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The differences between food preparers and cook/servers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a cook/server has an average salary of $29,716, which is higher than the $27,717 average annual salary of a food preparer.
The top three skills for a food preparer include food handling, work ethic and food products. The most important skills for a cook/server are customer service, customer orders, and safety standards.
| Food Preparer | Cook/Server | |
| Yearly salary | $27,717 | $29,716 |
| Hourly rate | $13.33 | $14.29 |
| Growth rate | 14% | 14% |
| Number of jobs | 134,113 | 257,582 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 41% | High School Diploma, 52% |
| Average age | 23 | 23 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A food preparer or food preparation worker is the person who executes routine tasks under the supervision of chefs, food service managers, and cooks. Food preparation workers slice meat, cut vegetables, and prepare cold foods. They prepare ingredients of food for recipes as they assist cooks and chefs. Their duties and responsibilities include sifting, marinating, food safety, grating, and knife skills. They are also expected to weigh and measure dry and liquid ingredients.
Cooks/servers are employees who take on the dual role of being a cook and a server in the restaurant. They are usually trained cooks who are in charge of preparing meals for the guests. They prepare ingredients, cook them according to the recipe, and serve them to guests. They are responsible for ensuring that the food is prepared and served to guests within the promised time. They are in charge of managing the pantry, ensuring that the stock is fresh, and checking whether the stock is low. They are expected to have culinary skills, precision, and time management skills.
Food preparers and cook/servers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Food Preparer | Cook/Server | |
| Average salary | $27,717 | $29,716 |
| Salary range | Between $20,000 And $37,000 | Between $23,000 And $37,000 |
| Highest paying City | Commack, NY | Bellingham, WA |
| Highest paying state | New Hampshire | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Mount Sinai Health System | The Harley School |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Retail |
There are a few differences between a food preparer and a cook/server in terms of educational background:
| Food Preparer | Cook/Server | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 41% | High School Diploma, 52% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between food preparers' and cook/servers' demographics:
| Food Preparer | Cook/Server | |
| Average age | 23 | 23 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 46.6% Female, 53.4% | Male, 45.9% Female, 54.1% |
| 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% |