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The differences between food runner/bussers and associate food scientists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an associate food scientist has an average salary of $43,865, which is higher than the $28,577 average annual salary of a food runner/busser.
The top three skills for a food runner/busser include cleanliness, wine and excellent guest. The most important skills for an associate food scientist are quality food, food products, and customer service.
| Food Runner/Busser | Associate Food Scientist | |
| Yearly salary | $28,577 | $43,865 |
| Hourly rate | $13.74 | $21.09 |
| Growth rate | 14% | 14% |
| Number of jobs | 124,680 | 160,215 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 42% | Bachelor's Degree, 38% |
| Average age | 23 | 23 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A food runner or busser is an employee who works at a restaurant to provide quality food services to customers and patrons. Food runners or bussers perform food preparation and ensure that foods are delivered promptly to the appropriate customers' tables. In case the bar server is busy, food runners or bussers may take the drink orders of customers at the bar counter. They also make sure that tables are bussed, cleaned, and set up for the next paying customers.
An associate food scientist is primarily responsible for developing new recipes for a company, ensuring quality and marketability. They are also responsible for improving existing recipes, performing support tasks for a head scientist, conducting market research and analysis, monitoring the progress of projects, and maintaining all recipes' data and records, including nutrition value and ingredients. Furthermore, there are instances when an associate food scientist must manage the packaging and storing processes of food, ensuring consumers' health and safety.
Food runner/bussers and associate food scientists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Food Runner/Busser | Associate Food Scientist | |
| Average salary | $28,577 | $43,865 |
| Salary range | Between $22,000 And $36,000 | Between $35,000 And $54,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | New Hampshire | New Hampshire |
| Best paying company | The Culinary Institute of America | Emory University |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a food runner/busser and an associate food scientist in terms of educational background:
| Food Runner/Busser | Associate Food Scientist | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 42% | Bachelor's Degree, 38% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between food runner/bussers' and associate food scientists' demographics:
| Food Runner/Busser | Associate Food Scientist | |
| Average age | 23 | 23 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 75.4% Female, 24.6% | Male, 48.7% Female, 51.3% |
| 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% |