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The differences between food runners and line cooks can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a line cook has an average salary of $32,894, which is higher than the $25,536 average annual salary of a food runner.
The top three skills for a food runner include cleanliness, wine and culinary. The most important skills for a line cook are culinary, sanitation standards, and food handling.
| Food Runner | Line Cook | |
| Yearly salary | $25,536 | $32,894 |
| Hourly rate | $12.28 | $15.81 |
| Growth rate | 14% | 16% |
| Number of jobs | 240,853 | 168,993 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 38% | High School Diploma, 36% |
| Average age | 23 | 38 |
| Years of experience | - | 4 |
Food Runners are responsible for assisting waitstaff on serving customers at a restaurant or similar establishment. Among their duties include maintaining cleanliness in particular areas, setting tables, refilling drinks, assisting customers with everything that they need, and coordinating with the workforce in and out of the kitchen. Furthermore, Food Runners need to ensure that all deliveries are accurate according to what is ordered by a customer. It is essential to stay presentable and helpful at all times as the main priority is customer satisfaction.
Line cooks are responsible for preparing meals for guests or employers. The term line cook brings to mind an assembly line. This is apt because line cooks are usually assigned to a specific station to work on a specific part of a meal or a preparation process. They are part of a bigger group of cooks in the restaurant. This is done so that meal preparation is more efficient. Line cooks are responsible for preparing ingredients, ensuring that the pantry is well-stocked, and doing their assigned activity in the line. They are expected to be good team players, have experience as a cook, and be able to follow recipes and provide alternatives when necessary.
Food runners and line cooks have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Food Runner | Line Cook | |
| Average salary | $25,536 | $32,894 |
| Salary range | Between $18,000 And $34,000 | Between $26,000 And $40,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Vermont | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | University of Massachusetts Boston | Gate City Bank |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | Hospitality |
There are a few differences between a food runner and a line cook in terms of educational background:
| Food Runner | Line Cook | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 38% | High School Diploma, 36% |
| Most common major | Business | Culinary Arts |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between food runners' and line cooks' demographics:
| Food Runner | Line Cook | |
| Average age | 23 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 59.0% Female, 41.0% | Male, 73.1% Female, 26.9% |
| 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, 9.4% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 18.2% Asian, 8.9% White, 57.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 6% |