Post job

Food processor vs food service worker

The differences between food processors and food service workers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a food processor has an average salary of $31,432, which is higher than the $28,753 average annual salary of a food service worker.

The top three skills for a food processor include food safety, assembly line and GMP. The most important skills for a food service worker are food handling, safety standards, and customer service.

Food processor vs food service worker overview

Food ProcessorFood Service Worker
Yearly salary$31,432$28,753
Hourly rate$15.11$13.82
Growth rate2%2%
Number of jobs54,339169,323
Job satisfaction-4
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 42%High School Diploma, 44%
Average age3737
Years of experience--

What does a food processor do?

A food processing job involves various tasks to ensure the highest quality of food and ingredients during food preparations in a facility. Food safety processors or food processing workers prepare and preserve various food items, such as canned, baked, frozen, dried, and pasteurized products, and manage their inventory. Aside from working in food production, the food processors also monitor the machinery during cooking and mixing of the ingredients to ensure compliance with the product quality standards. Depending on their specific tasks, these processors must follow strict health, safety food guidelines, and government regulations.

What does a food service worker do?

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 processor vs food service worker salary

Food processors and food service workers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Food ProcessorFood Service Worker
Average salary$31,432$28,753
Salary rangeBetween $25,000 And $38,000Between $22,000 And $36,000
Highest paying CityHillsboro, ORUrban Honolulu, HI
Highest paying stateOregonHawaii
Best paying companyE.W. Grobbel SonsUniversity of California, Berkeley
Best paying industryFinanceRetail

Differences between food processor and food service worker education

There are a few differences between a food processor and a food service worker in terms of educational background:

Food ProcessorFood Service Worker
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 42%High School Diploma, 44%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common college--

Food processor vs food service worker demographics

Here are the differences between food processors' and food service workers' demographics:

Food ProcessorFood Service Worker
Average age3737
Gender ratioMale, 60.2% Female, 39.8%Male, 36.6% Female, 63.4%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 11.9% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 21.3% Asian, 8.5% White, 52.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%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 Percentage6%6%

Differences between food processor and food service worker duties and responsibilities

Food processor example responsibilities.

  • Manage and instruct workers in the art of food preparation as culinary team leader.
  • Take orders and run cash register.
  • Pull pallets of meals into work area using pallet jacks.
  • Handle and process numerous types of livestock in strict accordance to USDA guidelines.
  • Inspect incoming pallets of package food items for damages and defects prior to distribution to airport vendors.
  • Bag groceries, load into cart, and help customers carry and load purchase groceries outside to their vehicles.
  • Show more

Food service worker example responsibilities.

  • Volunteer at rehabilitation center/ nursing home escorting and communicating with the patients.
  • Learned how to do math quickly and efficiently.
  • Demonstrate money-handling and math skills in processing payments for orders.
  • Prepare all food stuffs, roasting meats, baking cookies, preparing salads.
  • Work in full compliance with values of compassion, dignity, excellence, integrity, and team work.
  • Install and maintain HVAC systems which include walkin coolers and freezers, reach-ins and pass thru and a/c systems
  • Show more

Food processor vs food service worker skills

Common food processor skills
  • Food Safety, 23%
  • Assembly Line, 12%
  • GMP, 10%
  • Food Preparation, 7%
  • Food Processing Equipment, 6%
  • Pallet Jack, 6%
Common food service worker skills
  • Food Handling, 22%
  • Safety Standards, 9%
  • Customer Service, 9%
  • Patients, 7%
  • Cash Control, 4%
  • Rehabilitation, 4%

Browse food preparation and restaurant jobs