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The differences between food preparers and line servers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a line server has an average salary of $28,300, 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 line server are customer service, quality customer service, and exceptional guest.
| Food Preparer | Line Server | |
| Yearly salary | $27,717 | $28,300 |
| Hourly rate | $13.33 | $13.61 |
| Growth rate | 14% | 14% |
| Number of jobs | 134,113 | 246,165 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 41% | High School Diploma, 49% |
| 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.
A line server is responsible for assisting the guests with their needs to ensure an overall satisfying dining experience with the highest quality service. Line servers take and verify guests' orders, provide recommendation for orders, respond to the guests' inquiries regarding the menu, manage the food preparation and serving, assist guests with additional requests, and ensure strict adherence to the sanitary standards and hygienic procedures at all times. Line servers must have excellent communication and time-management skills to interact with different guests and identify their dining needs.
Food preparers and line servers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Food Preparer | Line Server | |
| Average salary | $27,717 | $28,300 |
| Salary range | Between $20,000 And $37,000 | Between $21,000 And $36,000 |
| Highest paying City | Commack, NY | - |
| Highest paying state | New Hampshire | - |
| Best paying company | Mount Sinai Health System | - |
| Best paying industry | Retail | - |
There are a few differences between a food preparer and a line server in terms of educational background:
| Food Preparer | Line Server | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 41% | High School Diploma, 49% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between food preparers' and line servers' demographics:
| Food Preparer | Line Server | |
| Average age | 23 | 23 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 46.6% Female, 53.4% | Male, 33.7% Female, 66.3% |
| 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% |