Café and Retail Associate - 16th St

Full-time position (32-40 hours/week) at our 16th Street Café and Factory in San Francisco’s Mission District. Flexible schedule preferred; weekends and evenings required.

About Us

Dandelion Chocolate is a bean-to-bar chocolate factory. We make chocolate from only two ingredients—cocoa beans and cane sugar—and travel to origins to build trusting relationships with the producers who grow and ferment cacao beans. We’re seeking a Café and Retail Associate who will celebrate the care and thoughtfulness behind our chocolate through thoughtful service of our drinks and pastries.

About The Role

As an associate, you’ll first learn everything about chocolate: where it’s grown, how it’s processed, and how to make your own batch. Based in our 16th Street Factory, you’ll be at the heart of the chocolate-making action. You’ll become an expert taster of our drinks, treats, and bars, understanding how cocoa origin impacts flavor. While we’re chocolate makers, we’re also passionate about coffee and train with Ritual Coffee Roasters. This role starts at $21/hour plus tips.

A typical day might start with reviewing the café report, coordinating with a dishwasher repair person, and hosting a factory tour for twenty 3rd graders. During rushes, you’ll ensure each guest receives a thoughtful, exquisite experience. In quieter moments, you’ll restock retail shelves, sweep, bus dishes, or adjust the espresso machine for consistent shots.

About You

Our ideal candidate is a mature, team-oriented person excited to learn and share their passion for chocolate and coffee. You build authentic rapport with guests, work independently when needed, and navigate unexpected situations with confidence—whether it’s delivering a hot chocolate to a car with a sleeping baby or assisting a camera crew filming in the factory. You thrive in busy environments, love optimizing spaces for efficiency, and have prior guest-service experience. You’re eager to grow in your role and take on more responsibility.

Responsibilities

• Coffee & Chocolate Excellence: Craft hot chocolate and espresso drinks with our manual machine and brew coffee consistently. Know allergen information and confidently answer questions about our products. Make pairing recommendations based on chocolate knowledge.
• Guest Service: Provide an amazing drink and pastry experience every day, regardless of crowds. Maintain professionalism, timeliness, and build long-standing guest relationships.
• Bloom (Chocolate Salon): Bus tables, prep plated items, and keep the space welcoming for guests.
• Systems & Processes: Identify ways to improve operating procedures, checklists, and documentation to benefit the entire team and enhance café operations.
• Team Player: Contribute positively to the team, even during busy periods. Coworkers should enjoy working with you repeatedly.
• Other tasks as necessary.

Requirements

• Weekend and weekday availability, including evenings (32-40 hours/week).
• Great interpersonal skills: quickly build rapport with customers by sharing our chocolate-making process and personal connection to it.
• Proven ability to work well in a team environment.
• 1-2 years of retail or customer-facing experience in a fast-paced setting. Espresso-making experience is a plus.
• Fluent spoken English; additional languages are a bonus (we host international guests frequently).
• California Food Handler card required within 30 days of hire (paid on-site training provided).

Benefits

• Heavily subsidized medical, vision, and dental benefits.
• 401k enrollment option.
• Paid vacation time, holiday pay, and paid sick time.
• Commuter benefits and FSAs.
• Chocolate tasting opportunities and professional development within the company.

Pay

Starts at $21/hour plus tips.