When a hotel or convention center caters a special event such as a wedding, company retreat or business seminar, the hospitality staff uses catering attendants to handle services. The catering attendant works with the chef to create the appropriate level of food service to customers. The catering attendant needs at least three years of catering and customer service experience for the job.

Customer Service

The catering attendant handles the customer service duties by answering questions and providing necessary catering information. The catering attendant may schedule appointments for customers to evaluate the dining room or hall to determine if it fits their needs. Other customer service functions include booking events and providing menu selections to the chef.

Dining Room Set-up

After the customer decides on where to host the event, the catering attendant plans the general setup. This includes arranging the guest tables and the banquet area for buffet-style food service. The catering attendant may also be in charge of decorating the catering room. If the customer requests an outdoor catered setting, the catering attendant sets up the canopies or event tents along with the seating arrangements.

Work Stations

The catering attendant may have multiple functions during the catered event. Depending on the number of staff available, the catering attendant may step into other roles such as food preparer and banquet server. The catering attendant also may oversee the wait staff and handles any complaints with service during the event, performing immediate action to maintain customer satisfaction.

Clean-Up Duties

At the end of the event, the catering attendant handles the clean-up activities. This includes taking down tables and removing decorations. The catering attendant ensures the catering room is cleaned. She may also document any damages made by the guests in order to create proper billing to give to the customer.