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Deli clerk vs catering assistant

The differences between deli clerks and catering assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a deli clerk has an average salary of $32,240, which is higher than the $32,101 average annual salary of a catering assistant.

The top three skills for a deli clerk include help support, basic math and excellent guest. The most important skills for a catering assistant are patients, food service, and customer service.

Deli clerk vs catering assistant overview

Deli ClerkCatering Assistant
Yearly salary$32,240$32,101
Hourly rate$15.50$15.43
Growth rate2%2%
Number of jobs69,31110,042
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 47%Bachelor's Degree, 45%
Average age3737
Years of experience--

What does a deli clerk do?

A deli clerk is responsible for providing healthy food recommendations to the customers, assisting them with their inquiries, and providing special offers. Deli clerks' duties include maintaining the highest sanitation procedures within the working area, updating the customers with the products' promotions, updating displays regularly, researching the latest market trends for product recommendations, and adhering to the company's safety standards and regulations. A deli clerk must have impeccable customer service and communication skills to ensure customer satisfaction while meeting the company's objectives and sales goals.

What does a catering assistant do?

A catering assistant is responsible for supporting catering operations, especially on outdoor gatherings and social events. Catering assistants prepare the buffet area and ensure the adequacy of foods and beverages, and provide the best customer service for the guests' satisfaction. Catering assistants must have excellent communication skills, responding to the guests' inquiries and concerns about the dish, and resolving immediate complaints. They maintain the cleanliness of the buffet station, strictly adhering to the sanitary standards and hygienic regulations.

Deli clerk vs catering assistant salary

Deli clerks and catering assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.

Deli ClerkCatering Assistant
Average salary$32,240$32,101
Salary rangeBetween $24,000 And $43,000Between $26,000 And $38,000
Highest paying CitySeattle, WAWashington, DC
Highest paying stateWashingtonHawaii
Best paying companyUnited Natural FoodsMassachusetts General Hospital
Best paying industryRetailManufacturing

Differences between deli clerk and catering assistant education

There are a few differences between a deli clerk and a catering assistant in terms of educational background:

Deli ClerkCatering Assistant
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 47%Bachelor's Degree, 45%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common college--

Deli clerk vs catering assistant demographics

Here are the differences between deli clerks' and catering assistants' demographics:

Deli ClerkCatering Assistant
Average age3737
Gender ratioMale, 39.6% Female, 60.4%Male, 32.2% Female, 67.8%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 17.8% Asian, 6.5% White, 58.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%Black or African American, 12.3% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 18.0% Asian, 7.2% White, 56.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%
LGBT Percentage6%6%

Differences between deli clerk and catering assistant duties and responsibilities

Deli clerk example responsibilities.

  • Open and close deli; schedule work hour coverage; manage and monitor deli cleanliness code; customer service.
  • Break down pallets in freeze and take seafood orders from customers to be either season or weight up.
  • Handle equipment such as fryers and slicers as well as used store intercoms to announce weekly / daily specials and promotions.
  • Operate automatic and manual meat/cheese slicers to customer request.
  • Break down heavy pallets of cases, boxes and bags.
  • Work with equipment such as balers, pallet jacks, slicers, ovens.
  • Show more

Catering assistant example responsibilities.

  • Manage and prioritize restaurant reservations.
  • Monitor patients who cannot receive anything by mouth (NPO) or on liquid diets.
  • Assist dieticians with monitoring of patients who are NPO, on liquid diets or need to have intake record.
  • Run POS for student payments, including meal cards and cash.
  • Comply with regulator agency standards, including federal, state and JCAHO.
  • Adhere to HIPAA guidelines while processing menu orders with the patient information.
  • Show more

Deli clerk vs catering assistant skills

Common deli clerk skills
  • Help Support, 24%
  • Basic Math, 22%
  • Excellent Guest, 9%
  • Slicers, 7%
  • Hot Food, 4%
  • Deli Meats, 4%
Common catering assistant skills
  • Patients, 25%
  • Food Service, 21%
  • Customer Service, 12%
  • Food Safety, 7%
  • Food Delivery, 6%
  • Beverage Service, 4%

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