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Food service technician vs commercial service technician

The differences between food service technicians and commercial service technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a commercial service technician has an average salary of $49,463, which is higher than the $33,791 average annual salary of a food service technician.

The top three skills for a food service technician include patients, tray line and food handling. The most important skills for a commercial service technician are OSHA, service vehicle, and ladders.

Food service technician vs commercial service technician overview

Food Service TechnicianCommercial Service Technician
Yearly salary$33,791$49,463
Hourly rate$16.25$23.78
Growth rate14%8%
Number of jobs120,800216,958
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 35%Associate Degree, 29%
Average age2344
Years of experience-12

What does a food service technician do?

A food technician monitors what goes in and out of a kitchen. The role entails ensuring that whatever food leaves the kitchen meets the company's standard. The role also requires them to work closely with the food service team to ensure adequate preparation, cleaning, and sanitizing of cooking equipment and work area. Food technicians are employed at hotels, restaurants, hospitals, or schools.

What does a commercial service technician do?

A commercial service technician is responsible for maintaining and repairing mechanical equipment and machinery for private households and commercial establishments. Commercial service technicians inspect the conditions and stability of mechanical components to identify defects and possible part replacements. They also install and assemble equipment, requiring them to have critical analysis to follow blueprints and schematics. A commercial service technician must have excellent mechanical and organizational skills, especially in recommending efficient resources and prevent breakdown reoccurrence.

Food service technician vs commercial service technician salary

Food service technicians and commercial service technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

Food Service TechnicianCommercial Service Technician
Average salary$33,791$49,463
Salary rangeBetween $25,000 And $45,000Between $33,000 And $74,000
Highest paying CitySanta Clara, CABroken Arrow, OK
Highest paying stateCaliforniaHawaii
Best paying companyGilletteSoCalGas
Best paying industryHealth CareEnergy

Differences between food service technician and commercial service technician education

There are a few differences between a food service technician and a commercial service technician in terms of educational background:

Food Service TechnicianCommercial Service Technician
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 35%Associate Degree, 29%
Most common majorBusinessHeating And Air Conditioning
Most common college--

Food service technician vs commercial service technician demographics

Here are the differences between food service technicians' and commercial service technicians' demographics:

Food Service TechnicianCommercial Service Technician
Average age2344
Gender ratioMale, 42.7% Female, 57.3%Male, 96.6% Female, 3.4%
Race ratioBlack 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, 5.0% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 15.6% Asian, 1.7% White, 73.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage8%1%

Differences between food service technician and commercial service technician duties and responsibilities

Food service technician example responsibilities.

  • Operate institutional slicers, shredders, food processors, and sealer machines.
  • Follow and maintain high sanitation standards and guidelines as per NFS, and HACCP.
  • Ensure proper hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP) and ServSave protocols are adhered to.
  • Maintain facility cleanliness and security.
  • Maintain the professional and cleanliness outlook of the facility
  • Assist patients one-on-one in making menu selections according to their therapeutic diets.
  • Show more

Commercial service technician example responsibilities.

  • Facilitate escalations of complex desktop issues and manage cases through resolution.
  • Repair dishwashers, clothes washers, dryers, ovens, stoves, microwaves and garbage disposals.
  • Service all brands of washers, dryers, dishwashers, compactors, ranges and refrigerators including seal system repairs.
  • Perform in-home troubleshooting and repairs on consumer appliances.
  • service, install and maintenance on commercial hvac/r
  • Repair outdoor grills and clean window A/C units.
  • Show more

Food service technician vs commercial service technician skills

Common food service technician skills
  • Patients, 27%
  • Tray Line, 7%
  • Food Handling, 7%
  • Kitchen Equipment, 6%
  • Meal Service, 6%
  • Food Carts, 5%
Common commercial service technician skills
  • OSHA, 15%
  • Service Vehicle, 14%
  • Ladders, 12%
  • Service Calls, 11%
  • PSI, 10%
  • Customer Satisfaction, 10%

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