What does a food counter worker do?
Food counter worker responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real food counter worker resumes:
- 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
Food counter worker skills and personality traits
We calculated that 29% of Food Counter Workers are proficient in Food Handling, Basic Math, and Safety Standards. They’re also known for soft skills such as Communication skills, Customer-service skills, and Physical strength.
We break down the percentage of Food Counter Workers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Food Handling, 29%
Followed all proper food handling procedures.
- Basic Math, 18%
Used basic math to add up bill.
- Safety Standards, 16%
Maintained sanitation, health, and safety standards in my work area.
- Cleanliness, 12%
Maintained the cleanliness of the kitchen serving equipment in accordance with established departmental quality and quantity standards.
- Customer Complaints, 5%
Managed individuals who were intoxicated -Answered questions regarding food ingredients and park layout -Handled customer complaints effectively and quickly.
- Customer Service, 4%
Provided excellent customer service at a busy take-away restaurant.
Most food counter workers use their skills in "food handling," "basic math," and "safety standards" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential food counter worker responsibilities here:
Communication skills. One of the key soft skills for a food counter worker to have is communication skills. You can see how this relates to what food counter workers do because "food and beverage serving and related workers must listen carefully to their customers’ orders and relay them correctly to the kitchen staff so that the orders are prepared to the customers’ request." Additionally, a food counter worker resume shows how food counter workers use communication skills: "provide customer service.skills usedorganization, communication, coordination, move swiftly, and multi-tasking. "
Customer-service skills. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling food counter worker duties is customer-service skills. The role rewards competence in this skill because "food service establishments rely on good food and customer service to keep customers and succeed in a competitive industry." According to a food counter worker resume, here's how food counter workers can utilize customer-service skills in their job responsibilities: "attended to the back cash window taking food and drink orders from drive-thru customers, receiving payments, and returning change. "
Physical strength. food counter workers are also known for physical strength, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to food counter worker responsibilities, because "food and beverage serving and related workers need to be able to lift and carry stock and equipment that can weigh up to 50 pounds." A food counter worker resume example shows how physical strength is used in the workplace: "participated in physical inventories and assisted with inventory control. "
The three companies that hire the most food counter workers are:
- Aramark21 food counter workers jobs
- Compass Group USA3 food counter workers jobs
- MGM Resorts International2 food counter workers jobs
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Compare different food counter workers
Food counter worker vs. Snack bar attendant
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a food counter worker are more likely to require skills like "kitchen equipment," "cold food," "groceries," and "tray line." On the other hand, a job as a snack bar attendant requires skills like "customer transactions," "beverage products," "pos," and "beverage cart." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
Snack bar attendants really shine in the manufacturing industry with an average salary of $29,732. Comparatively, food counter workers tend to make the most money in the start-up industry with an average salary of $31,709.On average, snack bar attendants reach similar levels of education than food counter workers. Snack bar attendants are 1.4% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.2% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Food counter worker vs. Concession attendant
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, food counter worker responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "safety standards," "kitchen equipment," "food products," and "cold food." Meanwhile, a concession attendant has duties that require skills in areas such as "excellent guest," "food service," "pos," and "math." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
Concession attendants may earn a higher salary than food counter workers, but concession attendants earn the most pay in the hospitality industry with an average salary of $27,112. On the other hand, food counter workers receive higher pay in the start-up industry, where they earn an average salary of $31,709.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Concession attendants tend to reach similar levels of education than food counter workers. In fact, they're 1.1% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.2% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Food counter worker vs. Salad bar attendant
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a food counter worker is likely to be skilled in "food handling," "basic math," "customer complaints," and "cash handling," while a typical salad bar attendant is skilled in "salad bar," "dishes," "food service," and "prep food."
When it comes to education, salad bar attendants tend to earn similar degree levels compared to food counter workers. In fact, they're 0.4% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.0% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Food counter worker vs. Concession stand attendant
Types of food counter worker
Updated January 8, 2025
