Counter helper vs food counter worker

The differences between counter helpers and food counter workers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a counter helper has an average salary of $31,028, which is higher than the $25,007 average annual salary of a food counter worker.

The top three skills for a counter helper include POS, customer service and food orders. The most important skills for a food counter worker are food handling, basic math, and safety standards.

Counter helper vs food counter worker overview

	Counter Helper	Food Counter Worker
Yearly salary	$31,028	$25,007
Hourly rate	$14.92	$12.02
Growth rate	14%	14%
Number of jobs	84,190	74,035
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 43%	High School Diploma, 36%
Average age	23	23
Years of experience	-	-

Counter helper vs food counter worker salary

Counter helpers and food counter workers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Counter Helper	Food Counter Worker
Average salary	$31,028	$25,007
Salary range	Between $23,000 And $40,000	Between $18,000 And $33,000
Highest paying City	Vancouver, WA	Andover, MA
Highest paying state	Maine	North Dakota
Best paying company	The George Washington University	UC Merced
Best paying industry	Hospitality	Start-up

Differences between counter helper and food counter worker education

There are a few differences between a counter helper and a food counter worker in terms of educational background:

	Counter Helper	Food Counter Worker
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 43%	High School Diploma, 36%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Counter helper vs food counter worker demographics

Here are the differences between counter helpers' and food counter workers' demographics:

	Counter Helper	Food Counter Worker
Average age	23	23
Gender ratio	Male, 26.7% Female, 73.3%	Male, 41.2% Female, 58.8%
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 counter helper and food counter worker duties and responsibilities

Counter helper example responsibilities.

Require to use mental math when counting back change to the customer.
Assist customers, serve drinks and food, run the cash register and clean.
Communicate clearly and positively with co-workers and management.
Monitor guest for intoxication and immediately report concerns to management.
Replace or attach bar code labels on every ammunition containers for identification and location.
Develop leadership skills by mentoring new employees, prioritizing and delegating tasks.

Food counter worker example responsibilities.

Provide coffee and pastries for customers, make coffee and smoothies.
Assist with planning and directing food preparation and culinary activities along with safely handling and storing all products appropriately.
Sandwich making, cutting vegetables, cleaning fryers, washing dishes, cleaning of the dining area and cleaning the bathrooms.
Prepare personalized smoothies and meals for customers

Counter helper vs food counter worker skills

Common counter helper skills

POS, 19%
Customer Service, 12%
Food Orders, 12%
Customer Satisfaction, 7%
Customer Complaints, 6%
Steam Tables, 5%

Common food counter worker skills

Food Handling, 29%
Basic Math, 18%
Safety Standards, 16%
Cleanliness, 12%
Customer Complaints, 5%
Customer Service, 4%

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Counter Helper
Counter Helper vs Food Counter Worker

Updated January 8, 2025

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