Can Agents Work?

Jobs / Food service, cleaning, and personal care / 35-3023.01

Baristas

Prepare or serve specialty coffee or other beverages. Serve food such as baked goods or sandwiches to patrons.

US jobs
3,854,050 (SOC 35-3023 group, "Fast Food and Counter Workers")
Median wage
$31,200 a year
Job family
Food service, cleaning, and personal care

Can agents do the work of baristas?

We read the evidence for the whole job family, Food service, cleaning, and personal care: Not yet (first measured in the last 12 months)

Direct benchmarks exist, but agents complete less than 20% of their tasks.

Evidence: BEHAVIOR Challenge 2025, 12.4% of tasks fully completed (Full task success rate).

0% of this occupation's work, by O*NET work activities, is measured by a direct benchmark (figures for the SOC 35-3023 group).

  • 17%Provide food or beverage servicesNot measured
  • 12%Prepare foods or beveragesNot measured
  • 11%Execute financial transactionsNot measured
  • 10%Clean tools, equipment, facilities, or work areasNot measured
  • 6%Package objectsNot measured
  • 6%Provide information to guests, clients, or customersNot measured
  • 5%Stock supplies or productsNot measured
  • 4%Clean workpieces, finished products, or other objectsNot measured

Benchmarks for the job family

These cover work in food service, cleaning, and personal care, not always this occupation's tasks.

Direct evidence

Work benchmarks mapped primary to this family. They set the step when they report how many tasks agents complete.

Also relevant

These benchmarks cover part of this family's work, or have no result yet. They do not set its step.

Typical tasks

From O*NET 31.0. Core tasks first. Few of these tasks have a benchmark today.

  • Clean or sanitize work areas, utensils, or equipment.
  • Receive and process customer payments.
  • Prepare or serve hot or cold beverages, such as coffee, espresso drinks, blended coffees, or teas.
  • Take customer orders and convey them to other employees for preparation.
  • Clean service or seating areas.
  • Prepare or serve menu items, such as sandwiches or salads.
  • Wrap, label, or date food items for sale.
  • Check temperatures of freezers, refrigerators, or heating equipment to ensure proper functioning.
  • Take out garbage.
  • Describe menu items to customers, or suggest products that might appeal to them.
  • Demonstrate the use of retail equipment, such as espresso machines.
  • Order, receive, or stock supplies or retail products.
Other job titles for this occupation (11)

Bobarista · Catering Barista · Cafe Barista · Coffee Bar Attendant · Coffee Barista · Coffee Brewer · Coffee Maker · Coffee Shop Attendant · Coffee Sommelier · Gourmet Coffee Attendant · Juicer