Food preparation worker vs food preparer

The differences between food preparation workers and food preparers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a food preparer has an average salary of $27,717, which is higher than the $25,004 average annual salary of a food preparation worker.

The top three skills for a food preparation worker include customer service, food handling and clean rooms. The most important skills for a food preparer are food handling, work ethic, and food products.

Food preparation worker vs food preparer overview

	Food Preparation Worker	Food Preparer
Yearly salary	$25,004	$27,717
Hourly rate	$12.02	$13.33
Growth rate	2%	14%
Number of jobs	65,654	134,113
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 46%	High School Diploma, 41%
Average age	37	23
Years of experience	-	-

Food preparation worker vs food preparer salary

Food preparation workers and food preparers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Food Preparation Worker	Food Preparer
Average salary	$25,004	$27,717
Salary range	Between $18,000 And $33,000	Between $20,000 And $37,000
Highest paying City	Rochester, NY	Commack, NY
Highest paying state	Rhode Island	New Hampshire
Best paying company	University of California, Berkeley	Mount Sinai Health System
Best paying industry	Retail	Retail

Differences between food preparation worker and food preparer education

There are a few differences between a food preparation worker and a food preparer in terms of educational background:

	Food Preparation Worker	Food Preparer
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 46%	High School Diploma, 41%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Food preparation worker vs food preparer demographics

Here are the differences between food preparation workers' and food preparers' demographics:

	Food Preparation Worker	Food Preparer
Average age	37	23
Gender ratio	Male, 46.6% Female, 53.4%	Male, 46.6% Female, 53.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 12.9% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 17.2% Asian, 7.3% White, 56.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%	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	6%	8%

Differences between food preparation worker and food preparer duties and responsibilities

Food preparation worker example responsibilities.

Maintain cleaned and sanitize cafeterias.
Assist with planning and directing food preparation and culinary activities along with safely handling and storing all products appropriately.
Wash dishes, pots, pans and trays by hand and automatic dishwasher.
Prepare and cook large quantities of food for institutions, such as schools, hospitals, or cafeterias.

Food preparer example responsibilities.

Maintain cleanliness, organization and time management of order preparation, customer service
Follow closing procedures and maintain cleanliness of food preparation area and bathrooms.
Operate on a POS system, and would prep and serve food.
Clean fryers daily, closing shop with overhaul of cleaning routines and stocking freezers.
Operate a variety of commercial cooking equipment including grills, deep fryers, and ovens.
Clean and sanitize workstations, utensils and equipment according to sanitation guidelines.

Food preparation worker vs food preparer skills

Common food preparation worker skills

Customer Service, 20%
Food Handling, 16%
Clean Rooms, 10%
Food Preparation Equipment, 9%
Basic Math, 8%
Food Storage, 5%

Common food preparer skills

Food Handling, 20%
Work Ethic, 13%
Food Products, 11%
Kitchen Utensils, 8%
Safety Standards, 7%
Customer Service, 6%

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Food Preparation Worker vs Food Preparer

Updated January 8, 2025

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