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Line server vs food service/cashier

The differences between line servers and food service/cashiers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a food service/cashier has an average salary of $28,481, 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 food service/cashier are food service, POS, and cleanliness.

Line server vs food service/cashier overview

Line ServerFood Service/Cashier
Yearly salary$28,300$28,481
Hourly rate$13.61$13.69
Growth rate14%14%
Number of jobs246,165247,779
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 49%High School Diploma, 48%
Average age2323
Years of experience--

What does a line server do?

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.

What does a food service/cashier do?

Foodservice/cashiers are often employed at food restaurants and played various roles. Their duties include recording orders from customers and making sure their payments are collected. They are responsible for managing financial transactions and creating financial reports at the end of the day, making sure that order receipts correlate to the amount of money collected. They could also function as service members, welcoming customers and taking their orders politely, packaging them, and ensures that they are delivered promptly, taking in and resolving customer's queries and complaints. They can also be tasked to stock supplies and may help in cooking if the needs arise.

Line server vs food service/cashier salary

Line servers and food service/cashiers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Line ServerFood Service/Cashier
Average salary$28,300$28,481
Salary rangeBetween $21,000 And $36,000Between $22,000 And $35,000
Highest paying City-Montclair, NJ
Highest paying state-New Hampshire
Best paying company-Aspen School District
Best paying industry-Retail

Differences between line server and food service/cashier education

There are a few differences between a line server and a food service/cashier in terms of educational background:

Line ServerFood Service/Cashier
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 49%High School Diploma, 48%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common college--

Line server vs food service/cashier demographics

Here are the differences between line servers' and food service/cashiers' demographics:

Line ServerFood Service/Cashier
Average age2323
Gender ratioMale, 33.7% Female, 66.3%Male, 28.3% Female, 71.7%
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, 9.6% Unknown, 6.9% Hispanic or Latino, 18.6% Asian, 6.5% White, 57.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage8%8%

Differences between line server and food service/cashier duties and responsibilities

Line server example responsibilities.

  • Customer-Orient fast food worker with deep experience with POS systems, food preparation and safety regulations.
  • Experience with making smoothies and hot beverages while making sure customers are satisfied.
  • Take food and drink orders and receive payment from customers, accurately process payment methods via POS system.
  • Establish a positive relationship with co-workers and managers through a solid work ethic, positive attitude, punctuality and dependability.
  • Operate a commercial dishwasher to clean and sanitize flatware, glassware, utensils, and pots and pans.
  • Set correct water temperature and correct amount of dish soap for dishwasher to ensure dishes are clean and sanitize.
  • Show more

Food service/cashier example responsibilities.

  • Cashier, serve food, manage calls, drawer counting, heavy lifting, heavy use of POS system and filing.
  • Greet guests, take food and drink orders, prepare and assemble food items, maintain the cash drawer and POS system
  • Time management while delivering patients orders and providing exceptional customer service in a fast pace environment.
  • Order and receive supplies for culinary needs of the fleet.
  • Maintain food safety and quality by applying HACCP principles throughout service.
  • Load and unload commercial dishwashers.
  • Show more

Line server vs food service/cashier skills

Common line server skills
  • Customer Service, 21%
  • Quality Customer Service, 20%
  • Exceptional Guest, 7%
  • Excellent Guest, 6%
  • Safety Standards, 4%
  • Food Safety, 3%
Common food service/cashier skills
  • Food Service, 17%
  • POS, 13%
  • Cleanliness, 9%
  • Basic Math, 8%
  • Math, 7%
  • Customer Complaints, 7%

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