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The differences between cook/servers and line cooks can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a line cook has an average salary of $32,894, which is higher than the $29,716 average annual salary of a cook/server.
The top three skills for a cook/server include customer service, customer orders and safety standards. The most important skills for a line cook are culinary, sanitation standards, and food handling.
| Cook/Server | Line Cook | |
| Yearly salary | $29,716 | $32,894 |
| Hourly rate | $14.29 | $15.81 |
| Growth rate | 14% | 16% |
| Number of jobs | 257,582 | 168,993 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | 4 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 52% | High School Diploma, 36% |
| Average age | 23 | 38 |
| Years of experience | - | 4 |
Cooks/servers are employees who take on the dual role of being a cook and a server in the restaurant. They are usually trained cooks who are in charge of preparing meals for the guests. They prepare ingredients, cook them according to the recipe, and serve them to guests. They are responsible for ensuring that the food is prepared and served to guests within the promised time. They are in charge of managing the pantry, ensuring that the stock is fresh, and checking whether the stock is low. They are expected to have culinary skills, precision, and time management skills.
Line cooks are responsible for preparing meals for guests or employers. The term line cook brings to mind an assembly line. This is apt because line cooks are usually assigned to a specific station to work on a specific part of a meal or a preparation process. They are part of a bigger group of cooks in the restaurant. This is done so that meal preparation is more efficient. Line cooks are responsible for preparing ingredients, ensuring that the pantry is well-stocked, and doing their assigned activity in the line. They are expected to be good team players, have experience as a cook, and be able to follow recipes and provide alternatives when necessary.
Cook/servers and line cooks have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Cook/Server | Line Cook | |
| Average salary | $29,716 | $32,894 |
| Salary range | Between $23,000 And $37,000 | Between $26,000 And $40,000 |
| Highest paying City | Bellingham, WA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | The Harley School | Gate City Bank |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Hospitality |
There are a few differences between a cook/server and a line cook in terms of educational background:
| Cook/Server | Line Cook | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 52% | High School Diploma, 36% |
| Most common major | Business | Culinary Arts |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between cook/servers' and line cooks' demographics:
| Cook/Server | Line Cook | |
| Average age | 23 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 45.9% Female, 54.1% | Male, 73.1% Female, 26.9% |
| 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, 9.4% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 18.2% Asian, 8.9% White, 57.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 6% |