite area and wage level. If the offer falls short, USCIS cannot approve the H-1B or other work visa petition that depends on that LCA. The employer must either raise the offered wage to meet the floor or refile at the correct level before the petition can move forward.
How can I find and verify the prevailing wage for a specific U.S. city for this occupation?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool, which lets you look up the current prevailing wage by SOC code, wage level, and metropolitan area. Enter SOC 35-9011 and select the metro that matches the job worksite. You can also review certified LCA disclosure data published by OFLC to see what wages employers have recently filed for Buffet Attendants in a given area. Migrate Mate can help you identify which employers have sponsored this occupation so you can target your search accordingly.
See which employers are hiring and sponsoring visas for Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers right now.
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