Now Hiring

We're hiring team members for the 2026 summer season at Cafe Meria in Charlevoix.

Cafe Meria isn't your average cafe. We build an experience around house-made food, quality ingredients, and a warm, vibrant atmosphere — and we're looking for teammates who care about food, hospitality, and working in a fast-moving cafe environment.

The menu runs wide: coffee and espresso, matcha, tea, Meria Chai, smoothies, refreshers and juices, and made-to-order food. Every teammate learns every part of it.

The role

There is one role at Cafe Meria, and every teammate learns every station — espresso, smoothies, food prep, bowls, register, stocking, cleaning. The team rotates with the day and supports each other across stations.

The role rests on two ideas: be present with guests, and stay ready. When guests are in the cafe, they come first — greet them as they walk in, hold the door when your hands are free, and stay attentive enough that nobody has to wave or get up to ask a question. If a guest is looking around for help, walk over before they have to ask.

Our kiosks are part of the experience and they help the day move — we're glad to have them. But any guest who'd rather have a person walk them through the menu and place the order with them gets that, every time.

When the cafe is quiet, that's the moment to ready it for the next group. There is always something to prep, clean, organize, or reset — and a shift that uses its quiet minutes well is the one that handles the next rush smoothly.

When you notice something that needs attention — a dirty surface, a low supply, something out of place — handle it if you have the time. If you don't, add it to the team list so the next teammate with a quiet minute picks it up.

A typical shift

How pay works

Cafe Meria uses a three-tier pay structure. The base wage is $5.50/hour (Michigan tipped rate) plus a share of pooled tips, paid weekly. On top of that, Cafe Meria guarantees a minimum effective rate of $14, $16, or $18 per hour depending on tier — meaning your base wage and tips together never fall below your tier floor. If a slow week leaves you short, the cafe tops up the difference on your next paycheck.

The tier rate is a floor on total pay, not a bonus on top of tips. On slow weeks, the floor protects you — you still take home your minimum guarantee. On busy weeks, the real upside is in tips: when you work hard and take good care of guests, tips improve, and the whole team's pay rises well past the floor together.

Tips are pooled and distributed automatically through Square — each tip goes to the teammates who were clocked in and working when the transaction happened. That means the effort you put into a busy shift directly affects what you and your shift mates take home from it. Owners and managers don't share in the pool.

Advancement isn't about seniority — it's about what you've learned and how independently you can work. As you build skill across stations and the team can count on you without prompting, you move up to the next tier.

What you'll do

• Prepare and serve food and drink items with care and consistency
• Welcome guests at the door, walk them through the menu when they want a hand, and place orders with them at the kiosk or the counter
• Run and serve tables, and take care of guests throughout their visit — anticipate needs before guests have to ask
• Learn the menu and the ingredients behind it, so you can speak about Cafe Meria with confidence
• Operate the POS and handle transactions accurately
• Use quiet stretches to prep, clean, organize, and reset stations so the cafe is ready for the next group
• When you spot something that needs attention, handle it if you have time — or add it to the team list so the next teammate with a quiet minute picks it up
• Restock and organize supplies, and follow food safety and handling practices
• Collaborate with the team to keep the day moving
• Contribute to the cafe's social media when time allows — photos, ideas, daily specials

What we're looking for

• Interest in barista or culinary work — experience is a plus, not a requirement; we train every station
• Strong customer service instincts — the ability to engage warmly and effectively
• Composure and efficiency through busy rushes
• Time management across multiple tasks in a fast-moving environment
• Basic math for cash handling
• Comfortable lifting 40+ lbs (stocking, deliveries, ice). Reasonable accommodations available — let us know what you need
• Availability for weekends and seasonal peak hours
• Dependable, motivated, and willing to grow with the team
• Natural with making guest recommendations
• Interest in creative social media content is a plus

Schedule and benefits

• Seasonal: May through October
• Full-time, part-time, and seasonal positions available
• Open scheduling — any availability welcome
• The cafe is aiming for 8am – 10pm daily through the summer
• Employee discount on food and drinks
• Flexible scheduling around school, family, and other work
• Seasonal growth opportunities — more hours and higher tier as you build skill and reliability

As the season builds, additional hours and prime shifts go first to teammates who are consistent and committed to the work.