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The differences between line servers and cafe associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a cafe associate has an average salary of $30,081, which is higher than the $28,300 average annual salary of a line server.
The top three skills for a line server include customer service, quality customer service and exceptional guest. The most important skills for a cafe associate are safety standards, food service, and groceries.
| Line Server | Cafe Associate | |
| Yearly salary | $28,300 | $30,081 |
| Hourly rate | $13.61 | $14.46 |
| Growth rate | 14% | 14% |
| Number of jobs | 246,165 | 76,618 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 49% | High School Diploma, 46% |
| Average age | 23 | 23 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A line server is responsible for assisting the guests with their needs to ensure an overall satisfying dining experience with the highest quality service. Line servers take and verify guests' orders, provide recommendation for orders, respond to the guests' inquiries regarding the menu, manage the food preparation and serving, assist guests with additional requests, and ensure strict adherence to the sanitary standards and hygienic procedures at all times. Line servers must have excellent communication and time-management skills to interact with different guests and identify their dining needs.
A cafe associate performs various support tasks to help maintain the smooth flow of operations at a cafe and ensure customer satisfaction. They ensure that the shelves are stocked with fresh and high-quality products by conducting regular evaluations and inspections, disposing of expired goods, and adding new products as necessary. They may also prepare or serve orders, make drinks using machines, and assist customers by answering inquiries or processing their payments. Moreover, a cafe associate must maintain an open communication line with co-workers and report to managers regularly.
Line servers and cafe associates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Line Server | Cafe Associate | |
| Average salary | $28,300 | $30,081 |
| Salary range | Between $21,000 And $36,000 | Between $24,000 And $36,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Concord, NH |
| Highest paying state | - | Oregon |
| Best paying company | - | Bertucci's |
| Best paying industry | - | Retail |
There are a few differences between a line server and a cafe associate in terms of educational background:
| Line Server | Cafe Associate | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 49% | High School Diploma, 46% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between line servers' and cafe associates' demographics:
| Line Server | Cafe Associate | |
| Average age | 23 | 23 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 33.7% Female, 66.3% | Male, 30.4% Female, 69.6% |
| 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% |