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Restaurant associate vs cafe associate

The differences between restaurant associates 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 $29,195 average annual salary of a restaurant associate.

The top three skills for a restaurant associate include food service, customer service and customer orders. The most important skills for a cafe associate are safety standards, food service, and groceries.

Restaurant associate vs cafe associate overview

Restaurant AssociateCafe Associate
Yearly salary$29,195$30,081
Hourly rate$14.04$14.46
Growth rate14%14%
Number of jobs64,41976,618
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 37%High School Diploma, 46%
Average age3723
Years of experience--

What does a restaurant associate do?

A restaurant associate is responsible for ensuring that the guests receive the highest satisfaction for their dining experience. Restaurant associates entertain and greet guests, assist the dining staff in processing orders, respond to inquiries and concerns, and escalate complaints to the supervisor. They also help management in identifying opportunities that would attract customers by researching current industry trends to develop additional services for generating more revenues. A restaurant associate monitors the stock inventory, create purchase requests, and negotiate with trusted suppliers.

What does a cafe associate do?

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.

Restaurant associate vs cafe associate salary

Restaurant associates and cafe associates have different pay scales, as shown below.

Restaurant AssociateCafe Associate
Average salary$29,195$30,081
Salary rangeBetween $22,000 And $37,000Between $24,000 And $36,000
Highest paying City-Concord, NH
Highest paying state-Oregon
Best paying company-Bertucci's
Best paying industry-Retail

Differences between restaurant associate and cafe associate education

There are a few differences between a restaurant associate and a cafe associate in terms of educational background:

Restaurant AssociateCafe Associate
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 37%High School Diploma, 46%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common college--

Restaurant associate vs cafe associate demographics

Here are the differences between restaurant associates' and cafe associates' demographics:

Restaurant AssociateCafe Associate
Average age3723
Gender ratioMale, 49.2% Female, 50.8%Male, 30.4% Female, 69.6%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 11.1% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 21.5% Asian, 6.6% White, 54.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%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 Percentage10%8%

Differences between restaurant associate and cafe associate duties and responsibilities

Restaurant associate example responsibilities.

  • Manage staff by teaching them the correct procedures along with making sure they are working up to Marriott standards.
  • Uphold professional image, including restaurant cleanliness and appearance standards.
  • Develop ability to communicate to a variety of personalities of guests and employees while serving culinary indulgences
  • Review and evaluate HACCP documents, create corrective action documentation for HACCP errors.
  • Cut and chop food items and cook on a grill or in fryers.

Cafe associate example responsibilities.

  • tip counting and figuring for employees.
  • Prepare and serve specialty coffee drinks, smoothies and teas.
  • Better than average wine knowledge, both old and new world.
  • Train in all areas of retail including point of sale (POS), shipping and handling.
  • Enter all orders into the POS system accurately and efficiently.maintain a high level experience in a fast pace environment.
  • Maintain cleanliness around the department; also, communicate with members in a professional and respectful manner when assistance are needed.
  • Show more

Restaurant associate vs cafe associate skills

Common restaurant associate skills
  • Food Service, 43%
  • Customer Service, 18%
  • Customer Orders, 17%
  • Food Handling, 10%
  • Cleanliness, 5%
  • Customer Complaints, 3%
Common cafe associate skills
  • Safety Standards, 32%
  • Food Service, 30%
  • Groceries, 13%
  • SAM, 7%
  • Dishwashers, 3%
  • Cleanliness, 1%

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