Food counter worker vs counter server

The differences between food counter workers and counter servers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a counter server has an average salary of $32,460, which is higher than the $25,007 average annual salary of a food counter worker.

The top three skills for a food counter worker include food handling, basic math and safety standards. The most important skills for a counter server are food handling, excellent guest, and basic math.

Food counter worker vs counter server overview

	Food Counter Worker	Counter Server
Yearly salary	$25,007	$32,460
Hourly rate	$12.02	$15.61
Growth rate	14%	14%
Number of jobs	74,035	85,069
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 36%	Bachelor's Degree, 43%
Average age	23	23
Years of experience	-	-

Food counter worker vs counter server salary

Food counter workers and counter servers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Food Counter Worker	Counter Server
Average salary	$25,007	$32,460
Salary range	Between $18,000 And $33,000	Between $24,000 And $43,000
Highest paying City	Andover, MA	-
Highest paying state	North Dakota	-
Best paying company	UC Merced	-
Best paying industry	Start-up	-

Differences between food counter worker and counter server education

There are a few differences between a food counter worker and a counter server in terms of educational background:

	Food Counter Worker	Counter Server
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 36%	Bachelor's Degree, 43%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Food counter worker vs counter server demographics

Here are the differences between food counter workers' and counter servers' demographics:

	Food Counter Worker	Counter Server
Average age	23	23
Gender ratio	Male, 41.2% Female, 58.8%	Male, 28.0% Female, 72.0%
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 food counter worker and counter server duties and responsibilities

Food counter worker example responsibilities.

Provide coffee and pastries for customers, make coffee and smoothies.
Assist with planning and directing food preparation and culinary activities along with safely handling and storing all products appropriately.
Sandwich making, cutting vegetables, cleaning fryers, washing dishes, cleaning of the dining area and cleaning the bathrooms.
Prepare personalized smoothies and meals for customers

Counter server example responsibilities.

Answer telephones and enter orders into POS system.
Operate POS terminal to process customers' orders, swipe credit cards, and enter cash amounts.
Provide guests with an excellent dining experience by asking questions about allergies or preferences and initiating conversation for customer confidence.
Prepare some salads, shakes, smoothies, and juices.
Monitor guest for intoxication and immediately report concerns to management.

Food counter worker vs counter server skills

Common food counter worker skills

Food Handling, 29%
Basic Math, 18%
Safety Standards, 16%
Cleanliness, 12%
Customer Complaints, 5%
Customer Service, 4%

Common counter server skills

Food Handling, 24%
Excellent Guest, 19%
Basic Math, 14%
Wine, 9%
Cash Handling, 6%
Culinary, 6%

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Food Counter Worker vs Counter Server

Updated January 8, 2025

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