Fast food server vs food handler

The differences between fast food servers and food handlers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a food handler has an average salary of $32,581, which is higher than the $30,266 average annual salary of a fast food server.

The top three skills for a fast food server include cleanliness, food orders and food handling. The most important skills for a food handler are basic math, customer service, and math.

Fast food server vs food handler overview

	Fast Food Server	Food Handler
Yearly salary	$30,266	$32,581
Hourly rate	$14.55	$15.66
Growth rate	14%	14%
Number of jobs	182,816	171,731
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 62%	High School Diploma, 47%
Average age	23	23
Years of experience	-	-

Fast food server vs food handler salary

Fast food servers and food handlers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Fast Food Server	Food Handler
Average salary	$30,266	$32,581
Salary range	Between $23,000 And $38,000	Between $26,000 And $39,000
Highest paying City	-	Syracuse, NY
Highest paying state	-	Washington
Best paying company	-	Syracuse University
Best paying industry	-	Finance

Differences between fast food server and food handler education

There are a few differences between a fast food server and a food handler in terms of educational background:

	Fast Food Server	Food Handler
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 62%	High School Diploma, 47%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Fast food server vs food handler demographics

Here are the differences between fast food servers' and food handlers' demographics:

	Fast Food Server	Food Handler
Average age	23	23
Gender ratio	Male, 45.4% Female, 54.6%	Male, 43.2% Female, 56.8%
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 fast food server and food handler duties and responsibilities

Fast food server example responsibilities.

Describe menu items and daily specials in detail and provide recommendations including wine pairing options.
Preform equipment maintenance to ensure proper tolerances for precise mowing conditions.

Food handler example responsibilities.

Set up and operate point of sales (POS) cash registers, receive money and return proper change.
Record patient information to gain knowledge of special allergies and special diets to promote better safety and health management.
Enter orders into POS system, report daily sales to managers, conduct monthly inventory, and perform heavy cash flow.
Monitor and maintain cleanliness, sanitation, and organization of assign station and service areas.
Maintain clean work areas including display cases, walk-in coolers, fryers and other cooking equipment.
Prepare and serve food samples using small appliances such as microwaves, fryers, skillets, coffee makers and knives.

Fast food server vs food handler skills

Common fast food server skills

Cleanliness, 33%
Food Orders, 24%
Food Handling, 9%
Safety Standards, 8%
Drive-Thru, 7%
Customer Complaints, 5%

Common food handler skills

Basic Math, 23%
Customer Service, 21%
Math, 14%
Food Service, 6%
Kitchen Equipment, 6%
Food Orders, 4%

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Food Preparation and Restaurant Industry
Fast Food Server
Fast Food Server vs Food Handler

Updated January 8, 2025

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