Cook and waitress/waiter vs cook/dishwasher

The differences between cook and waitresses/waiter and cook/dishwashers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a cook/dishwasher has an average salary of $31,703, which is higher than the $27,271 average annual salary of a cook and waitress/waiter.

The top three skills for a cook and waitress/waiter include food handling, customer service and waiter. The most important skills for a cook/dishwasher are wash dishes, customer service, and dishwashers.

Cook and waitress/waiter vs cook/dishwasher overview

	Cook And Waitress/Waiter	Cook/Dishwasher
Yearly salary	$27,271	$31,703
Hourly rate	$13.11	$15.24
Growth rate	10%	16%
Number of jobs	268,608	133,000
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 42%	High School Diploma, 58%
Average age	28	36
Years of experience	-	-

Cook and waitress/waiter vs cook/dishwasher salary

Cook and waitresses/waiter and cook/dishwashers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Cook And Waitress/Waiter	Cook/Dishwasher
Average salary	$27,271	$31,703
Salary range	Between $20,000 And $36,000	Between $24,000 And $40,000
Highest paying City	-	Tacoma, WA
Highest paying state	-	Washington
Best paying company	-	New Seasons Market
Best paying industry	-	Hospitality

Differences between cook and waitress/waiter and cook/dishwasher education

There are a few differences between a cook and waitress/waiter and a cook/dishwasher in terms of educational background:

	Cook And Waitress/Waiter	Cook/Dishwasher
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 42%	High School Diploma, 58%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Cook and waitress/waiter vs cook/dishwasher demographics

Here are the differences between cook and waitresses/waiter' and cook/dishwashers' demographics:

	Cook And Waitress/Waiter	Cook/Dishwasher
Average age	28	36
Gender ratio	Male, 74.8% Female, 25.2%	Male, 81.7% Female, 18.3%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.6% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 18.6% Asian, 8.7% White, 54.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%	Black or African American, 12.6% Unknown, 6.3% Hispanic or Latino, 11.6% Asian, 5.9% White, 62.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.4%
LGBT Percentage	6%	5%

Differences between cook and waitress/waiter and cook/dishwasher duties and responsibilities

Cook and waitress/waiter example responsibilities.

Enter orders into a POS system to be send to the kitchen.
Assist in cashier duties using POS system to make all monetary transactions of food items.
Develop relationships with regular patrons; develop an understanding of their personal needs and expectations, including preferences and food allergies.
Service of drinks, cocktails and food in a busy, members only VIP environment.

Cook/dishwasher example responsibilities.

Operate mixers and manage ingredients to meet product quality and uniformity standards.
Cook and prepare sandwiches and entrees throughout the shift, working with slicers, grills, and fryers.
Enter orders into pos system.
Organize groceries as to ensure use before expiration.
Host: open/close shifts, greet and seat tables, run seating board.
Serve food to customers, run the cash register and also buse tables and wash dishes.

Cook and waitress/waiter vs cook/dishwasher skills

Common cook and waitress/waiter skills

Food Handling, 58%
Customer Service, 14%
Waiter, 5%
Food Orders, 3%
Food Service, 2%
Food Preparation, 2%

Common cook/dishwasher skills

Wash Dishes, 44%
Customer Service, 12%
Dishwashers, 7%
Prep Food, 6%
Safety Standards, 4%
Kitchen Equipment, 3%

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Food Preparation and Restaurant Industry
Cook And Waitress/Waiter
Cook And Waitress/Waiter vs Cook/Dishwasher

Updated January 8, 2025

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