Dietary cook vs cafeteria cook

The differences between dietary cooks and cafeteria cooks can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a dietary cook and a cafeteria cook. Additionally, a cafeteria cook has an average salary of $30,395, which is higher than the $27,365 average annual salary of a dietary cook.

The top three skills for a dietary cook include patients, food handling and food service. The most important skills for a cafeteria cook are culinary, cleanliness, and kitchen equipment.

Dietary cook vs cafeteria cook overview

	Dietary Cook	Cafeteria Cook
Yearly salary	$27,365	$30,395
Hourly rate	$13.16	$14.61
Growth rate	16%	16%
Number of jobs	191,406	130,702
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 41%	High School Diploma, 50%
Average age	38	38
Years of experience	2	2

Dietary cook vs cafeteria cook salary

Dietary cooks and cafeteria cooks have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Dietary Cook	Cafeteria Cook
Average salary	$27,365	$30,395
Salary range	Between $21,000 And $34,000	Between $25,000 And $36,000
Highest paying City	Omaha, NE	Falmouth, MA
Highest paying state	Utah	Utah
Best paying company	SantaFe HealthCare	National Pancake House
Best paying industry	Manufacturing	Hospitality

Differences between dietary cook and cafeteria cook education

There are a few differences between a dietary cook and a cafeteria cook in terms of educational background:

	Dietary Cook	Cafeteria Cook
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 41%	High School Diploma, 50%
Most common major	Culinary Arts	Culinary Arts
Most common college	-	-

Dietary cook vs cafeteria cook demographics

Here are the differences between dietary cooks' and cafeteria cooks' demographics:

	Dietary Cook	Cafeteria Cook
Average age	38	38
Gender ratio	Male, 35.3% Female, 64.7%	Male, 39.0% Female, 61.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.1% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 15.1% Asian, 8.2% White, 61.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%	Black or African American, 10.2% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 15.6% Asian, 8.5% White, 60.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between dietary cook and cafeteria cook duties and responsibilities

Dietary cook example responsibilities.

Operate mixers and manage ingredients to meet product quality and uniformity standards.
Provide attention and compassion to all resident's.
Train with culinary chefs and staff members on dinning facility services and organization.
Utilize a broad range of culinary skills to include grill and saute as well as salad and deserts.
Make sure food is prepared within the guidelines of ServSafe and residents' with special needs are tend to.
Prepare breakfast, lunch and dinner for residents according to SERVSAFE and HAACP procedures and standards on a daily basis.

Cafeteria cook example responsibilities.

Operate mixers and manage ingredients to meet product quality and uniformity standards.
Prepare and serve nutritional meals to the before and after school kids.
Inspect equipment for cleanliness in functional operation.
Supervise the culinary arts participants in juvenile detention facility.
Maintain cafeteria cleanliness, stock condiments, Pepsi machine syrup replacement.
Ensure customers convenience are met/exceed by accommodating and notifying customers of ingredients that may trigger food allergies or intolerance.

Dietary cook vs cafeteria cook skills

Common dietary cook skills

Patients, 16%
Food Handling, 16%
Food Service, 13%
Kitchen Equipment, 9%
Meal Service, 7%
Rehabilitation, 6%

Common cafeteria cook skills

Culinary, 21%
Cleanliness, 18%
Kitchen Equipment, 14%
Food Service, 12%
Food Handling, 11%
Quality Standards, 7%

Dietary Cook vs. similar jobs

Dietary Cook related careers

Dietary Cook related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Food Preparation and Restaurant Industry
Dietary Cook
Dietary Cook vs Cafeteria Cook

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse food preparation and restaurant jobs