Cafeteria server vs counter server

The differences between cafeteria servers and counter servers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a counter server has an average salary of $32,460, which is higher than the $29,674 average annual salary of a cafeteria server.

The top three skills for a cafeteria server include clean kitchen, quality customer service and portion control. The most important skills for a counter server are food handling, excellent guest, and basic math.

Cafeteria server vs counter server overview

	Cafeteria Server	Counter Server
Yearly salary	$29,674	$32,460
Hourly rate	$14.27	$15.61
Growth rate	14%	14%
Number of jobs	74,546	85,069
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 41%	Bachelor's Degree, 43%
Average age	23	23
Years of experience	-	-

Cafeteria server vs counter server salary

Cafeteria servers and counter servers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Cafeteria Server	Counter Server
Average salary	$29,674	$32,460
Salary range	Between $23,000 And $37,000	Between $24,000 And $43,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between cafeteria server and counter server education

There are a few differences between a cafeteria server and a counter server in terms of educational background:

	Cafeteria Server	Counter Server
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 41%	Bachelor's Degree, 43%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Cafeteria server vs counter server demographics

Here are the differences between cafeteria servers' and counter servers' demographics:

	Cafeteria Server	Counter Server
Average age	23	23
Gender ratio	Male, 28.7% Female, 71.3%	Male, 28.0% Female, 72.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 6.9% Hispanic or Latino, 18.6% Asian, 6.5% White, 57.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%	Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 6.9% Hispanic or Latino, 18.6% Asian, 6.5% White, 57.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	8%	8%

Differences between cafeteria server and counter server duties and responsibilities

Cafeteria server example responsibilities.

Manage event reservations and party requests, inform customers about upcoming events and specials.
Establish a positive relationship with co-workers and managers through a solid work ethic, positive attitude, punctuality and dependability.
Develop credibility and confidence with VIP guests by maintaining confidentiality and complying with company standards.

Counter server example responsibilities.

Answer telephones and enter orders into POS system.
Operate POS terminal to process customers' orders, swipe credit cards, and enter cash amounts.
Provide guests with an excellent dining experience by asking questions about allergies or preferences and initiating conversation for customer confidence.
Prepare some salads, shakes, smoothies, and juices.
Monitor guest for intoxication and immediately report concerns to management.

Cafeteria server vs counter server skills

Common cafeteria server skills

Clean Kitchen, 37%
Quality Customer Service, 21%
Portion Control, 14%
Food Products, 8%
Service Line, 7%
Kitchen Equipment, 7%

Common counter server skills

Food Handling, 24%
Excellent Guest, 19%
Basic Math, 14%
Wine, 9%
Cash Handling, 6%
Culinary, 6%

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Cafeteria Server
Cafeteria Server vs Counter Server

Updated January 8, 2025

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