Food handler vs cafe associate

The differences between food handlers and cafe associates 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 $30,081 average annual salary of a cafe associate.

The top three skills for a food handler include basic math, customer service and math. The most important skills for a cafe associate are safety standards, food service, and groceries.

Food handler vs cafe associate overview

	Food Handler	Cafe Associate
Yearly salary	$32,581	$30,081
Hourly rate	$15.66	$14.46
Growth rate	14%	14%
Number of jobs	171,731	76,618
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 47%	High School Diploma, 46%
Average age	23	23
Years of experience	-	-

Food handler vs cafe associate salary

Food handlers and cafe associates have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Food Handler	Cafe Associate
Average salary	$32,581	$30,081
Salary range	Between $26,000 And $39,000	Between $24,000 And $36,000
Highest paying City	Syracuse, NY	Concord, NH
Highest paying state	Washington	Oregon
Best paying company	Syracuse University	Bertucci's
Best paying industry	Finance	Retail

Differences between food handler and cafe associate education

There are a few differences between a food handler and a cafe associate in terms of educational background:

	Food Handler	Cafe Associate
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 47%	High School Diploma, 46%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Food handler vs cafe associate demographics

Here are the differences between food handlers' and cafe associates' demographics:

	Food Handler	Cafe Associate
Average age	23	23
Gender ratio	Male, 43.2% Female, 56.8%	Male, 30.4% Female, 69.6%
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 handler and cafe associate duties and responsibilities

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.

Cafe associate example responsibilities.

tip counting and figuring for employees.
Prepare and serve specialty coffee drinks, smoothies and teas.
Better than average wine knowledge, both old and new world.
Train in all areas of retail including point of sale (POS), shipping and handling.
Enter all orders into the POS system accurately and efficiently.maintain a high level experience in a fast pace environment.
Maintain cleanliness around the department; also, communicate with members in a professional and respectful manner when assistance are needed.

Food handler vs cafe associate skills

Common food handler skills

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

Common cafe associate skills

Safety Standards, 32%
Food Service, 30%
Groceries, 13%
SAM, 7%
Dishwashers, 3%
Cleanliness, 1%

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Food Handler vs Cafe Associate

Updated January 8, 2025

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