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Bakery clerk vs food service assistant

The differences between bakery clerks and food service assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a food service assistant has an average salary of $29,354, 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 food service assistant are patients, customer service, and food handling.

Bakery clerk vs food service assistant overview

Bakery ClerkFood Service Assistant
Yearly salary$28,651$29,354
Hourly rate$13.77$14.11
Growth rate2%2%
Number of jobs67,778149,665
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 42%Bachelor's Degree, 33%
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 food service assistant do?

A food service assistant helps in food and beverage preparation and serving customers. Foodservice assistants make sure that great customer service is provided to clients. Their duties include answering phone calls for inquiries, providing information, selling products, and solving problems. They may function as cashiers in restaurants or any other food service institution. Upon receiving customer complaints, they escalate them to top management. This job requires people skills, communication skills, and food service knowledge.

Bakery clerk vs food service assistant salary

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

Bakery ClerkFood Service Assistant
Average salary$28,651$29,354
Salary rangeBetween $23,000 And $34,000Between $23,000 And $36,000
Highest paying CityVancouver, WASpringfield, MA
Highest paying stateWashingtonMassachusetts
Best paying companyBristol FarmsFremont Public Schools
Best paying industryRetailRetail

Differences between bakery clerk and food service assistant education

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

Bakery ClerkFood Service Assistant
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 42%Bachelor's Degree, 33%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common college--

Bakery clerk vs food service assistant demographics

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

Bakery ClerkFood Service Assistant
Average age3737
Gender ratioMale, 21.7% Female, 78.3%Male, 35.9% Female, 64.1%
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, 12.1% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 18.0% Asian, 8.7% White, 55.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%
LGBT Percentage6%6%

Differences between bakery clerk and food service 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.
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Food service assistant example responsibilities.

  • Sanitize rooms per OSHA requirements.
  • Perform regular station audits in accordance to OSHA guidelines.
  • Experience includes bag room, mail/cargo, ramp, and De-icing.
  • Maintain cleanliness of kitchenware and food preparation areas in a fast-pace restaurant kitchen.
  • Streamline kitchen processes for this fast-pace environment, maintaining cleanliness and safe equipment operation.
  • Monitor radio and delivery system by annotating order tickets resulting in satisfy and hunger free patients.
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Bakery clerk vs food service assistant skills

Common bakery clerk skills
  • Basic Math, 10%
  • Bakery Products, 9%
  • Cleanliness, 9%
  • Math, 8%
  • Food Safety, 6%
  • Help Support, 6%
Common food service assistant skills
  • Patients, 12%
  • Customer Service, 12%
  • Food Handling, 9%
  • Basic Math, 8%
  • Kitchen Equipment, 7%
  • Safety Standards, 6%

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