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The differences between food preps and food service workers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a food service worker has an average salary of $28,753, which is higher than the $25,840 average annual salary of a food prep.
The top three skills for a food prep include food service, food handling and taking care. The most important skills for a food service worker are food handling, safety standards, and customer service.
| Food Prep | Food Service Worker | |
| Yearly salary | $25,840 | $28,753 |
| Hourly rate | $12.42 | $13.82 |
| Growth rate | 14% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 168,743 | 169,323 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 48% | High School Diploma, 44% |
| Average age | 23 | 37 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
The primary duty of a food prep is to accomplish various food handling and preparation tasks according to the direction of supervisors, chefs, or cooks. One can work in different establishments or industry where there is food involved. Among the responsibilities will mostly revolve around doing light to moderate chores such as cleaning the kitchen and sanitizing utensils, preparing the required ingredients and ensure its quality and quantity, be in charge of food storage, and assist by performing basic cooking tasks.
Foodservice workers are employees at restaurants, food trucks, or any outlet that provides food to customers. They may be assigned to welcome customers, take food orders, prepare food orders in the kitchen, serve food, handle customer payments, clean up the tables once the guests leave, or maintain the whole store's cleanliness. They may also be assigned to manage inventories, handle stocks and deliveries, and other activities related to the restaurant's successful operations. Foodservice workers must always be hygienic and maintain the sanitation of the area to ensure food safety.
Food preps and food service workers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Food Prep | Food Service Worker | |
| Average salary | $25,840 | $28,753 |
| Salary range | Between $19,000 And $35,000 | Between $22,000 And $36,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | Urban Honolulu, HI |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Grand Ledge High School | University of California, Berkeley |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Retail |
There are a few differences between a food prep and a food service worker in terms of educational background:
| Food Prep | Food Service Worker | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 48% | High School Diploma, 44% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between food preps' and food service workers' demographics:
| Food Prep | Food Service Worker | |
| Average age | 23 | 37 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 51.1% Female, 48.9% | Male, 36.6% Female, 63.4% |
| 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, 12.3% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.7% Asian, 7.1% White, 58.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 6% |