Fry cook vs line cook/dishwasher

The differences between fry cooks and line cook/dishwashers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a fry cook and a line cook/dishwasher. Additionally, a line cook/dishwasher has an average salary of $34,435, which is higher than the $30,622 average annual salary of a fry cook.

The top three skills for a fry cook include kitchen equipment, customer service and safety standards. The most important skills for a line cook/dishwasher are food handling, cleanliness, and dishwashers.

Fry cook vs line cook/dishwasher overview

	Fry Cook	Line Cook/Dishwasher
Yearly salary	$30,622	$34,435
Hourly rate	$14.72	$16.56
Growth rate	16%	16%
Number of jobs	246,323	133,370
Job satisfaction	4	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 53%	High School Diploma, 54%
Average age	38	38
Years of experience	4	4

What does a fry cook do?

Generally, a fry cook works in a kitchen specializing in fried foods and operating the deep fryer. Fry cooks or chefs cook food by submerging in boiling oil. They prepare food to be fried, work with frying pans, and watch over deep fryers. The skills they need to establish include food preparation, dexterity, physical stamina, and comprehension. They are also expected to be understanding and patient, noting that these qualities help impress the customers.

What does a line cook/dishwasher do?

A line cook/dishwasher is primarily in charge of prepping food and maintaining their work station's cleanliness while adhering to health standards and protocols. Among their duties include washing and chopping vegetables, cutting meat according to requirements, preparing sauces, and cooking according to an executive chef's directives. They also participate in cleaning and sterilizing kitchen tools and equipment, monitoring the inventory of ingredients, unloading stock deliveries, and taking care of leftovers. Additionally, as a line cook/dishwasher, it is essential to maintain an open communication line with fellow kitchen staff for an efficient workflow.

Fry cook vs line cook/dishwasher salary

Fry cooks and line cook/dishwashers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Fry Cook	Line Cook/Dishwasher
Average salary	$30,622	$34,435
Salary range	Between $24,000 And $38,000	Between $26,000 And $44,000
Highest paying City	Fresno, CA	-
Highest paying state	Washington	-
Best paying company	Anthony	-
Best paying industry	Hospitality	-

Differences between fry cook and line cook/dishwasher education

There are a few differences between a fry cook and a line cook/dishwasher in terms of educational background:

	Fry Cook	Line Cook/Dishwasher
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 53%	High School Diploma, 54%
Most common major	Culinary Arts	Culinary Arts
Most common college	-	-

Fry cook vs line cook/dishwasher demographics

Here are the differences between fry cooks' and line cook/dishwashers' demographics:

	Fry Cook	Line Cook/Dishwasher
Average age	38	38
Gender ratio	Male, 80.8% Female, 19.2%	Male, 84.2% Female, 15.8%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.5% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 17.0% Asian, 8.5% White, 58.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%	Black or African American, 8.7% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 17.6% Asian, 8.1% White, 59.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between fry cook and line cook/dishwasher duties and responsibilities

Fry cook example responsibilities.

Develop ability to manage multiple stations simultaneously while maintaining high levels of culinary excellence.
Grill burgers and used the deep fryers for various foods, clean all equipment at the end of the shift.
Bread and cook chicken, fry foods, run and clean fryers, clean coolers, do dishes general utilities.
Job responsibilities include preparing and executing dishes, as well as assuming responsibility for cleanliness of restaurant.
Provide friendly, quality, customer service to each Chipotle customer.

Line cook/dishwasher example responsibilities.

Operate mixers and manage ingredients to meet product quality and uniformity standards.
Maintain superb conditions of all grills, fryers, prep areas, and work spaces in the kitchen.
Have to follow certain steps for battering prior to cooking, and use a timer for the fryers for fry.
Leverage teamwork to fully utilize kitchen staff to generate remarkable food and service to ensure customer satisfaction.
Operate dishwasher to fully sanitize incoming dishes and silverware.
Prepare food items with special attention to individual orders concerning allergies and temperatures.

Fry cook vs line cook/dishwasher skills

Common fry cook skills

Kitchen Equipment, 23%
Customer Service, 11%
Safety Standards, 10%
Deep-Fat Fryers, 9%
Food Products, 5%
Fine Dining, 5%

Common line cook/dishwasher skills

Food Handling, 35%
Cleanliness, 32%
Dishwashers, 25%
Kitchen Equipment, 3%
Culinary, 2%
Line Cooks, 1%

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Fry Cook vs Line Cook/Dishwasher

Updated January 8, 2025

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