Classify by actual duties and declare in OED
Employers declare the appropriate PWM role through the Occupational Employment Dataset. If duties are mixed, classify as food services where more than 50% of working time is on those functions. Workers can use the Progressive Wage Portal with Singpass to check the declared role and pay. Category A/B determines which wage ladder applies; a cook’s title alone does not establish the category.
Duties across the career ladder
The March 2026 descriptions cover operational, kitchen and service pathways. Higher roles carry responsibility for coordination, training, quality and people rather than merely greater tenure. Digital ordering or payment systems do not remove the underlying food-service function.
| Role | Main responsibilities |
|---|---|
| Food/drink stall assistant | Simple preparation, serving, packing, orders and payment |
| Quick-service counter attendant | Orders, payment, service, dispensing and stock |
| Kitchen assistant | Ingredients, basic preparation, utensils and hygiene under supervision |
| Cook | Cook dishes, manage timing and food quality, monitor ingredients |
| Senior cook | Guide cooks, solve preparation issues and support kitchen supervision |
| Waiter | Greet, take orders, serve, clear and manage customer needs |
| Waiter supervisor | Allocate service work, supervise staff and resolve service problems |
| Manager | Manage operations, people, service standards and business performance |