How to Train a New Café Staff Member in Their First Week

We've all seen the "training" where a new starter is told to "just follow Jess around". By Wednesday, Jess is flat out, the new person is hovering near the dishwasher, and everyone's quietly wondering if this was a mistake.

It usually wasn't a bad hire. It was a missing plan.

A good first week doesn't need to be complicated. It needs a clear goal for each day, the right person to learn from, and a quick check at the end of each shift. Here's the day-by-day plan I'd use for a front-of-house or barista starter, and you can easily adapt it for the kitchen.

Most people remember their first week in a new job. A good one makes them feel welcome and capable. A messy one can leave them wondering whether they'll stay.

Before day one: set them up to succeed

A great first week starts before they arrive.

Send the basics in writing: start time, where to enter, who to ask for, what to wear, what to bring, parking or transport tips.
Have the paperwork ready: employment details, tax and super forms, bank details. Check the Fair Work Ombudsman for what you need to give new employees, including the Fair Work Information Statement.
Pick a buddy: one experienced, patient team member who'll be their go-to person all week.
Roster them on a quieter shift first if you can. Nobody learns much in a Saturday rush.
Print the training checklist (below) so you can tick things off together.

Day 1: welcome, safety and the lay of the land

Goal: feel welcome, know where everything is and understand the non-negotiables.

Welcome and introductions. Introduce them to everyone on shift. Share a little about the café: who your customers are and what you're proud of.
The tour. Front door to back door: toilets, staff area, fire exits, first aid kit, cleaning cupboard, fridges, dry store, bins.
Safety first. Emergency procedures, how to report an injury, safe lifting, hot surfaces and sharp knives.
Food safety basics. Handwashing, when to wear gloves, illness rules, allergens. Make sure they meet your food handler training requirements before they handle unpackaged, ready-to-eat food.
Shadow only. Let them watch a service with their buddy and ask questions.

End-of-day check: can they find the first aid kit, explain the handwashing rule and name your main allergens?

Day 2: core tasks and the systems

Goal: do the simple, everyday tasks on their own.

The POS: taking orders, modifiers (extra shot, oat milk, gluten-free), payments, splitting bills.
The menu: walk through every item. Taste the best sellers if you can, because it's much easier to recommend something you've eaten.
Table service basics: greeting, seating, water, clearing, table numbers.
Opening or closing duties, with the checklist.

Let them take a few orders with their buddy right beside them.

End-of-day check: can they put through a coffee and food order with modifiers, without help?

Day 3: customers and communication

Goal: handle customers confidently, including the tricky moments.

Allergen and dietary questions: what to say, where to check and when to ask the chef. Make it clear: if in doubt, never guess.
Handling complaints: listen, apologise, fix it if they can, and get a manager when needed.
Upselling naturally: suggesting a pastry with coffee, mentioning the special.
Phone and bookings, if they'll handle them.

Role-play a couple of scenarios. It feels a bit silly, but it really works.

End-of-day check: can they talk you through what they'd do if a customer asked whether a dish is nut-free?

It also helps to give new starters a simple way to handle an unhappy customer: listen, apologise, offer a fix, and bring in a manager if they're unsure. Role-playing it once or twice makes the real thing much less scary.

Day 4: speed and the busy period

Goal: stay calm and useful during a rush.

Work a busier shift with their buddy close by.
Priorities in a rush: what comes first, how to call for help, where to stand so they're not in the way.
Teamwork language: "behind", "hot", "coming through", whatever your café uses.
Station resets: restocking cups, lids, napkins and cutlery between waves.

Expect them to be slower than the team. That's fine. You're looking for calm, not speed.

End-of-day check: ask them what felt hardest. Their answer tells you what to focus on tomorrow.

Day 5: work more independently and review

Goal: run part of a shift with support nearby rather than right beside them.

Let them lead a section or task, like the register or a group of tables.
The buddy steps back but stays within reach.
Finish with a review. Sit down for 15 minutes with a coffee.

Use the review to ask:

What's going well?
What still feels confusing?
What would have made this week easier?

Then share two or three specific things they did well, and one or two to work on next week. Keep it encouraging and specific.

If they're training as a barista

Coffee needs its own plan, because it takes time to get consistent. Over the first week, a simple order is:

Machine and grinder basics, including cleaning
Dosing, tamping and pulling a shot to your recipe
Texturing milk for each drink
Your drink menu and sizes
Making drinks during quieter periods with feedback
Gradually adding them into busier periods

Don't put a new barista alone on the machine in their first week unless they come with real experience and you've checked their coffee yourself.

Your first-week checklist

[ ] Paperwork completed
[ ] Tour, safety and emergency procedures
[ ] Food safety basics and allergen rules
[ ] Food handler training requirements met
[ ] POS: orders, modifiers, payments
[ ] Menu walkthrough and tasting
[ ] Opening and closing checklists
[ ] Complaint and allergen role-plays
[ ] Worked a busy shift with support
[ ] End-of-week review held
[ ] Goals set for week two

Mistakes to avoid

No plan. "Follow someone around" isn't training.
Too much at once. Spread it across the week.
Busy shifts first. Start them on quieter ones.
No feedback. A daily two-minute check-in prevents small problems becoming habits.
Forgetting the welcome. People remember how their first day felt.

FAQ

How long does it take to train a new café staff member? It depends on their experience and role. A week is a good start for the basics, but most people need a few more weeks of support before they're fully confident, especially baristas.

Should new staff be paid for training shifts? Training is work, and employees need to be paid for the time they work. Check the Fair Work Ombudsman for the rules that apply to your business and award, including for trial shifts.

What if a new starter isn't picking things up? Ask what's confusing them first. Often it's the way it was explained, not the person. Try showing again, breaking the task down, or pairing them with a different buddy, and keep the feedback specific.

How to train a new café staff member in their first week