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Deli clerk vs deli associate

The differences between deli clerks and deli associates 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 $28,360 average annual salary of a deli associate.

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

Deli clerk vs deli associate overview

Deli ClerkDeli Associate
Yearly salary$32,240$28,360
Hourly rate$15.50$13.63
Growth rate2%14%
Number of jobs69,311117,130
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 47%High School Diploma, 46%
Average age3723
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 deli associate do?

A deli associate is personnel who works in grocery and deli stores and assists shoppers by responding to their inquiries and requests. He/She updates his/her product displays to ensure that new items and promotions are showcased and follow all food safety and sanitation. Aside from engaging with customers, deli associates must possess the ability to lift heavy objects and operates equipment such as cash registers and meat slicers. Also, deli associates' minimum educational requirement is a high school diploma, but experience in deli counter work is a plus.

Deli clerk vs deli associate salary

Deli clerks and deli associates have different pay scales, as shown below.

Deli ClerkDeli Associate
Average salary$32,240$28,360
Salary rangeBetween $24,000 And $43,000Between $20,000 And $39,000
Highest paying CitySeattle, WA-
Highest paying stateWashington-
Best paying companyUnited Natural Foods-
Best paying industryRetail-

Differences between deli clerk and deli associate education

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

Deli ClerkDeli Associate
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 47%High School Diploma, 46%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common college--

Deli clerk vs deli associate demographics

Here are the differences between deli clerks' and deli associates' demographics:

Deli ClerkDeli Associate
Average age3723
Gender ratioMale, 39.6% Female, 60.4%Male, 37.2% Female, 62.8%
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, 9.6% Unknown, 6.9% Hispanic or Latino, 18.6% Asian, 6.5% White, 57.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage6%8%

Differences between deli clerk and deli associate 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

Deli associate example responsibilities.

  • Open and close deli; schedule work hour coverage; manage and monitor deli cleanliness code; customer service.
  • Serve customers, stock shelves, cook food in fryers, slice deli meat, prepare food trays, close/open department
  • Bag groceries, and help customers out to their vehicles.
  • Pick and pack chosen items and ring them up in the POS system.
  • Train and assist employees in the use of proprietary POS software and hardware.
  • Season help pack groceries and work in the deli department packaging and prepare food for floor.
  • Show more

Deli clerk vs deli associate skills

Common deli clerk skills
  • Help Support, 24%
  • Basic Math, 22%
  • Excellent Guest, 9%
  • Slicers, 7%
  • Hot Food, 4%
  • Deli Meats, 4%
Common deli associate skills
  • Food Handling, 24%
  • Basic Math, 17%
  • Customer Service, 17%
  • Math, 10%
  • Food Safety, 7%
  • Slicers, 4%

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