Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between food runner/bussers and food preparers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a food runner/busser has an average salary of $28,577, which is higher than the $27,717 average annual salary of a food preparer.
The top three skills for a food runner/busser include cleanliness, wine and excellent guest. The most important skills for a food preparer are food handling, work ethic, and food products.
| Food Runner/Busser | Food Preparer | |
| Yearly salary | $28,577 | $27,717 |
| Hourly rate | $13.74 | $13.33 |
| Growth rate | 14% | 14% |
| Number of jobs | 124,680 | 134,113 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 42% | High School Diploma, 41% |
| 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.
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.
Food runner/bussers and food preparers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Food Runner/Busser | Food Preparer | |
| Average salary | $28,577 | $27,717 |
| Salary range | Between $22,000 And $36,000 | Between $20,000 And $37,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Commack, NY |
| Highest paying state | New Hampshire | New Hampshire |
| Best paying company | The Culinary Institute of America | Mount Sinai Health System |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | Retail |
There are a few differences between a food runner/busser and a food preparer in terms of educational background:
| Food Runner/Busser | Food Preparer | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 42% | High School Diploma, 41% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between food runner/bussers' and food preparers' demographics:
| Food Runner/Busser | Food Preparer | |
| Average age | 23 | 23 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 75.4% Female, 24.6% | Male, 46.6% Female, 53.4% |
| 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% |