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FOOD SERVICE ASSISTANT

Advocate Health · Two Rivers, WI · $18.85–$28.30 an hour · Full time

Posted Sep 11, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

Tell me about a time you had to serve a customer or patient who was upset or difficult. What did you do?

What they are checking: customer service temperament and ability to stay calm with patients or visitors who may be in distress

Have you worked in a hospital, hotel, or restaurant kitchen before? What did you do there?

What they are checking: relevant prior exposure to food service pace and standards

Tell me about a time you had to work fast to keep up with a line of customers or a delivery schedule. How did you manage it?

What they are checking: ability to meet productivity standards under time pressure

Tell me about a time you had to work closely with a team to get a job done, like during a busy meal service or an event.

What they are checking: teamwork under the coordinated pace of tray line and catering work

Tell me about a time you noticed something unsafe or unsanitary and did something about it before anyone told you to.

What they are checking: initiative and internalized sense of responsibility for cleanliness and safety

What would you do

Walk me through how you would check that a patient's meal tray matches their diet order before it goes out.

What they are checking: attention to detail and understanding of diet accuracy as a safety issue

This job has you on your feet most of the shift, lifting up to 40 pounds and pushing carts. How do you feel about that kind of physical work day after day?

What they are checking: honest self-assessment of physical stamina for the role's demands

Suppose you're delivering a tray and the patient is in an isolation room. What would you do differently?

What they are checking: willingness and understanding of infection control precautions

If you noticed a food item was left out at room temperature longer than it should have been, what would you do?

What they are checking: judgment and willingness to speak up about food safety even if it slows things down

How would you handle being asked to help set up a catered event on top of your regular tray and cafeteria duties?

What they are checking: flexibility and willingness to take on varied tasks beyond a narrow job description

This schedule includes early mornings, every third weekend, and two holidays a year. How does that fit with your life right now?

What they are checking: realistic commitment to the schedule before it becomes a problem later

About the work

What do you know about safe food handling, like keeping hot food hot and cold food cold?

What they are checking: baseline food safety knowledge even though no certification is required

Have you ever handled a cash register or balanced a cash drawer at the end of a shift?

What they are checking: comfort and honesty with cash handling responsibilities

Practice this interview out loud.

Offer builds a real interview for this exact role at Advocate Health from your resume and this job description, asks the questions one at a time, and tells you what landed. The first one is free.

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The full job description

As published by Advocate Health.

Department: 11903 AMC Manitowoc County - Food and Nutrition Status: Full time Benefits Eligible: Yes Hou rs Per Week: 40 Schedule Details/Additional Information: Hours: 6:30 am - 3:00 pm, 5 shifts each week including every 3rd weekend and 2 holidays per year. Pay Range: $18.85 - $28.30 Major Responsibilities: • Assembles patient and mobile meal trays/meals in accordance with approved diet guidelines and portions while adhering to productivity standards. • Loads and transports food carts. Delivers patient meal trays to patient rooms in accordance with established procedures. • May provide initial service to visitors in the cafeteria by serving food and maintaining the cleanliness of the cafeteria. Responsible for operating cash register, handling cash and completing daily reports and cash register balance sheets as needed. • Performs cleaning duties using established sanitation procedures in the kitchen and cafeteria. Washes pots, pans, and dishes according to established procedures. • Assists with preparation, delivery, setup, cleanup and presentation of catered and specialized events. Assists with "special days/promotions", including decorating. Displays daily specials for presentation to customers. Coordinates the food preparation and presentation of all major catering. • Prepares snacks, beverages, sandwiches and other patient food items in accordance with standardized recipes and approved diet guidelines and portions while adhering to productivity standards. • Prepares, arranges, serves and replenishes supplies of food, beverages and condiments in retail areas and kitchen. Prepares entrees, grill and deli sandwiches, and salads with an emphasis on food garnishing and presentation. Replenishes food service areas to include supply of dishes, utensils, glassware, napkins and trays. • Delivers and stocks all nursing units, doctors' lounges, same day surgery and emergency rooms, following established procedures while adhering to productivity standards. • Monitors food temperatures and utilizes established procedures to ensure safe food handling techniques and prevent foodborne illness. Licensure, Registration, and/or Certification Required: • None Required. Education Required: • No Formal Education. Experience Required: • No experience required. Knowledge, Skills & Abilities Required: • Basic knowledge in food service from within a hospital, hotel, restaurant or a related environment. • Ability to read and understand written and oral communications. • Good communication and customer service skills to effectively interact with internal and external customers. • Intermediate computer skills in Microsoft Office or similar products. Ability to use e-mail and internet. Physical Requirements and Working Conditions: • Operates equipment (i.e. dish-machine, tray line, garbage disposal, etc.) necessary to perform the job. Demonstrating ability to safely and effectively, utilize necessary power equipment. • Stands walks and reaches above shoulders the majority of the workday as well as squats, bends, twists, kneels and climbs throughout shift. • Must be able to: • lift up to 40 lbs. from floor to a maximum 5 ft. • lift and carry up to 40 lbs. at waist height a reasonable distance. • Must be able to: • push/pull with 20 lbs. of force. • Working atmosphere also contains fumes, odors, and dust/dirt. floor, spices, etc. (Fumes are trucks, dust/dirt from storeroom or cleaning agents). • May be exposed to mechanical, electrical and chemical hazards. Protective clothing must be worn as necessary. • May be required to enter patient isolation rooms wearing appropriate coverings during meal service tray delivery and pick up. • Will be exposed to sharp knives, other sharp cooking utensils, heat from ovens and other hazards in a kitchen environment. This job description indicates the general nature and level of work expected of the incumbent. It is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities required of the incumbent. Incumbent may be required to perform other related duties. Our Commitment to You: Advocate Health offers a comprehensive suite of Total Rewards: benefits and well-being programs, competitive compensation, generous retirement offerings, programs that invest in your career development and so much more – so you can live fully at and away from work, including: Compensation • Base compensation listed within the listed pay range based on factors such as qualifications, skills, relevant experience, and/or training • Premium pay such as shift, on call, and more based on a teammate's job • Incentive pay for select positions • Opportunity for annual increases based on performance Benefits and more • Paid Time Off programs • Health and welfare benefits such as medical, dental, vision, life, and Short- and Long-Term Disability • Flexible Spending Accounts for eligible health care and dependent care expenses • Family benefits such as adoption assistance and paid parental leave • Defined contribution retirement plans with employer match and other financial wellness programs • Educational Assistance Program Note: Eligibility for programs listed above may depend on your FTE or status (e.g., full-time, part-time, per diem, temporary, etc.); please ask a Recruiter for more information during an interview. About Advocate Health Advocate Health is the third-largest nonprofit, integrated health system in the United States, created from the combination of Advocate Aurora Health and Atrium Health. Providing care under the names Advocate Health Care in Illinois; Atrium Health in the Carolinas, Georgia and Alabama; and Aurora Health Care in Wisconsin, Advocate Health is a national leader in clinical innovation, health outcomes, consumer experience and value-based care. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Advocate Health services nearly 6 million patients and is engaged in hundreds of clinical trials and research studies, with Wake Forest University School of Medicine serving as the academic core of the enterprise. It is nationally recognized for its expertise in cardiology, neurosciences, oncology, pediatrics and rehabilitation, as well as organ transplants, burn treatments and specialized musculoskeletal programs. Advocate Health employs 155,000 teammates across 69 hospitals and over 1,000 care locations, and offers one of the nation’s largest graduate medical education programs with over 2,000 residents and fellows across more than 200 programs. Committed to providing equitable care for all, Advocate Health provides more than $6 billion in annual community benefits.

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