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Bakery clerk vs catering assistant

The differences between bakery clerks and catering assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a catering assistant has an average salary of $32,101, which is higher than the $28,651 average annual salary of a bakery clerk.

The top three skills for a bakery clerk include basic math, bakery products and cleanliness. The most important skills for a catering assistant are patients, food service, and customer service.

Bakery clerk vs catering assistant overview

Bakery ClerkCatering Assistant
Yearly salary$28,651$32,101
Hourly rate$13.77$15.43
Growth rate2%2%
Number of jobs67,77810,042
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 42%Bachelor's Degree, 45%
Average age3737
Years of experience--

What does a bakery clerk do?

A bakery clerk is an employee who is responsible for running the bakery department of supermarkets, boutique bakeries, or baking facilities. Bakery clerks are usually tasked to manage the bakery's cash register, bagging baked goods and then taking customers' payments. They ensure that the display cases inside the bakery are fully stocked with fresh bread and other baked goods. They also assist bakers with baking tasks such as measuring ingredients, mixing dough, or pouring batter.

What does a catering assistant do?

A catering assistant is responsible for supporting catering operations, especially on outdoor gatherings and social events. Catering assistants prepare the buffet area and ensure the adequacy of foods and beverages, and provide the best customer service for the guests' satisfaction. Catering assistants must have excellent communication skills, responding to the guests' inquiries and concerns about the dish, and resolving immediate complaints. They maintain the cleanliness of the buffet station, strictly adhering to the sanitary standards and hygienic regulations.

Bakery clerk vs catering assistant salary

Bakery clerks and catering assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.

Bakery ClerkCatering Assistant
Average salary$28,651$32,101
Salary rangeBetween $23,000 And $34,000Between $26,000 And $38,000
Highest paying CityVancouver, WAWashington, DC
Highest paying stateWashingtonHawaii
Best paying companyBristol FarmsMassachusetts General Hospital
Best paying industryRetailManufacturing

Differences between bakery clerk and catering assistant education

There are a few differences between a bakery clerk and a catering assistant in terms of educational background:

Bakery ClerkCatering Assistant
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 42%Bachelor's Degree, 45%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common college--

Bakery clerk vs catering assistant demographics

Here are the differences between bakery clerks' and catering assistants' demographics:

Bakery ClerkCatering Assistant
Average age3737
Gender ratioMale, 21.7% Female, 78.3%Male, 32.2% Female, 67.8%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 11.0% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 19.6% Asian, 6.6% White, 57.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%Black or African American, 12.3% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 18.0% Asian, 7.2% White, 56.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%
LGBT Percentage6%6%

Differences between bakery clerk and catering assistant duties and responsibilities

Bakery clerk example responsibilities.

  • Manage and complete sales transactions via POS register system.
  • Use of equipment such as: bread slicers, ovens, commercial mixers, meat slicers, and over wrappers.
  • Start in wine and spirits.
  • Practice proper use of lock out/tag out procedures for balers and trash compactors.
  • Exemplify a model of excellent customer service in keeping with Publix's orientation towards ensuring customer satisfaction.
  • Train to operate machinery such as meat and cheese slicer, bread slicer, fryers, and rotisserie oven.
  • Show more

Catering assistant example responsibilities.

  • Manage and prioritize restaurant reservations.
  • Monitor patients who cannot receive anything by mouth (NPO) or on liquid diets.
  • Assist dieticians with monitoring of patients who are NPO, on liquid diets or need to have intake record.
  • Run POS for student payments, including meal cards and cash.
  • Comply with regulator agency standards, including federal, state and JCAHO.
  • Adhere to HIPAA guidelines while processing menu orders with the patient information.
  • Show more

Bakery clerk vs catering assistant skills

Common bakery clerk skills
  • Basic Math, 10%
  • Bakery Products, 9%
  • Cleanliness, 9%
  • Math, 8%
  • Food Safety, 6%
  • Help Support, 6%
Common catering assistant skills
  • Patients, 25%
  • Food Service, 21%
  • Customer Service, 12%
  • Food Safety, 7%
  • Food Delivery, 6%
  • Beverage Service, 4%

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