Snack bar attendant vs food preparer

The differences between snack bar attendants and food preparers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a food preparer has an average salary of $27,717, which is higher than the $26,428 average annual salary of a snack bar attendant.

The top three skills for a snack bar attendant include food handling, cash handling and cleanliness. The most important skills for a food preparer are food handling, work ethic, and food products.

Snack bar attendant vs food preparer overview

	Snack Bar Attendant	Food Preparer
Yearly salary	$26,428	$27,717
Hourly rate	$12.71	$13.33
Growth rate	14%	14%
Number of jobs	49,616	134,113
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 37%	High School Diploma, 41%
Average age	23	23
Years of experience	-	-

Snack bar attendant vs food preparer salary

Snack bar attendants and food preparers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Snack Bar Attendant	Food Preparer
Average salary	$26,428	$27,717
Salary range	Between $20,000 And $33,000	Between $20,000 And $37,000
Highest paying City	Syracuse, NY	Commack, NY
Highest paying state	Maine	New Hampshire
Best paying company	Syracuse University	Mount Sinai Health System
Best paying industry	Manufacturing	Retail

Differences between snack bar attendant and food preparer education

There are a few differences between a snack bar attendant and a food preparer in terms of educational background:

	Snack Bar Attendant	Food Preparer
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 37%	High School Diploma, 41%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Snack bar attendant vs food preparer demographics

Here are the differences between snack bar attendants' and food preparers' demographics:

	Snack Bar Attendant	Food Preparer
Average age	23	23
Gender ratio	Male, 26.0% Female, 74.0%	Male, 46.6% Female, 53.4%
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%

Differences between snack bar attendant and food preparer duties and responsibilities

Snack bar attendant example responsibilities.

Cook, basic bartending, greet customer, help customers with bowling equipment.
Operate POS system and cash register, process payments and coupons, make daily shift deposits.
Receive orders, used POS system, calculate change manually, and deliver orders in timely manner.
Complete understanding of sanitation and cleanliness relate issues.
Operate Starbucks maintaining inventory along with performing assign managerial duties.
Ensure that federal regulations regarding cleanliness and food preparation are met.

Food preparer example responsibilities.

Maintain cleanliness, organization and time management of order preparation, customer service
Follow closing procedures and maintain cleanliness of food preparation area and bathrooms.
Operate on a POS system, and would prep and serve food.
Clean fryers daily, closing shop with overhaul of cleaning routines and stocking freezers.
Operate a variety of commercial cooking equipment including grills, deep fryers, and ovens.
Clean and sanitize workstations, utensils and equipment according to sanitation guidelines.

Snack bar attendant vs food preparer skills

Common snack bar attendant skills

Food Handling, 28%
Cash Handling, 8%
Cleanliness, 7%
Customer Transactions, 5%
Beverage Products, 5%
POS, 5%

Common food preparer skills

Food Handling, 20%
Work Ethic, 13%
Food Products, 11%
Kitchen Utensils, 8%
Safety Standards, 7%
Customer Service, 6%

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Food Preparation and Restaurant Industry
Snack Bar Attendant
Snack Bar Attendant vs Food Preparer

Updated January 8, 2025

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