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Fast food worker vs food handler

The differences between fast food workers 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 $24,860 average annual salary of a fast food worker.

The top three skills for a fast food worker include food handling, basic math and drive-thru. The most important skills for a food handler are basic math, customer service, and math.

Fast food worker vs food handler overview

Fast Food WorkerFood Handler
Yearly salary$24,860$32,581
Hourly rate$11.95$15.66
Growth rate14%14%
Number of jobs156,271171,731
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 63%High School Diploma, 47%
Average age2323
Years of experience--

Fast food worker vs food handler salary

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

Fast Food WorkerFood Handler
Average salary$24,860$32,581
Salary rangeBetween $12,000 And $51,000Between $26,000 And $39,000
Highest paying CityFranklin Square, NYSyracuse, NY
Highest paying stateNew HampshireWashington
Best paying companyUC MercedSyracuse University
Best paying industryHospitalityFinance

Differences between fast food worker and food handler education

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

Fast Food WorkerFood Handler
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 63%High School Diploma, 47%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common college--

Fast food worker vs food handler demographics

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

Fast Food WorkerFood Handler
Average age2323
Gender ratioMale, 47.0% Female, 53.0%Male, 43.2% Female, 56.8%
Race ratioBlack 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 Percentage8%8%

Differences between fast food worker and food handler duties and responsibilities

Fast food worker example responsibilities.

  • Operate ovens, deep fryers, grills, cash registers, and other appliances.
  • Operate large-volume cooking equipment such as grills, deep-fat fryers, conventional and microwave ovens.
  • Experience at POS, always give customer satisfaction and very persuasive with sales.
  • Landscape public parks utilizing a variety of heavy machinery including weed whackers, lawn mowers, leaf blowers, and trimmers.
  • Cook foods by baking, roasting, broiling, frying, steaming and grilling.
  • Brew coffee and tea, and fill containers with request beverages.

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.
  • Show more

Fast food worker vs food handler skills

Common fast food worker skills
  • Food Handling, 28%
  • Basic Math, 17%
  • Drive-Thru, 9%
  • Safety Standards, 4%
  • Customer Service, 4%
  • Drink Orders, 4%
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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