Restaurant and Food Service Jobs in Arlington, TX
Restaurant and food service work in Arlington runs on event days. The Entertainment District, the Loews Arlington Hotel and Six Flags Over Texas hire kitchen and floor staff around the Rangers, Cowboys and park calendars, while chain restaurants on Cooper Street and at Lincoln Square hire every week. Here are the current openings.
Current restaurant Openings in Arlington, TX
Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.
Restaurant and Food Service Work in Arlington
Arlington food service hiring splits three ways. The Entertainment District along Nolan Ryan Expressway and Collins Street staffs to an event calendar: AT&T Stadium, Globe Life Field, Texas Live! and the two Loews properties need cooks, servers, stewards and bartenders in waves around Cowboys and Rangers home dates and conventions. Six Flags Over Texas, at I-30 and SH 360, adds a large seasonal crew of quick-service and food and beverage team members from spring through fall.
The steadier side of the market sits outside the district. Texas Health Arlington Memorial on West Randol Mill Road runs a hospital kitchen that feeds patients every day of the year, and full-service chains such as Olive Garden at Lincoln Square and Cracker Barrel on South Bowen Road and North Watson Road post server, host and cook openings on a normal weekly rhythm. Arlington has no fixed-route bus, so most workers drive to shifts along Cooper Street, I-20 and I-30.
Top Arlington Employers Hiring Restaurant and Food Service Workers
These employers post Arlington food service openings on their own careers sites:
- Loews Arlington Hotel and Live! by Loews - the two connected Entertainment District hotels hire restaurant, lobby and pool servers, cooks, stewards and bartenders for outlets such as Farena, Cut & Bourbon and banquets.
- Legends Global at AT&T Stadium - the stadium hospitality operator hires stewards, cooks and premium-service bartenders for Cowboys games and events.
- Six Flags Over Texas - the theme park hires part-time food and beverage team members and baristas, with some food service roles open from age 15.
- Texas Health Arlington Memorial - the West Randol Mill Road hospital hires food service workers, patient meal hosts and cooks for its tray line and cafeteria.
- Olive Garden - the North Arlington restaurant at Lincoln Square posts server, host and prep cook openings.
- Cracker Barrel - two Arlington stores, on South Bowen Road and North Watson Road, hire servers, hosts and grill and line cooks.
- The Cheesecake Factory - the Arlington restaurant lists server, host, line cook, busser and dessert finisher roles.
Restaurant and Food Service Salaries in Arlington
- Entry level: about $11 to $15 per hour for dishwashers, crew members, hosts and prep cooks.
- Experienced: roughly $15 to $22 per hour for line cooks, lead cooks and bakers, and $15 to $25 per hour with tips for servers and bartenders.
- Senior: about $45,000 to $75,000 per year for kitchen managers and sous chefs, with executive chef roles at the larger venues paying more.
These are estimates. Six Flags posts part-time food and beverage pay up to $12 an hour, and the BLS put the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington mean for food preparation and serving jobs at $15.74 an hour in May 2025. Texas allows a $2.13 cash wage for tipped staff as long as tips bring pay to at least $7.25, so venue, shift and season move tipped pay more than anything else.
How to Become a Restaurant and Food Service Worker in Arlington
Texas has no state license for cooks, servers or crew members, and most roles need no degree. The Texas Department of State Health Services requires every food employee to complete an accredited food handler course within 30 days of employment, and the card is good for two years. Each establishment needs at least one Certified Food Manager, a credential the City of Arlington lists as valid for five years. TABC seller-server certification is not required by state law, but most employers that pour alcohol require it. For formal training, Tarrant County College runs its Culinary Arts program, including Baking and Pastry, at TCC Southeast Campus on Southeast Parkway, and Texas Coffee School on South Cooper Street teaches short barista courses.
What the Job Involves
Back of house means prepping ingredients, cooking to ticket times, holding food at safe temperatures, washing dishes and breaking down stations at close. Front of house means greeting guests, taking and running orders, handling payment and keeping a section moving during a rush. Shifts skew toward evenings, weekends and holidays.
Skills Employers Look For
- A current Texas food handler card, or the ability to get one quickly
- TABC seller-server certification for roles that serve alcohol
- Speed and accuracy during a rush
- Food safety habits: labeling, dating and temperature logs
- Cash handling and POS accuracy
- Availability on nights, weekends and event days
Career Path and Advancement
The Arlington ladder is short. Dishwashers and stewards move to prep, prep cooks move to the line, and strong line cooks become leads and sous chefs, often at the same property. On the floor, hosts and bussers move to server, then bartender, shift lead and manager. A Certified Food Manager credential plus a TCC culinary certificate usually separates a lead cook from a kitchen manager offer.
Related Careers in Arlington
These Arlington guides cover the food service roles posted most often:
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need a license to work in a restaurant in Arlington, TX?
No state license exists for restaurant workers in Texas. You do need an accredited food handler card within 30 days of employment, and it is valid for two years. Each establishment also needs at least one Certified Food Manager.
How much do restaurant jobs pay in Arlington?
Entry roles such as dishwasher, host and crew member generally pay about $11 to $15 an hour. Experienced cooks earn roughly $15 to $22, and tipped servers and bartenders often land between $15 and $25 an hour with tips. Kitchen managers typically earn about $45,000 to $75,000 a year.
Are Arlington restaurant jobs seasonal?
Many in the Entertainment District are. Rangers baseball, Cowboys football and the Six Flags season all drive hiring waves. Hospital kitchens and neighborhood chain restaurants run on a steadier weekly schedule.
Can teenagers get food service jobs in Arlington?
Yes. Six Flags Over Texas lists some food service team member roles for applicants 15 and older, and quick-service restaurants commonly hire younger workers.
Do I need culinary school to become a cook in Arlington?
No. Most Arlington kitchens hire dishwashers and prep cooks with no experience and train them on the job. Tarrant County College Culinary Arts at TCC Southeast Campus is useful if you want to move faster toward sous chef or kitchen manager.
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